Modeling Aircraft Motion hour aerodynamic forces act on an a

Modeling Aircraft Motion hour aerodynamic forces act on an airplane in flight: lift, weight, thrust, and drag. While an aircraft is in flight, these four forces continuously battle each other. Weight opposes lift, and drag opposes thrust. See the diagram below. In balanced flight at constant speed, the lift and weight are equal, and the thrust and drag are equal. 1. What will happen to the aircraft if the lift is held constant while the weight is decreased (say, from burning off fuel)? 2. What will happen to the aircraft if the lift is decreased while the weight is held constant? 3. What will happen to the aircraft if the thrust is increased while the drag is held constant? 4. What will happen to the aircraft if the drag is increased while the thrust is held constant?

Solution

1)

when lift is held constant and weight is decreased aircraft moves upwards ,increasing its altitude

2)

when weight is held constant and lift is decreased aircraft moves downwards ,decreasing its altitude

3)

when thurst is increased and  drag is held constant aircraft moves faster

4)

when drag is increased and   thurst is held constant aircraft moves slower