Flight Science
Aerodynamics
Four forces, angle of attack, lift and drag, stability, load factor, and performance relationships.
Student Technical Reference
Aerospace Reference Center
A professional quick-reference library for flight, aerospace engineering, avionics, navigation, weather, propulsion, aircraft systems, unmanned systems, and spaceflight terminology.
Reference Architecture
Use this like an engineering handbook
Start with a term, jump to a technical topic, or use the quick-reference panels while working through aerospace lessons and simulator training.
Avionics
Flight Deck
PFD, MFD, GTC, flight director, autopilot, navigation displays, engine information, and scan priorities.
Position & Route
Navigation
Heading, course, track, GPS/GNSS, VOR, RNAV, ILS, airport references, and common navigation abbreviations.
Atmosphere
Weather
METAR, TAF, wind, visibility, pressure, temperature, clouds, turbulence, and weather information sources.
Energy Conversion
Propulsion
Piston-engine and propeller fundamentals, RPM, manifold pressure, temperatures, thrust, and efficiency.
Integrated Design
Aircraft Systems
Flight controls, electrical, fuel, landing gear, braking, environmental, safety, and structural systems.
Autonomy
UAS
UAS terminology, FAA TRUST, command and control, situational awareness, and system-level thinking.
Beyond the Atmosphere
Space Systems
Orbit families, spacecraft attitude control, communications, guidance, propulsion, and mission architecture.
Searchable Dictionary
Aerospace & flight acronyms
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Flight Science
Aerodynamics quick reference
Core relationships students should recognize when analyzing aircraft behavior and performance.
The four forces
| Force | Direction | Primary Idea |
|---|---|---|
| Lift | Perpendicular to relative wind | Aerodynamic force generated primarily by the wings. |
| Weight | Toward Earth | Gravitational force acting through the center of gravity. |
| Thrust | Generally forward | Propulsive force produced by the engine/propeller or other propulsion system. |
| Drag | Opposes relative motion | Aerodynamic resistance to movement through the air. |
Lift relationship
The standard engineering form of the lift equation helps explain why airspeed, air density, wing area, and lift coefficient matter.
Lift L = ½ ρ V² S CL
ρ Air density
V True airspeed relative to the air mass
S Wing reference area
CL Lift coefficient
Angle of attack
Angle of attack (AOA) is the angle between the airfoil chord line and the relative wind. It is not the same as pitch attitude.
A stall occurs when the wing exceeds its critical angle of attack. The exact airspeed at which that happens can change with weight, load factor, configuration, and other conditions.
Stability vocabulary
- Longitudinal: pitch stability about the lateral axis.
- Lateral: roll stability about the longitudinal axis.
- Directional: yaw stability about the vertical axis.
- Static stability: initial tendency after a disturbance.
- Dynamic stability: how motion changes over time after the disturbance.
Glass Cockpit
Flight deck & avionics reference
Use this section with the Cirrus G7 simulator and other integrated flight-deck lessons.
Primary scan questions
- What is the aircraft attitude?
- What is the airspeed doing?
- What is the altitude/vertical trend?
- What heading or track is being flown?
- Which flight-director/autopilot modes are active?
- Are engine/system indications normal?
Automation discipline
Automation should reduce workload without reducing awareness. Before selecting a mode, identify the desired aircraft behavior, select the control, then verify the mode annunciation and aircraft response.
Select → Verify → Monitor. If the aircraft does something unexpected, return attention to basic aircraft control first.
Atmosphere & Decision Making
Aviation weather reference
Weather products
| METAR | Observed weather at an aerodrome. |
| TAF | Forecast weather for a terminal area. |
| ATIS | Recorded terminal information including weather and runway details. |
| AWOS / ASOS | Automated surface weather observations. |
| NOTAM | Time-sensitive operational information that may affect a flight. |
Wind language
Wind is described by the direction from which it is blowing. A runway aligned more closely with the wind reduces the crosswind component.
Headwind Component parallel to the runway/track.
Crosswind Component perpendicular to the runway/track.
Pressure & temperature
Air density changes with pressure, temperature, and altitude. Lower density generally reduces aerodynamic and engine/propeller performance.
High elevation, high temperature, and lower pressure can combine to produce high density altitude.
Hazards to recognize
- Low visibility and ceilings
- Thunderstorms and convective weather
- Turbulence and wind shear
- Icing conditions
- Strong or gusty crosswinds
- Rapid weather changes
Power & Thrust
Propulsion reference
Piston-engine terms
- RPM: rotational speed.
- MAP: manifold absolute pressure; a power indication on many piston aircraft.
- EGT: exhaust gas temperature.
- CHT: cylinder head temperature.
- Mixture: fuel-to-air mixture delivered to the engine.
Propeller fundamentals
A propeller is a rotating airfoil. Blade angle, rotational speed, forward speed, air density, and engine power all affect thrust and efficiency.
Think of each propeller blade as a wing moving through a helical path.
Jet propulsion concept
Gas-turbine engines compress incoming air, add energy through combustion, and accelerate the flow through the turbine/nozzle system. Thrust follows from the change in momentum of the airflow.
Rocket propulsion concept
Rocket engines carry both fuel and oxidizer, allowing operation without atmospheric oxygen. Thrust is produced by accelerating exhaust mass through the nozzle.
Integrated Aircraft
Aircraft systems reference
Control
Primary Flight Controls
Ailerons control roll, elevator/stabilator controls pitch, and rudder controls yaw.
Configuration
Secondary Controls
Flaps, trim, spoilers, and other devices modify lift, drag, control force, or configuration.
Energy
Electrical System
Battery, alternator/generator, buses, circuit protection, loads, and emergency/essential power architecture.
Fuel
Fuel System
Storage, venting, selection, delivery, quantity indication, pumps, and engine-feed architecture.
Structure
Airframe
Fuselage, wing, empennage, control surfaces, landing gear, load paths, and structural design tradeoffs.
Ground
Landing Gear & Brakes
Ground support, steering, braking, shock absorption, and energy dissipation during landing and taxi.
Awareness
Pitot-Static System
Pressure sources used to support airspeed, altitude, and vertical-speed indications.
Safety
Emergency Systems
ELT and aircraft-specific emergency equipment, checklists, redundancy, and system isolation concepts.
Spaceflight
Space systems quick reference
Orbit families
| LEO | Low Earth Orbit; used by many crewed spacecraft, imaging satellites, and large constellations. |
| MEO | Medium Earth Orbit; includes important navigation-satellite regimes. |
| GEO | Geostationary Earth Orbit; equatorial orbit matching Earth's rotation period. |
| Polar | High-inclination orbit that passes near the poles and can provide broad Earth coverage over time. |
Spacecraft subsystems
- Structure and mechanisms
- Electrical power
- Thermal control
- Command and data handling
- Communications
- Guidance, navigation, and control
- Propulsion / reaction control
- Payload
Attitude vs. orbit
Attitude describes spacecraft orientation. Orbit describes its trajectory around a body. Reaction wheels, control moment gyros, magnetic torquers, and thrusters are examples of attitude-control technologies.
Mission architecture
Professional aerospace design treats a mission as an integrated system: requirements, launch, spacecraft, ground segment, communications, operations, payload, risk, cost, and verification all interact.
Go to the Source
Official reference libraries
Use these authoritative sources when a class assignment requires deeper technical detail or current operational information.
FAA Aviation Handbooks & ManualsPilot handbooks, instrument references, aeronautical manuals, and official guidance.
FAA Air Traffic PublicationsAeronautical Information Manual and other air-traffic publications.
Aviation Weather CenterOperational aviation weather products and weather information.
FAA UASDrone regulations, recreational guidance, certification information, and safety resources.
NASA Learning ResourcesAerospace, aeronautics, engineering, Earth, and space science learning materials.
Cirrus G7 Simulator HubOrientation, flight lessons, simulator reservations, and student flight-training resources.
Educational reference: This page is designed for classroom learning and simulator study. It does not replace current FAA publications, aircraft-specific manuals, instructor guidance, or required operational checklists.
Classroom Quick Reference
Aerospace & Flight Acronym Guide
Use the searchable glossary above online, or print this page when you need a paper reference during class. The glossary is intentionally written in short technical language so it works as both a study tool and a desk reference.