TO THE SKIES

HISTORY OF FLIGHT
• Daedalus is a mythological character
who was an architect and craftsman.
• He is noted for creating a pair of wings
made of wax and feathers. With which
he used to escape captivity along with
his son from King Crete.
• His son, Icarus, flew too close to the
sun and fell to his death after the wax
had melted.
• Daedalus continued to Sicily where he
he built a temple to Apollo and offered
his wings to the god.
• Alexander the Great was said to
have tied a seat between two
griffins to fly and see the world. He
used two meat skewers to entice
them to fly higher.

• Pegasus were winged horses the

Bellerophon, king of Corinth, flew
to fight the three headed Chimera.
■ Leonardo da Vinci Ornithopter had an
interest in flight and collected many
theories on flight by about 1505. In one of
his sketches, he illustrates what is known
as an ornithopter.
■ It is not known if da Vinci ever built or
attempt to fly the device.
■ An Ornithopter is an aircraft that flies by
flapping its wings. Seeking to imitate the
way birds fly.
■ Modern day helicopters are based on the
concept of the Ornithopter
• Joseph and Jacques Montgolfier
designed and constructed the first
known hot air balloon in 1783.
• It was a silk balloon filled with warm
smoke (air) and eventually was
attached to a basket.
• The first passengers to take flight in a
hot air balloon were a rooster, a sheep
and a duck.
• The three attained a height of ~6000
feet and flew about a mile
• Jean-Francois Pilatre de Rozier and
Francois Laurent became the first
humans to fly in a hot air balloon.
■ Sir George Cayley (1773-1857) was one of the most
influential people to early aeronautics.
■ In 1804 Cayley designed and built a model
monoplane glider similar in appearance to modern
ones. The most includes an adjustable tail, kite
shaped wing and a moveable weight to alter the
center of gravity. Probably one of the first gliding
devices to make significant flights.
■ By 1810 Cayley had many models on aeronautics
and published a three-part treatise ”On Aerial
Navigation” which stated that lift, propulsion and
control were the three requisite elements to
successful flights.
• Around 1891, Otto Lilienthal was a German
engineer and flight enthusiast. His work led to the
first gliders that could carry a person. He made
over 2500 flights and tragically died during one of
them.
• Samuel P. Langley was one of the first people to
successfully add an engine to a glider. He created
a miniature model that flew about ¾ miles before
it ran out of fuel. Unfortunately the full size
version was to heavy to fly and the project
abandoned.
• In 1894 Octave Chanute released a book focused
on the technical aspects of aviation called
“Progress In Flying Machines”. It was heavily
relied upon by the Wright brothers.
■ Orville and Wilbur Wright were
to American brothers credited
with the invention of the first
successful motor-operated
airplane. Their first flight on the
Wright Flyer is well known at
Kitty Hawk, NC
– The first flight (1903) flew
6.8mph for about 120 feet
in 12 seconds.
■ They were also the first to
create aircraft controls that
made fixed-wing powered flight
possible.
SOME IMPORTANT
AIRCRAFT…
Supermarine Spitfire
The Spitfire was the only British fighter in
continuous production through WWII and
notable for beating the German Luftwaffe
Boeing 787 Dreamliner
First airliner to be constructed primarily out of composite materials. Also used a primarily
electronic system to manipulate control surfaces. The 787 was designed to be efficient
Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird
Holds the record for the fastest airplane in history. Used as a reconnaissance aircraft. The
Blackbird was so fast that the standard procedure when a missile was fired at it was to outrun
the missile.
Douglas DC-3
Revolutionized the way Americans thought about air travel, allowed for a trip across the US in
a single day.
Cessna 172 Skyhawk
The best-selling aircraft ever, period. Ideal plane for flight training schools and private pilots
everywhere.
Boeing 747
The Queen of the Skies. Held the passenger capacity record for 37 years, could carry up to
460+ people in later variations. Air Force One is a modified version of the Boeing 747.
Airbus A320
Airbus’ response to Boeing and their success. Adopted the fly-by-wire flight controls system
and implemented side-sticks/joystick. One of the best-selling airliners of all-time.
HOW A PLANE
WORKS
• Flying involves aerodynamics, which
is the way air moves around things.
• To fly 4 forces are needed. Lift,
weight, thrust, and drag.

• Everything on earth has a weight

that is being pulled by gravity. To fly
you need the opposite force, lift
which is created through
aerodynamics.
• To move forward you need thrust,
and as you fly you encounter
resistance which creates drag
Prop Engines
■ To produce thrust a 4-stroke internal combustion
engine (like a car) or reciprocating/piston engine
works by
– Intake - First injecting fuel into the engine
– Compression – then the fuel is compressed and
ignited with a spark plug
– Ignition – After the fuel is ignited, gases expand
and the pressure pushes the piston back down.
– Exhaust – The waste is then exhausted and the
cycle repeats.
■ The pistons are usually connected to a crankshaft
(red) which is combined with a flywheel and then
connected to a propellor.
Turbofan Jet Engine
■ To produce thrust a jet engine takes in a
large amount of air which it then exhausts
– Fan - A large fan rotates and takes in a
large volume of air one part going to the
engine core, and another directly to the
mixer to be used for thrust
– Compressor - It is then compressed to
increase pressure
– Combustor - And force to combust when
mixed with fuel and ignited
– Turbine - The force of the combusted air
forces the turbine to turn which
operates the initial fan and compressor.
– Mixer/Nozzle - The air is mixed with
cooler air to keep the engine quiet and
push through the nozzle to create
thrust.
BECOMING A PILOT
Becoming a pilot, the
military way
■ Becoming a pilot thru the Airforce or Navy is the
cheapest and most direct route to being a pilot.
■ US Citizens who can meet the physical, mental, and
moral requirements can apply to earn a commission
to Officer Training School.
– They can also become officers/pilots thru
ROTC or the Airforce Academy
Timeline thru the
military
■ Officer Training School/Officer Candidate School
– (12 weeks)
■ Initial Flight Training (IFT)
– Depends on how quick you can pass it, can
be skipped if in possession of a PPL
■ Undergraduate Pilot Training (UPT)
– (52 weeks)
– Phase 1 = Academics
– Phase 2 Training Aircraft = T-6
– Phase 3 Specialized Track
■ T38C – fighter/bomber
■ T-1A – tanker/heavy
■ UH-1 - helicopter
Becoming a pilot, the
private way
■ Becoming a pilot by starting with your private
pilot's license can be quick but expensive.
■ As a Private Pilot you may operate an aircraft
(own or rent) for pleasure or utility during periods
of good weather. You may not, however, profit
directly from flying. In other words, you can not
get paid to fly
■ To fly during bad weather, or commercially, pilots
have to continue to train, adding an instrument
rating and/or multi-engine rating to their license.
– If they want to fly professionally, they can
upgrade to a commercial pilots license
and/or an Air Transport Pilot License
Requirements for the
Private Pilots License
■ 40 hours of total flight time consisting of
– 20 hours with an instructor
– 10 hours solo
– The balance time can be a mix
■ The 40 hours have to include a minimum of
– 3 hours instruction on cross country flying
– 5 hours of solo cross country flying
– 3 hours instruction on night flying
– 3 hours of instrument flying (simulated)
■ FAA Medical Certificate
■ FAA Written Exam
■ FAA Flight Exam
Costs associated with
becoming a private pilot
■ Private Pilot Ground School - $329
■ Cessna 172M Solo Flight - $163/hr
■ Cessna 172M Dual Flight (with instructor) –
$233/hr
■ Average cost to gain your pilots license is between
$8,000-$15,000
Phonetic Alphabet
■ A - Alpha ■ G - Golf ■ M - Mike ■ S - Sierra
■ B - Bravo ■ H - Hotel ■ N - November ■ T - Tango
■ C - Charlie ■ I - India ■ O - Oscar ■ U - Uniform
■ D - Delta ■ J - Juliet ■ P - Papa ■ V - Victor
■ E - Echo ■ K - Kilo ■ Q - Quebec ■ W - Whiskey
■ F - Foxtrot ■ L - Lima ■ R - Romeo ■ X - Xray
■ Y - Yankee
■ Z - Zulu
Clearances
■ Clearance limit - Usually an airport or a fix
■ Route - The routing for the flight
■ Altitude - The initial altitude the aircraft is cleared to
■ Frequency - The departure frequency to be contacted after
takeoff
■ Transponder - The code which the crew should program into
the transponder
■ Clearance limit – ISP (Long Island Airport)
■ Route – LOGAN1 BURDY V268 SEY ARCAV V46 CCC
■ Altitude – Top altitude is 3000’ per the route
■ Frequency – To contact clearance tower when ready to taxi
■ Transponder - 2030