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Why do military jets have thin wings compared to commercial airplanes?
A fast jet needs thinner wings to keep air resistance down to a minimum for speed, and stability at higher speeds. The planes also have a high power to weight ratio, so the more air over the top of the wing would cause more drag slowing the plane.
Why are commercial airlines low wing?
Large commercial aircraft have low wings to stow away their long landing gears. Long gears make it possible to stretch the fuselage and still be able to rotate during take-off.
Do military planes fly higher than commercial planes?
A typical commercial jet (most standard flights) cruises at around 28-35,000ft (up to 6.6 miles of altitude). The main exception is Concorde which was designed to fly at a higher altitude (and hence lower wind resistance) at around 45,000ft. Many military jet aircraft are able to fly considerably higher.
Is high wing or low wing better?
High-wing airplanes give pilots and passengers a better view of the ground below the aircraft. This is especially true of 4-seat and larger planes, where there is less a chance of a wing blocking your view. Low-wing airplanes allow for a better view above the plane thanks to the wings being below the fuselage.
What would happen if a plane lost a wing?
If one of the wings is missing, the balance would be disturbed. It would leave a huge weight in the middle of the place and lift on just one side. This would shift the center of gravity of the plane and cause it to topple. There have been rare instances where pilots have managed to land one-winged aircraft.
How are airplane wings so strong?
Airplane wings are made out of aluminum — although not the same aluminium in cans and tin foil. It’s aerospace grade stuff, an alloy with strength comparable to steel. Running inside the length of the wings are two “spars,” metal beams that support the wings’ loads and make it harder for them to bend.
Why are military planes wings on top?
Placing the wings on top of the fuselage allows the bottom of the fuselage to be closer to the ground. This is less of a problem for airlines. Commercial cargo can usually count on ground equipment for loading and unloading cargo containers on aircraft.
Are high wing planes safer?
High wing aircraft are inherently stable as the center of mass is located beneath the center of lift (compare hanging from a rope as compared to sitting on one). Short field landings can be shorter because the drag robbing ground effect is lessened by the greater distance between the wing and ground.
Why are military jets so much louder than commercial?
Commercial aircraft tend to use high-bypass, turbo-fan engines which are suitable only for subsonic flight (flying slower than the speed of sound or 1,225km/h). In contrast, military fighter jets use low-bypass, turbo-jet engines which are generally noisier than commercial aircraft engines. …
What is the difference between high wing and low wing airplanes?
The distinctions between high and low wing airplanes are, visually, obvious. High wing aircraft place the wing above the fuselage, the main body of the aircraft, while low wing aircraft place the wing below the fuselage.
Are winglets on airplanes still a thing?
In fact, winglets of some shape or form are pretty much standard equipment on modern jets today, and some airlines are even retrofitting them to older aircraft too. There are other reasons for using winglets.
Why don’t high wing planes experience ground effect when landing?
The high wing aircraft will still experience ground effect, but because the wing is several feet farther from the runway, the total effect on the aircraft is greatly reduced, as ground effect decreases exponentially with difference from the runway surface.
How does wing location affect the performance of aircraft?
The low wing aircraft in contrast will exhibit stall characteristics in pitch that provide less warning to the pilot of impending stall. Finally, aircraft performance in takeoff, cruise and landing may all be affected by wing location.