Part 4: Drag (What Slows a Plane Down)

In this course, you’ll learn what drag is, why it matters in aviation, and how it comes in two major types: parasite and induced.

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Flight Forces in Action – Your Aircraft Concept

You’ve explored the four key forces of flight — Lift, Weight, Thrust, and Drag — that work together to keep airplanes in the sky. Now it’s time to apply that knowledge by designing your own simple aircraft and showing how those forces interact in real flight.

📌 Assignment Tasks:

1. ✈️ Design Your Aircraft
- Draw or digitally create a side view sketch of your own aircraft (it can be realistic, futuristic, or a small sport plane).
- Label the wings, fuselage, engines, tail, and other key features.
- Mark where the four forces of flight act on the plane using arrows (up = lift, down = weight, forward = thrust, backward = drag).

2. 🧪 Force Explanation Report (300–400 words)
Write a short explanation about how your aircraft balances the four forces:
- How is lift generated in your aircraft?
- What creates thrust? (e.g. jet engine, propeller, electric fan)
- How does weight affect performance and stability?
- What creates drag in your design, and how is it minimized?
- Use diagrams or examples if you'd like!

3. 🌬️ Flight Scenario (100–150 words)
Describe a short flight situation (e.g. takeoff, cruising, landing) and explain:
- How the forces change during that phase of flight.
- How the pilot or systems adjust to maintain flight (e.g. increase thrust, change wing angle).