How does a Pilot Control the Plane?

To control a plane a pilot uses several instruments:

The pilot controls the engine power using the throttle. Pushing the throttle increases power, and pulling it decreases power.

The ailerons raise and lower the wings. The pilot controls the roll of the plane by raising one aileron or the other with a control wheel. Turning the control wheel clockwise raises the right aileron and lowers the left aileron, which rolls the aircraft to the right.

The rudder works to control the yaw of the plane. The pilot moves rudder left and right, with left and right pedals. Pressing the right rudder pedal moves the rudder to the right. This yaws the aircraft to the right. Used together, the rudder and the ailerons are used to turn the plane.

The elevators which are on the tail section are used to control the pitch of the plane. A pilot uses a control wheel to raise and lower the elevators, by moving it forward to backward. Lowering the elevators makes the plane nose go down and allows the plane to go down. By raising the elevators the pilot can make the plane go up.

The pilot of the plane pushes the top of the rudder pedals to use the brakes. The brakes are used when the plane is on the ground to slow down the plane and get ready for stopping it. The top of the left rudder controls the left brake and the top of the right pedal controls the right brake. If you look at these motions you can see that each type of motion helps control the direction and level of the plane when it is flying.

Sound Barrier

Sound is made up of molecules of air that move. They push together and gather together to form sound waves. Sound waves travel at the speed of about 750 mph at sea level. When a plane travels the speed of sound the air waves gather together and compress the air in front of the plane to keep it from moving forward. This compression causes a shock wave to form in front of the plane.

In order to travel faster than the speed of sound the plane needs to be able to break through the shock wave. When the airplane moves through the waves, it is makes the sound waves spread out and this creates a loud noise or sonic boom. The sonic boom is caused by a sudden change in the air pressure. When the plane travels faster than sound it is traveling at supersonic speed. A plane traveling at the speed of sound is traveling at Mach 1 or about 760 mph. Mach 2 is twice the speed of sound.

Regimes of Flight

Sometimes called speeds of flight, each regime is a different level of flight speed.

Example	Regimes of Flight
Seaplane	General Aviation (100-350 MPH). Most of the early planes were only able to fly at this speed level. Early engines were not as powerful as they are today. However, this regime is still used today by smaller planes. Examples of this regime are the small crop dusters used by farmers for their fields, two and four seater passenger planes, and seaplanes that can land on water.
Boeing 747	Subsonic (350-750 MPH).  This category contains most of the commercial jets that are used today to move passengers and cargo. The speed is just below the speed of sound. Engines today are lighter and more powerful and can travel quickly with large loads of people or goods.
Concorde	Supersonic (760-3500 MPH - Mach 1 - Mach 5). 760 MPH is the speed of sound or MACH 1. These planes can fly up to 5 times the speed of sound. Planes in this regime have specially designed high performance engines. They are also designed with lightweight materials to provide less drag. The Concorde is an example of this regime of flight.
Space Shuttle	Hypersonic (3500-7000 MPH - Mach 5 to Mach 10). Rockets travel at speeds 5 to 10 times the speed of sound as they go into orbit. An example of a hypersonic vehicle is the X-15, which is rocket powered. The space shuttle is also an example of this regime. New materials and very powerful engines were developed to handle this rate of speed.

From inventors.about.com

Exercise 1. Transcribe the following words.

Vehicle, hypersonic, subsonic, regime, rudder, pitch, oxygen, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, mercury, gravity, engine, throttle, pedal, curve, lever.

Exercise 2. Using a monolingual dictionary of aviation or encyclopedia, please, find the definition of the following words and word combinations.

Molecule, airfoil, forces of flight, lift, drag, thrust, weight, gravity, roll, pitch, yaw, rudder, lever, ailerons, elevator, throttle, brake, regimes of flight, flight speed, to be curved.

Exercise 3. Fill in the blanks with a suitable word or phrase.

1. The air moves faster over the ...

2. … the plane to the right or left, the ailerons are raised on one wing and lowered on the other.

3. … is to make a plane descend or climb.

4. … is the turning of a plane.

5. The pilot controls the engine power using the ...

6. The … raise and lower the wings.

7. The … works to control the yaw of the plane.

8. The … which are on the tail section are used to control the pitch of the plane.

9. The … are used when the plane is on the ground to slow down the plane and get ready for stopping it.

10. Each regime is a different level of ...

Exercise 4. Translate into Ukrainian.

1. All things that fly need air. Air has power to push and pull on the birds, balloons, kites and planes.

2. Airplane wings are curved on the top which make air move faster over the top of the wing.

3. A pilot of a plane has special controls that can be used to fly the plane. There are levers and buttons that the pilot can push to change the yaw, pitch and roll of the plane.

4. Pushing the throttle increases power, and pulling it decreases power.

5. The pilot of the plane pushes the top of the rudder pedals to use the brakes.

Exercise 5. Imagine you are talking to Sir Isaac Newton. Describe the way his three laws of motion help to explain how a plane flies.

Exercise 6. Match the word to the most appropriate translation.

Supersonic Subsonic Sonic boom Mach Controls Shock wave

Система (органи) керування польотом Ударна хвиля Надзвуковий Звуковий удар Число М Дозвуковий

Exercise 7. Match the word in column A with those in column B in order to make an appropriate word combination, as in the example and provide a translation. Example: sources of power – джерела живлення

rocket hollow boat-like special control sound air sources

controls of power wave pressure sphere structure powered wheel