Flight mechanics - Propulsive balance and energy

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Flight mechanics - Propulsive balance and energy

This course is part of Fundamentals of Flight mechanics Specialization

Instructor: Eric Poquillon

4,038 already enrolled

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3 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

62 reviews

Intermediate level

Some related experience required

6 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

3 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

62 reviews

Intermediate level

Some related experience required

6 hours to complete

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Describe the speed and altitude control of an airplane.
Describe relationship between thrust, speed and altitude.

Skills you'll gain

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Assessments

12 assignments

Taught in English

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This course is part of the Fundamentals of Flight mechanics Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

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There are 3 modules in this course

This course is dedicated to energy management, i.e. speed and altitude control.

The various sources of drag are first described and modeled, as well as thrust origin, and evolution with speed and altitude. Using these models, we can evaluate the propulsive balance and derive important concepts like flight regimes, best climb speed, or propulsion ceiling. We take then a glance at cruise performances and the evolution of range with weight. This course is a part of the specialization "Fundamentals of Flight mechanics".

First we will look at the physics at the origin of drag and thrust, and derive basic models and representations like the drag polar.

What's included

5 videos5 readings4 assignments

5 videos Total 21 minutes

Drag expression 4 minutes
The drag polar 4 minutes
Froudes's thrust theory 3 minutes
Propeller devices types 4 minutes
Propulsion equation and energy exchanges 5 minutes

5 readings Total 27 minutes

Welcome ! 2 minutes
Glossary/Definiton of terms 10 minutes
Summary 5 minutes
Summary 5 minutes
Summary 5 minutes

4 assignments Total 65 minutes

Check your knowledge for week 1 30 minutes
Quiz on drag modeling 10 minutes
Quiz on thrust modeling 15 minutes
Quiz on drag, thrust and energy 10 minutes

We will see here how the airspeed chosen to fly a stabilized phase of flight, like climb, final approach, or cruise, affects the behavior of the airplane, and why certain speeds are optimal for a given phase.

What's included

7 videos2 readings4 assignments1 discussion prompt

7 videos Total 15 minutes

Drag variation with speed 3 minutes
Propulsion balance 3 minutes
Regimes definition and properties 2 minutes
Stability 3 minutes
A reminder on climb and descent 2 minutes
Best climb angle 1 minute
Propelling device types 2 minutes

2 readings Total 15 minutes

Summary 10 minutes
Best climb speed and propelling device type 5 minutes

4 assignments Total 70 minutes

Check your knowledge for week 2 30 minutes
Self evaluation about propulsion balance 10 minutes
Self evaluation about Regimes definition and stability 20 minutes
Quiz about best climb speed 10 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 10 minutes

Discussion about low speed 10 minutes

Our main subject here is the distance we can fly with a given payload and fuel quantity, and how it relates with the design and operational characteristics of the airplane.

What's included

4 videos2 readings4 assignments1 discussion prompt

4 videos Total 16 minutes

Specific distance 4 minutes
Cruise altitude 4 minutes
Breguet-Leduc equation 3 minutes
Payload range diagram 5 minutes

2 readings Total 10 minutes

Summary 5 minutes
Summary 5 minutes

4 assignments Total 105 minutes

Check your knowledge for week 3 30 minutes
General assesment 45 minutes
Learning quiz about Cruise performance 15 minutes
One question on payload range diagram 15 minutes

1 discussion prompt Total 10 minutes

Conclusion and synthesis 10 minutes

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Instructor

Instructor ratings

(15 ratings)

Eric Poquillon

ISAE-SUPAERO

4 Courses 28,699 learners

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Reviewed on Apr 7, 2023

All courses are deisned very well and provides good Introduction Flight Mechanics. Being an Aerospace Engineer I have found it really helpful in revising all my previous topics.

Reviewed on Nov 18, 2022

Very good course, the final assessment is quite challenging so you need to learn seriously.

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To access the course materials, assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience when you enroll in a course. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid. The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

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