What does a plane do when it piches?
When a plane pitches, it refers to the movement of the aircraft along its lateral axis, causing the nose of the plane to move up or down. Pitch is controlled by the elevators, which are located on the horizontal stabilizer at the tail of the aircraft.
To understand what a plane does when it pitches, let's look at the basic principles of flight:
1. Lift: Lift is the force that allows an airplane to overcome gravity and stay airborne. It is generated by the wings as they move through the air.
2. Center of Gravity (CG): The center of gravity is the point where all the weight of the aircraft is concentrated. It affects the stability and balance of the plane.
3. Center of Pressure (CP): The center of pressure is the point at which the lift force is concentrated on the wings. It changes as the aircraft's attitude (angle) changes.
Now, when a plane pitches up or down, it causes a change in the aircraft's attitude, which affects several things:
1. Angle of Attack (AoA): The angle between the wing's chord line (an imaginary line that runs from the leading edge to the trailing edge of the wing) and the oncoming airflow. When the nose of the aircraft pitches up or down, the AoA changes.
2. Lift: As the angle of attack changes, the lift generated by the wings also changes. When the nose pitches up, the AoA increases, resulting in increased lift. Conversely, when the nose pitches down, the AoA decreases, resulting in decreased lift.
3. Airspeed: Pitching can affect the speed of the aircraft. When the nose pitches up, the aircraft slows down due to increased drag. When the nose pitches down, the aircraft accelerates due to reduced drag.
To execute a pitch maneuver, the pilot uses the control column or yoke. Pulling back on the control column elevates the elevators, causing the tail to push down and the nose of the plane to pitch up. Conversely, pushing forward on the control column lowers the elevators, causing the tail to rise and the nose to pitch down.
The specific actions a plane takes when it pitches depend on the pilot's input and the aircraft's design. However, in general, when a plane pitches up, it climbs, and when it pitches down, it descends.