Plane banking: Pitch and roll axes

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on the mechanics of plane banking through rotations about the pitch and roll axes, as outlined in "Engineering by Design." When an airplane rolls in response to yoke input, the lift vector aligns with the bank angle, resulting in a change in the lift component acting along the z-axis. This necessitates a corrective action, such as pulling back on the yoke to maintain altitude, as the lift now equals Lcos(theta). The order of rotations—pitch followed by roll or vice versa—does not significantly affect the outcome of the banking maneuver.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of basic aerodynamics, specifically lift and weight dynamics.
  • Familiarity with aircraft control surfaces, including the yoke and rudder.
  • Knowledge of rotational dynamics in three-dimensional space.
  • Basic principles of flight mechanics, particularly regarding pitch and roll axes.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the effects of bank angle on lift and drag in flight dynamics.
  • Study the role of the rudder in coordinated turns and its relationship with ailerons.
  • Explore the mathematical modeling of aircraft maneuvers using Euler angles.
  • Learn about the principles of stability and control in aviation, focusing on pitch and roll interactions.
USEFUL FOR

Aerospace engineers, flight instructors, and aviation enthusiasts seeking to deepen their understanding of aircraft maneuvering and the physics behind banking turns.

Saladsamurai
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Alrighty-then:smile:

Homework Statement


This is from a book called "Engineering by Design." It sucks. Really. It asks problems and doesn't provide sufficient information to answer them. Now that I have complained, here is the question:

Explain with sketches why a combination of rotations about the pitch and roll axes results in a plane banking through the air (with the rudder then used for slight corrections in the turn).

I am a little lost on this to say the least. I know no one can draw it out for me, but if someone could at least briefly explain the procedure, I might be able to wing it --no pun.

Does the order of the rotations matter? That is, pitch first, then roll...or the other way around? Or does it not matter?

Any clues would help :smile:
 
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If you turn the yoke on the airplane, the airplane will roll in the same direction.

This causes the lift vector to bank at the same angle as the airplane. So if the airplane is flying level, Lift= weight. When you turn, the lift in the z -axis is now only Lcos(theta).
So the plane is going to pitch down unless you correct for that by pulling back on the yoke, giving it up elevator.
 
Cyrus said:
If you turn the yoke on the airplane, the airplane will roll in the same direction.

This causes the lift vector to bank at the same angle as the airplane. So if the airplane is flying level, Lift= weight. When you turn, the lift in the z -axis is now only Lcos(theta).
So the plane is going to pitch down unless you correct for that by pulling back on the yoke, giving it up elevator.

Perfect! I was just looking at a website I found that was explaining this! But your way is much more concise.

Thanks:smile:
 

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