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Aviation terminology and definitions have changed over time. The definitions presented here focus on terms used in the pioneer era.
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| Aerobatics |
Flight intentionally performed in an aeroplane not required for normal flight |
| Aerodrome |
Term incorrectly attributed to his aeroplanes by Samuel Langley |
| Aerofoil |
Wing surface of an aeroplane |
| Ailerons |
Control surfaces attached to the trailing edges of wings to operate in opposite directions to provide lateral (roll) control - an alternative to wing warping |
| Airfield |
grassy areas or fields for taking off and landing used by early aviation pioneers |
| Airframe |
A complete aeroplane apart from its engine(s) |
| Airscrew |
Propeller |
| Angle of incidence |
The angle between the horizontal axis of an aeroplane and the line joining the leading and trailing edges of the wings |
| Assisted take-off |
Typically using a ramp or natural slope, or a catapult device |
| Attitude |
The position of an aeroplane in its three axes in relation to the earth |
| Axes of control |
Pitch (lateral), yaw (vertical) and roll (longitudinal). Pitch refers to a nose up or down attitude about an axis running from wing to wing. Yaw refers to the nose moving left or right about an axis running up and down. Roll rotation is around an axis running from nose to tail. |
| Camber |
The curvature of the outside surface of an aerofoil |
| Canard |
French for 'duck', a canard aeroplane has a forward horizontal control surface smaller than the main wing. Some early canard machines had no tail |
| Cockpit |
An emclosed space in an aeroplane for the pilot. In very early aeroplanes, pilots sat in the open on the leading edge of a lower wing |
| Drag |
The force acting on an aeroplane in flight in a backward direction |
| Dihedral |
The upward angle of inclination of wings to create lateral stability |
| Elevators |
Control surfaces of an aeroplane to provide the means for climbing, gliding or diving. Elevators are usually located at the tail of an aeroplane (canard aeroplanes have their elevators at the front) |
| Flight |
Typically considered as take-off under a machine's own power from a level surface, sustained flight (beyond take-off momentum), and landing without damage at a point no lower in height than take-off |
| Floatplane |
A seaplane supported on the water by one or more floats |
| Flying boat |
A seaplane with its fuselage comprising a hull for support on the water |
| Fuselage |
The main structure of an aeroplane to which the wings and tail are attached |
| Hop |
An attempt at flight that cannot be sustained beyond take-off momentum |
| Horsepower |
The thrust of an engine at full throttle at normal rpm. In early days, it was typical for engines to perform well below their estimated horsepower |
| Hydro-aeroplane |
Another name for a seaplane |
| Inherent stability |
An aeroplane design that tends naturally towards balanced level flight |
| Joystick |
A single control that operates multiple controls, eg ailerons and elevators |
| Landing speed |
The lowest speed at which at aeroplane can land safely |
| Leading edge |
The front edge of an aerofoil that cuts through the air |
| Lift |
The upward acting force on an aeroplane in flight |
| Longitudinal stability |
The natural tendency of an aeroplane to return to level flight from a climb or dive |
| Loop |
A loop or loop-the-loop is an aerobatic manoeuvre where an aeroplane dives to increase its momentum as it makes a complete vertical backward circle. Forward loops came much later. |
| Monocoque |
A fuselage stressed by its rigid covering (often laminated) as compared to a framework with a simpler covering |
| Nacelle |
Streamlined fuselage normally housing the engine |
| Ornithopter |
A heavier-than-air aeroplane which obtains lift via the flapping motion of its wings |
| Pusher aeroplane |
Having propeller(s) mounted behind the engine(s) of an aeroplane and designed to push forward, usually mounted behind the pilot |
| Radial engine |
An engine in which the cylinders are stationary and arranged radially around a common crankshaft |
| Rib |
A framework component which gives the shape to the outer surface of a wing or control surface |
| Rotary engine |
An engine in which the cylinders are arranged radially around a fixed crankshaft, around which the cylinders revolve |
| Rudder |
Vertical control surface at the tail of an aeroplane for directional control |
| Seaplane |
An aeroplane designed to take off and land on water only |
| Sideslip |
A reduction in altitude without gaining speed, often caused by banking too steeply, causing the aeroplane to fly sideways and downward along its lateral axis |
| Spin |
A downward movement of an aeroplane in a spiral manner, often caused by a stall |
| Stall |
The result of insufficient lift to maintain an aeroplane in forward flight, as a result of lack of speed and an appropriate angle of incidence of the wings |
| Step |
A shallow break in the smooth undersurface of a hull or floats of a seaplane for assistance in take-off from water |
| Sweep-back |
The angle at which the wings of an aeroplane are inclined backwards in relation to the fuselage |
| Tail unit |
The combination of control surfaces at the tail of an aeroplane |
Tractor aeroplane |
Having propeller(s) and engine(s) at the front of the aeroplane, designed to be pulled through the air |
| Trailing edge |
The back edge of an aerofoil |
| Undercarriage |
The take-off and landing gear of an aeropane - incuding suspension and wheels, floats or skis |
| Whirling arm |
An early apparatus with a long arm rotated at fixed speeds to test aerodynamic aerofoils attached at the end of the arm |
| Wind Tunnel |
An apparatus originally designed to create a steady wind current to enable the testing of aerodynamics of aerofoils and model aeroplanes |
| Wing warping |
Twisting the trailing edges of the wings in opposite directions to provide lateral (roll) control. Replaced by ailerons |
| Wingspan |
The width of an aeroplane from one wingtip of the longest wing to its opposite wingtip |
| Yaw |
Turning to the right and/or left about an axis passing through the centre of gravity and vertical to an aeroplane |
