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Old April 29th, 2008, 21:54   #2
Maurus
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Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: NE Ohio
Posts: 710
Default Re: aerodynamics=student pilot style

I think you have some of these confused.

P- factor: This is caused by the descending side of the prop taking a larger bite out of the air. You will not see this in level flight. Think of the prop as a wing. When in level flight the angle of attack remains constant all around the prop. Once you pitch the aircraft up, the prop will have a new angle of attack. The descending prop will have a greater angle of attack increasing its lift and causing it to push the nose of the aircraft to the left.

Gyroscopic Precession: In this case the prop acts like a gyroscope. When a force is applied to a gyroscope it is transfered 90 degrees in the rotation of the gyroscope. With the aircraft if you were to lift the tail (or descend) this would cause a force at the top of the prop thus causing the the force to shift 90 degrees to the right side of the prop (sitting from the cockpit, 3 o'clock position). The force will push that part of the prop forward which will cause the aircraft to yaw left.

Torque: Torque is only a left turning tendency on the ground. Once in the air it is turned into a left rolling tendency. You can experiment with torque by taking a rubber band airplane and hold the prop letting the aircraft spin. When the aircraft is on the ground the torque can't roll the aircraft, so it just turns left.

Spiraling Slipstream: This is caused by the propeller of the aircraft. The prop causes the air to spiral to the back of the aircraft where it "hits" the vertical stabilizer thus causing it to yaw to the left.
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