Aircraft Design Questions and Answers – Flight Mechanics – Gliding Flight-1

This set of Aircraft Design Multiple Choice Questions & Answers (MCQs) focuses on “Flight Mechanics – Gliding Flight-1”.

1. For a typical gliding flight, thrust will be ________
a) zero
b) equal to the lift
c) always same as drag
d) always same as weight
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: For a typical gliding flight, Thrust Will be zero. Gliding flight is often termed as unpowered flight. Lift and drag during gliding flight will be determined by using glide angle.

2. The tangent of glide angle is ________
a) equal to drag to lift ratio
b) lift to drag ratio
c) inverse of thrust
d) equal to thrust
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: The tangent of glide angle is equal to the drag to lift ratio. Lift to drag ratio is called aerodynamic efficiency of the aircraft. Tangent of Glide angle is inverse of the Aerodynamic efficiency or inverse of the lift to drag ratio.

3. If aerodynamic efficiency of the glider is 20 then, found the value of corresponding glide angle.
a) 2.86 unit
b) 3.8
c) 5.6
d) 12.12
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: Glide angle = arctan (1/Aerodynamic efficiency) = arctan (1/20) = 2.86 unit.
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4. A typical glider has weight of 150N and has glide angle of 2.5°. Find Lift produced by the glider.
a) 149.85N
b) 150kN
c) 322N
d) 120Kn
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: Lift = weight* cos (glide angle) = 150*cos (2.5°) = 149.85 N.

5. Glider with glide angle of 4.2° is gliding with gliding ratio of _____
a) 13.6
b) 12.9
c) 15
d) 25.4
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: Glide ratio = 1/tan (glide angle) = 1 / tan (4.2°) = 13.6.
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6. Typically, a high performance unpowered aircraft is called ________
a) sailplane
b) glider
c) jet
d) twin engine
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: Typically, a high performance unpowered aircraft is termed as sailplane. A glider is crude, low performance unpowered aircraft. This is based on typical sailplane terminology.

7. Find the velocity required for maximum range. Consider a sailplane has wing loading of 110N/m2 and K/CD0 of 0.35.
a) 10.3m/s
b) 10.3mph
c) 12.5mph
d) 9.2mph
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: Velocity = \(\sqrt{\frac{2*wing \,loading*\sqrt{K/CD0}}{density}}\)
= \(\sqrt{\frac{2*110*\sqrt{0.35}}{1.225}}\)
= \(\sqrt{106.24}\) = 10.3 m/s.
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8. If a glider needs to be flown at maximum range then, at which value of CL we should fly this glider? Consider CD0/K is 2.8.
a) 1.67
b) 3.2
c) 5.6
d) 2.5
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: CL = [CD0/K] 0.5 = 2.80.5 = 1.67.

9. Which of the following is correct for a typical glider?
a) Drag D = W*cos (gamma)
b) Drag D = W*arcsine (gamma)
c) Drag D = W
d) Drag D = Thrust T
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: Above equation is used to provide information about drag of atypical glider. Drag can be given by, Drag D = W*cos (gamma) where, D is drag, W is weight of the glider and gamma is the glide angle.
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10. If my glider has lift coefficient at maximum lift to drag as 1.5 and induced drag factor K is 0.007 then, find parasite drag coefficient.
a) 0.01575
b) 0.01 N
c) 0.02N
d) 0.0157N
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: Parasite drag coefficient = K*lift coefficient2 = 0.007*1.5*1.5 = 0.01575.

11. All the gliders are unpowered.
a) True
b) False
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: Typically, gliders are built with zero thrust. However, in modern days there gliders which operates with some power plant. Hence, statement is not correct. Not all the gliders are unpowered, some are powered as well.

12. If a sailplane has glide ratio of 45 then, find horizontal distance travelled by this sailplane. Consider altitude loss of 1000ft.
a) 45000ft
b) 1000ft
c) 3456ft
d) 987ft
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: Horizontal distance = glide ratio*altitude loss = 45*1000 = 45000ft.

13. Sink rate can be used to ____________
a) determine the time a glider may remain in the air
b) determine and estimate takeoff gross weight
c) estimate only wing loading
d) calculate weight to thrust ratio
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: The time a glider may remain in the air can be determined by using the sink rate. Sink rate is the product of aircraft velocity and sine of the glide angle. It is the vertical velocity.

14. A glider has aspect ratio of 20 and CD0 of 0.02. In order to attain maximum range, determine the value required aerodynamic efficiency. Take e as 1.
a) 28.02
b) 20
c) 30
d) 43
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: Aerodynamic efficiency= 0.5*(π*e*aspect ratio/CD0)0.5
= 0.5*(π*1*20/0.02)0.5 = 28.02.

15. Determine the value of sink rate of glider which is operating with 4.2° of glide angle and has speed of 120m/s.
a) 8.78m/s
b) 9.8ms
c) 56.5ms
d) 8.7ms
View Answer

Answer: a
Explanation: Sink rate = speed*sine (glide angle) = 120*sine (4.2°) = 8.78m/s.

Sanfoundry Global Education & Learning Series – Aircraft Design.

To practice all areas of Aircraft Design, here is complete set of 1000+ Multiple Choice Questions and Answers.

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Manish Bhojasia - Founder & CTO at Sanfoundry
Manish Bhojasia, a technology veteran with 20+ years @ Cisco & Wipro, is Founder and CTO at Sanfoundry. He lives in Bangalore, and focuses on development of Linux Kernel, SAN Technologies, Advanced C, Data Structures & Alogrithms. Stay connected with him at LinkedIn.

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