How can a glider or an airplane do a loop without thrust

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  • Thread starter Thread starter plaguebreath
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    Airplane Loop Thrust
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the mechanics of how a glider or airplane can perform a loop without thrust. Participants explore the forces involved, such as lift and gravity, and the role of control surfaces like elevators and flaps in executing such maneuvers. The conversation includes technical aspects of simulating flight dynamics and the energy exchanges during aerobatic maneuvers.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Mathematical reasoning
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses confusion about how a plane or glider can loop without thrust, seeking clarification on the forces at play.
  • Another participant suggests that lift, which acts perpendicular to the direction of motion, is crucial for the loop.
  • It is noted that a simulation considering only gravity and thrust would resemble the motion of a thrown rock, lacking the necessary dynamics for a loop.
  • Questions arise regarding the role of control surfaces, particularly elevators and flaps, in initiating and maintaining a loop.
  • Some participants discuss the importance of tracking the pitch angle and incorporating lift and drag into the simulation for a more accurate representation of flight dynamics.
  • A participant mentions that aerodynamic forces can exceed thrust, indicating the significance of lift in aerobatics.
  • There is a suggestion to use simplified equations for the forces involved in flight, including control inputs that change over time.
  • One participant shares personal experience with aerobatics, suggesting that flaps may not be necessary for performing loops.
  • Another participant discusses the need to limit the domain of certain mathematical representations to accurately model the loop's trajectory.
  • There is a mention of using flaps in conjunction with elevators for smoother maneuvers, based on personal experience with model aircraft.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the necessity and role of flaps versus elevators in performing loops. While some agree on the importance of lift and control surfaces, there is no consensus on the specific mechanics or simulation details required to accurately model the loop without thrust.

Contextual Notes

Participants highlight the need for a comprehensive understanding of various forces acting on the aircraft, including lift, drag, and the effects of control surfaces, which may not be fully captured in simplified simulations. There are also unresolved questions regarding the specific implementation of these forces in the participants' code and models.

  • #31
plaguebreath said:
I am just getting confused, let's see what I'm doing wrong, I take this picture:
[snip]
Offcurse my plane is not climbing but just free fall on axis Y (my plane have angle of 0 let's say) so my plane isn't moving backward ?
If you have a plane that is pitched upward and is stopped dead in the air then that plane will not be airborne for long.

If you have a plane that is moving forward... Well then that plane is moving forward, not backward.
 
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  • #32
Ok guess I am just looking stupid now, thank you everyone for the help.
 
  • #33
I think you can still work through this without advanced physics training. The Glenn research center slide shows some useful equations.

Here's the deal: if there is no thrust, the plane has to be pointed downward to gain horizontal momentum. Note that when pointed downward, the lift has a component that is pointed forward. It is this lift that propels the plane forward and allows it to glide. If the plane tilts up, the lift will have a component pointing backwards, so the plane is now losing horizontal momentum. If there's enough momentum to begin with, the plane can execute the loop de loop. If not, the plane loses too much momentum and starts to stall. That's because the lift depends on the forward (not necessarily horizontal) velocity squared of the plane. If you lose too much speed, you lose your lift. The instinctual action when you start dropping is to point the plane up more, but the correct action is to point it down more, so you can gain some speed and lift.
##L = \frac{1}{2} \rho v^2 S C_L##
from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lift_(force)
 
  • #34
plaguebreath said:
the first plane is the step at time 0, my plane is on starting position with velocity 0 and thrust =0
Ah, therein lies your problem. You can't fly if your velocity is zero. Point your nose down so you can gain some forward speed and hope you get enough lift before you hit the ground. (When pointed down, lift will provide horizontal acceleration. Once you've gotten enough horizontal velocity, you can start to point the nose more horizontal again, where lift will point up and start to slow your fall.) Planes have to be moving forward to work.
 

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