Types of aircraft. Aircraft classification

The dream of human conquest of airspace is reflected in the legends and traditions of almost all peoples inhabiting the Earth. The first documentary evidence of human attempts to lift an aircraft into the air dates back to the first millennium BC. Thousands of years of attempts, work and reflection led to full-fledged aeronautics only at the end of the 18th century, or rather to its development. First came the hot air balloon, followed by the charlier. These are two types of aircraft lighter than air - aerostat; in the future, the development of aerostatic technology led to the creation of - airships. And these aerial leviathans were replaced by vehicles heavier than air.

Around 400 BC. NS. in China began to be massively used kites not only for entertainment, but also for purely military purposes, as a signaling device. This apparatus can already be described as a device heavier than air, having a rigid structure and using the aerodynamic lifting force of the incoming flow due to the jet air currents to maintain the aerodynamic lift in the air.

Aircraft classification

An aircraft is any technical device that is designed to fly in air or outer space. IN general classification distinguish between lighter-than-air, heavier-than-air and space vehicles. IN recent times the direction of designing related devices is developing more and more widely, especially the creation of a hybrid of air - spacecraft.

Aircraft can be classified differently, for example, according to the following criteria:

by the principle of action (flight);
by the principle of management;
by purpose and scope;
by the type of engines installed on the aircraft;
on design features concerning the fuselage, wings, empennage and landing gear.

Briefly about aircraft.

1. aeronautical aircraft. Aircraft are considered lighter than air. The air envelope is filled with light gas. These include airships, balloons and hybrid aircraft. The entire design of this type of apparatus remains wholly heavier than air, but due to the difference in density gas masses in and outside the shell, a pressure difference is created and, as a result, a buoyant force, the so-called Archimedes force.

2. Aircraft using aerodynamic lifting strength. This type of apparatus is considered to be already heavier than air. Their lifting force is created already due to the geometric surfaces - the wings. The wings begin to support the aircraft in the air only after air currents begin to form around their surfaces. Thus, the wings begin to work after the aircraft reaches a certain minimum “actuation” speed of the wings. Lift force begins to form on them. Therefore, for example, to get an airplane into the air or to descend from it to the ground, you need a mileage.

Gliders, airplanes, ground-effect aircraft and cruise missiles are vehicles in which lift is generated when flowing around a wing;
Helicopters and similar units, their lifting force is formed due to the flow around the rotor blades;
Aircraft with a load-bearing body, created according to the "flying wing" scheme;
Hybrid - these are vertical take-off and landing vehicles, both aircraft and rotorcraft, as well as devices that combine the qualities of aerodynamic and space aircraft;
Devices on a dynamic air cushion of the ekranoplan type;

3. NS smicheskie aircraft. These devices are specially designed to work in airless space with negligible gravity, as well as to overcome the gravitational force of celestial bodies, to enter outer space. These include satellites, spaceships, orbital stations, rockets. Displacement and lift is generated by jet thrust, by throwing away part of the vehicle's mass. The working fluid is also formed due to the transformation of the internal mass of the apparatus, which, before the start of the flight, still consists of an oxidizer and fuel.

The most common aircraft are airplanes. When classified, they are subdivided according to many criteria:

Helicopters are in second place in terms of prevalence. They are also classified according to various criteria, such as the number and location of rotors:

having single screw a scheme that assumes the presence of an additional tail rotor;
coaxial scheme - when two rotors are on the same axis one above the other and rotate in different directions;
longitudinal- this is when the rotors are on the axis of movement one after the other;
transverse- the propellers are located on the sides of the helicopter fuselage.

1.5 - transverse diagram, 2 - longitudinal diagram, 3 - single-screw diagram, 4 - coaxial diagram

In addition, helicopters can be classified by purpose:

for passenger transportation;
for combat use;
for use as vehicles for the transportation of goods for various purposes;
for various agricultural needs;
for the needs of medical support and search and rescue operations;
for use as air-crane devices.

A Brief History of Aviation and Aeronautics

People who are seriously involved in the history of the creation of aircraft, determine that some device is an aircraft, primarily based on the ability of such a unit to lift a person into the air.

The earliest known flight in history dates back to 559 AD. In one of the states on the territory of China, a person sentenced to death was fixed on a kite and after launching he was able to fly over the city walls. This kite was most likely the first glider of the "wing-type" design.

At the end of the first millennium AD, on the territory of Muslim Spain, the Arab scientist Abbas ibn Farnas designed and built a wooden frame with wings, which had a semblance of flight controls. He was able to take off on this prototype of a hang glider from the top of a small hill, hold out in the air for about ten minutes and return to the starting point.

1475 - The first scientifically serious drawings of aircraft and parachutes are those made by Leonardo da Vinci.

1783 - the first flight with people in the Montgolfier air balloon was made, in the same year a helium-filled balloon rises into the air and the first parachute jump is performed.

1852 - the first airship with steam engine completed a successful flight with a return to the starting point.

1853 - a glider with a man on board took off.

1881 - 1885 - Professor Mozhaisky receives a patent, builds and tests an aircraft with steam engines.

1900 - the first rigid Zeppelin airship is built.

1903 - The Wright Brothers perform the first truly controlled flights in piston-powered aircraft.

1905 - The International Aeronautical Federation (FAI) was established.

1909 - the All-Russian Aero Club, created a year ago, joins the FAI.

1910 - from water surface the first seaplane rose, in 1915 the Russian designer Grigorovich gives the start to the M-5 flying boat.

1913 - the founder of bomber aviation "Ilya Muromets" was created in Russia.

1918, December - organized by TsAGI, headed by Professor Zhukovsky. This institute will determine the directions of development of Russian and world aviation technology for many decades.

1921 - Russian civil aviation was born, carrying passengers on the Ilya Muromets aircraft.

1925 - ANT-4, a twin-engine all-metal bomber aircraft, is in flight.

1928 - the legendary U-2 trainer was adopted for serial production, on which more than one generation of outstanding Soviet pilots will be trained.

At the end of the twenties, the first Soviet gyroplane, a rotary-wing aircraft, was designed and successfully tested.

The thirties of the last century is a period of various world records set on aircraft of various types.

1946 - the first helicopters appear in civil aviation.

In 1948, Soviet jet aviation was born - the MiG-15 and Il-28 aircraft, in the same year the first turboprop aircraft appeared. A year later, the MiG-17 was launched into serial production.

Until the mid-forties of the XX century, wood and fabric were the main building materials for aircraft. But already in the first years of World War II, wooden structures all-metal structures made of duralumin come.

Aircraft structure

All aircraft have similar structural elements... For aircraft lighter than air - some, for vehicles heavier than air - others, for space - still others. The most developed and most numerous branch of aircraft are devices heavier than air for flights in the Earth's atmosphere. For all aircraft heavier than air, there are basic common features, since all aerodynamic aeronautics and further flights into space proceeded from the very first design scheme - the airplane, aircraft in a different way.

The design of such an aircraft as an airplane, regardless of its type or purpose, has a number of common elements that are required for this device to fly. The classic scheme looks like this.

Airplane glider.

This term is called a one-piece structure consisting of a fuselage, wings and tail. In fact, these are separate elements with different functions.

but) Fuselage - it is the main power structure of the aircraft, to which the wings, empennage, engines and takeoff and landing devices are attached.

Fuselage body assembled by classic pattern consists of:
- the bow;
- central or bearing part;
- the tail section.

In the bow of this structure, as a rule, there is a radar and electronic aircraft equipment and a cockpit.

The central part carries the main power load, the wings of the aircraft are attached to it. In addition, it houses the main fuel tanks, central electrical, fuel, hydraulic and mechanical lines. Depending on the purpose of the aircraft, inside the central part of the fuselage, there may be a cabin for the carriage of passengers, a transport compartment for storing transported cargo, or a compartment for placing bombs and missiles. There are also options for tankers, reconnaissance aircraft or other special aircraft.

The tail section also has a powerful load-bearing structure, since it is designed to attach the tail unit to it. In some aircraft modifications, engines are located on it, and for bombers such as IL-28, TU-16 or TU-95, this part may have an air gunner's cabin with cannons.

In order to reduce the friction resistance of the fuselage against the incoming air flow, the optimal shape of the fuselage with a pointed nose and tail is selected.

Taking into account the heavy loads on this part of the structure during flight, it is made of all-metal metal elements according to a rigid scheme. The main material in the manufacture of these elements is duralumin.

The main structural elements of the fuselage are:
- stringers - providing longitudinal rigidity;
- spars - ensuring the rigidity of the structure in the transverse relation;
- frames - metal elements of the channel type, having the form of a closed frame of different sections, fastening stringers and ailerons in a given shape of the fuselage;
- outer skin - pre-prepared in the shape of the fuselage metal sheets made of duralumin or composite materials, which are attached to stringers, spars or frames, depending on the aircraft design.

Depending on the shape set by the designers, the fuselage can create a lift from twenty to forty percent of the total lift of the aircraft.

The lifting force, due to which the aircraft is heavier than air, is kept in the atmosphere - this is a real physical force generated when the incoming air flow around the wing, fuselage and other elements of the aircraft structure.

The lift is directly proportional to the density of the medium in which the air flow is formed, the square of the speed with which the aircraft moves and the angle of attack that the wing and other elements form with respect to the incoming flow. It is also proportional to the area of the aircraft.

The simplest and most popular explanation for the occurrence of lift is the formation of a pressure difference in the lower and upper parts of the surface.

b) Airplane wing is a structure that has a bearing surface for generating a lifting force. Depending on the type of aircraft, the wing can be:
- direct;
- arrow-shaped;
- triangular;
- trapezoidal;
- with reverse sweep;
- with variable sweep.

The wing has a center section, as well as left and right half-planes, they can also be called consoles. If the fuselage is made in the form of a load-bearing surface like that of an aircraft of the Su-27 type, then there are only left and right half-planes.

By the number of wings, there can be monoplanes (this is the main design of modern aircraft) and biplanes (An-2 can serve as an example) or triplanes.

By their location relative to the fuselage, the wings are classified as low-lying, mid-lying, overhead, "parasol" (that is, the wing is located above the fuselage). The main structural elements of the wing structure are spars and ribs, as well as metal sheathing.

Attached to the wing is a mechanization that provides control of the aircraft - these are ailerons with trims, and also related to takeoff and landing devices - these are flaps and slats. The flaps, after their release, increase the wing area, change its shape, increasing the possible angle of attack at low speed and provide an increase in lift in takeoff and landing modes. Slats are devices for leveling the air flow and preventing turbulence and jet stalling at high angles of attack and low speeds. In addition, aileron spoilers can be installed on the wing - to improve the controllability of the aircraft and spoiler spoilers - as additional mechanization that reduces the lift and brakes the aircraft in flight.

Fuel tanks can be placed inside the wing, for example, as in the MiG-25 aircraft. Signal lights are located at the wing tips.

in) Tail unit.

Two horizontal stabilizers are attached to the tail of the aircraft fuselage - this is the horizontal tail and the vertical keel is the vertical tail. These structural elements of the aircraft provide stabilization of the aircraft in flight. Structurally, they are made in the same way as the wings, only they have a much smaller size. Elevators are attached to the horizontal stabilizers, and the rudder is attached to the keel.

Takeoff and landing devices.

but) Chassis - main device related to this category .

The landing gear. Rear bogie

Aircraft landing gear is a special support designed for takeoff, landing, taxiing and aircraft parking.

Their design is quite simple and includes a strut with or without shock absorbers, a system of supports and levers that ensure a stable position of the strut in the extended position and its quick cleaning after takeoff. Wheels, floats or skis are also available depending on the type of aircraft and the landing surface.

Depending on the location on the glider, it is possible various schemes:
- landing gear with a front strut (basic scheme for modern aircraft);
- a chassis with two main struts and a tail support (an example is the Li-2 and An-2, which are practically not used at present);
- bicycle chassis (such a chassis is installed on the Yak-28 aircraft);
- a chassis with a front strut and a rear bar with a wheel extending upon landing.

The most common design for modern aircraft is a front strut and two main landing gear. On very heavy machines, the main legs are multi-wheeled bogies.

b) Brake system. After landing, the aircraft is decelerated with the help of wheel brakes, spoilers-spoilers, brake parachutes and engine reverse.

Propulsion power plants.

Aircraft engines can be located in the fuselage, suspended from the wings using pylons, or placed in the rear of the aircraft.

Design features of other aircraft

Helicopter. The ability to take off vertically and rotate around its axis, hover in place and fly sideways and backwards. All these are the characteristics of a helicopter and all this is provided thanks to a movable plane that creates a lift - this is a propeller that has an aerodynamic plane. The propeller is constantly in motion, regardless of the speed and in which direction the helicopter is flying directly.
Rotary wing. The peculiarity of this aircraft is that the aircraft takes off due to the main rotor, and the speed gain and horizontal flight due to the classically located propeller installed on the theater, like an aircraft.
Tiltrotor. This aircraft model can be classified as vertical take-off and landing vehicles, which are provided with rotary TVD. They are fixed at the ends of the wings and, after take-off, rotate into an airplane position, in which thrust is created for level flight. The lift is provided by the wings.
Autogyro. The peculiarity of this aircraft lies in the fact that during the flight it relies on the air mass due to the freely rotating propeller in the autorotation mode. In this case, the propellers replace the static wing. But to maintain the flight, it is necessary to constantly rotate the propeller, and it rotates from the oncoming air flow, therefore, the apparatus, despite the propeller, needs a minimum speed for flight.
The aircraft is vertical takeoff and landing. Take off and land at zero horizontal speed using the thrust of the jet engines, which is directed in the vertical direction. In world aviation practice, these are aircraft such as Harrier and Yak-38.
WIG craft. It is a vehicle capable of traveling at high speed, while using the effect of an aerodynamic screen, which allows this aircraft to stay several meters above the surface. Moreover, the wing area of this aircraft is less than that of a similar aircraft. An aircraft using this principle, but capable of rising to a height of several thousand meters, is called ekranolet. Its design features a wider fuselage and wing. Such a device has a large carrying capacity and a flight range of up to thousands of kilometers.
Glider, hang glider, paraglider. This aircraft is heavier than air, as a rule, non-motorized, which use lift for flight due to the air flow around the wing or the bearing surface.
Airship. This apparatus is lighter than air, using a propeller motor for controlled movement. It can be with a soft, semi-rigid and hard shell. Currently used for military and special purposes. but whole line advantages, such as low cost, high carrying capacity and a number of others, give rise to discussions about the return of this type of transport to the real sector of the economy.

People from the earliest times aspired to the sky. Suffice it to recall the stories about Icarus, the flying carpet, Carlson and Baba Yaga with her broom. Centuries have passed since then, and science has come to replace fairy tales with its clear and constructive approach. Therefore, our today's article will be devoted to small aircraft.

We all know about the existence of parachutes. The main disadvantage of this flying vehicle is its inability to control the flight. This is easily handled by "Paragliding".
The paraglider is an ultralight non-motorized aircraft. The flight is carried out thanks to the oncoming air flow, which is supplied through special openings - air intakes.

It is analogous to the Paraglider, with the only difference that it is equipped with an engine that ensures its launch and flight.

The device is similar in structure to a motorized paraglider, but, unlike it, the engine is not placed on the pilot's seat, but is fixed on a frame, which is also equipped with a landing gear for a takeoff run.

The aircraft is named after the Greek letter Delta. The flight is carried out thanks to the ascending air currents and the pilot's balancing harness. It was with the help of a hang glider that Russian President V.V. Putin led the flock of cranes. True, his hang glider was equipped with a motor. As a result of this, he turned into a "Hang-glider", or "Hang-glider".

Translated from English, the wingsuit reads as "flying squirrel". Outwardly, it looks like a wing suit. There are additional folds between the arms and legs, which turn into wings during flight. Wingsuit is used when performing their dizzying tricks. Landing is carried out using a parachute.
The most spectacular are proxy flights over the slopes. Related Videos

In this case, we will not talk about a ball on a string in the hands of a child, but about a ball on which you can fly around the whole Earth. Scientific name the balloon sounds like "Aerostat" or "Hot air balloon". This is an aircraft that uses heated air for flight. A basket for passengers is attached to the ball, which also contains a burner to maintain the required temperature. The flight is carried out due to the physical law, according to which it follows that heated air is lighter than cold air. That is why the flight takes place.

Despite the fact that the device does not yet have a sonorous name, it is still worth talking about it. The device, developed by the Japanese corporation "GEN Corporation", is a chair, on top of which there are four helicopter propellers, capable of lifting a load of up to 210 kg. The structure weighs only 70 kg and can be in flight for up to 30 minutes.
The cost of the device is 30 thousand dollars !!!

Personal ultralight vertical take-off and landing aircraft. Martin Jetpack is developed by a New Zealand company. The device runs on gasoline. It can fly up to 100 km / h, rising to an altitude of 2.5 km. When fully charged, it can be in the air for half an hour.

The device, developed by the Americans, is the smallest manned jet aircraft. The structure of the aircraft is a rigid structure equipped with wings - an exoskeleton. The device is so light that it can be carried like a backpack. Thanks to EXO-Wing, you can fly up to 15 km without landing.

Our last nominee is a real contender for the Sikorsky Prize, which is 250 thousand dollars.
According to the terms of the competition, he must rise into the air to a height of 3 meters and hold out for one minute. The device is a hybrid of a bicycle and a helicopter. He flies exclusively on the muscular strength of a person !!!

The desire to fly has never disappeared from a person. Even today, when traveling by plane to the other end of the planet is completely commonplace, I want to assemble at least the simplest aircraft with my own hands and, if not fly myself, then at least fly in the first person with the help of a camera, unmanned aerial vehicles are used for this. We will consider the most simple designs, diagrams and drawings and, perhaps, we will make our old dream come true ...

Requirements for ultralight aircraft

Sometimes emotions and the desire to fly can defeat common sense, and the ability to design and correctly carry out calculations and locksmith work is not taken into account at all. This approach is fundamentally wrong, and therefore a few decades ago, the Ministry of Aviation was prescribed General requirements to homemade ultralight aircraft. We will not cite the entire set of requirements, but limit ourselves to only the most important ones.

A home-made aircraft must be easy to control, easy to pilot during takeoff and landing, and the use of non-traditional methods and control systems of the vehicle is strictly prohibited.
In the event of engine failure, the aircraft must maintain stability and ensure safe gliding and landing.
The aircraft take-off run before takeoff and separation from the ground is not more than 250 m, and the take-off speed is at least 1.5 m / s.
Efforts on the control sticks - within 15-50 kgf, depending on the performed maneuver.
Clamps of aerodynamic steering surfaces must withstand an overload of at least 18 units.

Aircraft design requirements

Since the aircraft is a means high risk, then when designing the aircraft structure, it is not allowed to use materials, steels, cables, hardware components and assemblies of unknown origin. If wood is used in the structure, then it must be free of visible damage and knots, and those compartments and cavities in which moisture and condensation can accumulate must be equipped with drainage holes.

The simplest version of a motorized aircraft is a monoplane with a pulling motor propeller. The scheme is quite old, but time-tested. The only drawback of monoplanes is that it is rather difficult to leave the cockpit in emergency conditions, the monoplane interferes. But by design, these devices are very simple:

the wing is made of wood in a two-spar pattern;
steel welded frame, some use riveted aluminum frames;
combined or linen sheathing;
closed cab with a door operating according to the automotive scheme;
simple pyramidal chassis.

The drawing above shows a monoplane Kid with a 30-horsepower gasoline engine, takeoff weight is 210 kg. The aircraft develops a speed of 120 km / h and has a flight range with a ten-liter tank of about 200 km.

High-wing strut construction

The drawing shows a single-engine high-wing Leningradets, built by a group of St. Petersburg model aircraft. The design of the apparatus is also simple and unpretentious. The wing is made of pine plywood, the fuselage is welded from a steel pipe, the cladding is classic linen. Wheels for the chassis - from agricultural machinery in order to be able to perform flights from a start from unprepared grounds. The engine is based on the design of the MT8 motorcycle engine with 32 horsepower, and the takeoff weight of the device is 260 kg.

The device proved to be excellent in terms of controllability and ease of maneuvering and has been successfully operated for ten years and took part in rallies and competitions.

Solid wood aircraft PMK3

The solid-wood device PMK3 also showed excellent flight qualities. The aircraft had a peculiar bow shape, a landed landing gear with small-diameter wheels, and the cockpit had a car-type door. The aircraft had an all-wood fuselage with linen skin and a single-spar pine plywood wing. The machine has boat motor Vortex3 water cooled.

As you can see, with certain skills in design and engineering, you can not only make a working model of an aircraft or a drone, but also a completely full-fledged elementary aircraft with your own hands. Be creative and dare, successful flights!

Humans have been obsessed with taking to the air for centuries. In the myths of almost all peoples there are legends about flying animals and people with wings. The earliest known aircraft were wings that mimic birds. With them, people jumped from towers or tried to soar, falling off a cliff. And although such attempts ended, as a rule, tragically, people came up with more and more complex designs of aircraft. The iconic aircraft will be discussed in our today's review.

1. Bamboo helicopter

One of the world's oldest flying machines, the bamboo helicopter (also known as the bamboo dragonfly or the Chinese spinner) is a toy that flies upward when its main shaft is quickly rotated. Invented in China around 400 BC, the bamboo helicopter consisted of feather blades attached to the end of a bamboo stick.

2. Flying flashlight

Flying flashlight - a small balloon made of paper and timber frame with a hole in the bottom, under which a small fire is kindled. It is believed that the Chinese experimented with flying lanterns as early as the 3rd century BC, but traditionally, their invention is attributed to the sage and commander Zhuge Liang (181-234 AD).

3. Balloon

The balloon is the first successful technology for human flight on a supporting structure. The first manned flight was conducted by Pilatre de Rozier and the Marquis d "Arland" in 1783 in Paris in a hot air balloon (on a leash) created by the Montgolfier brothers. Balloons can fly thousands of kilometers (the longest hot air balloon flight is 7672 km from Japan to Northern Canada).

4. Solar balloon

Technically, this type of balloon flies by heating the air in it with solar radiation. Typically, these balloons are made of black or dark material. Although they are primarily used in the toy market, some solar balls are large enough to lift a person into the air.

5. Ornithopter

The ornithopter, which was inspired by the flight of birds, bats and insects, is an airplane that flaps its wings. Most ornithopters are unmanned, but several manned ornithopters have also been built. One of the earliest concepts for such an aircraft was developed by Leonardo da Vinci back in the 15th century. In 1894, Otto Lilienthal, a German aviation pioneer, made the first manned flight in history in an ornithopter.

6. Parachute

Made of lightweight and durable fabric (like nylon), a parachute is a device used to slow an object through the atmosphere. A description of the oldest parachute was found in an anonymous Italian manuscript dating from 1470. In modern days, parachutes are used to launch a variety of cargo, including people, food, equipment, space capsules, and even bombs.

7. Kite

Originally built by stretching silk over a split bamboo frame, the kite was invented in China in the 5th century BC. For a long time, many other cultures adopted this device, and some of them even continued to further refine this simple aircraft. For example, human-carrying kites are believed to have existed in ancient China and Japan.

8. Airship

The airship became the first aircraft capable of controlled takeoff and landing. In the beginning, airships used hydrogen, but due to the high explosiveness of this gas, helium was used in most airships built after the 1960s. The airship can also be powered by engines, and the crew and / or payload in it are located in one or more "nacelles" suspended under a gas cylinder.

9. Glider

A glider is an aircraft heavier than air, which is supported in flight by the dynamic reaction of air to its bearing surfaces, i.e. it is independent of the engine. Thus, most gliders do not have an engine, although some gliders can be equipped with one to extend the flight if necessary.

10. Biplane

A biplane is an airplane with two fixed wings that are located one above the other. Biplanes have a number of advantages over conventional wing designs (monoplane): they allow you to achieve larger area wings and lift with a smaller wingspan. The Wright brothers' biplane in 1903 became the first aircraft to successfully take off.

11. Helicopter

A helicopter is a rotary-wing aircraft that can take off and land vertically, hover and fly in any direction. Over the past centuries, there have been many concepts similar to modern helicopters, but it was not until 1936 that the first operational Focke-Wulf Fw 61 helicopter was built.

12. Aerocycle

In the 1950s, Lackner Helicopters came up with an unusual flying machine. The HZ-1 Aerocycle was intended for use by inexperienced pilots as the standard reconnaissance vehicle in the US Army. While early testing indicated that the unit could provide ample mobility on the battlefield, more extensive evaluations indicated that it was too difficult to control for untrained marines. As a result, after a couple of accidents, the project was frozen.

13. Kaitun

Kaitun is a hybrid of a kite and a balloon. Its main advantage is that the kaitun can remain in a fairly stable position over the anchor point of the cable, regardless of the strength of the wind, while conventional balloons and kites are less stable.

14. Hang glider

A hang-glider is a non-motorized aircraft heavier than air, in which there is no tail. Modern hang gliders are made of aluminum alloy or composite materials, and the wing is made of synthetic canvas. These vehicles have a high lift ratio, which allows pilots to fly for several hours at an altitude of thousands of meters above sea level in updrafts. warm air and perform aerobatics.

15. Hybrid airship

A hybrid airship is an aircraft that combines the characteristics of a lighter-than-air vehicle (i.e., airship technology) with heavier-than-air aircraft technology (either a fixed wing or a rotor). Such designs were never mass-produced, but several manned and unmanned prototypes were born, including the Lockheed Martin P-791, an experimental hybrid airship developed by Lockheed Martin.

16. Airliner

Also known as a jet airliner, a jet passenger aircraft is a type of aircraft designed to carry passengers and goods by air, powered by jet engines. These engines allow the aircraft to reach high speeds and generate enough thrust to move a heavy aircraft. The A380 Airbus is currently the world's largest jet passenger airliner with a seating capacity of 853 people.

17. Rocket plane

A rocket plane is an aircraft that uses a rocket engine. Rocket planes can reach much higher speeds than jet aircraft of similar size. As a rule, their engine runs for no more than a few minutes, after which the plane plans. The rocket plane is suitable for flying at very high altitude and it is also able to develop much more acceleration and has a shorter take-off run.

18. Float seaplane

It is a type of fixed-wing aircraft capable of taking off and landing on water. The buoyancy of the seaplane is provided by pontoons or floats, which are installed instead of the landing gear under the fuselage. Float-type seaplanes were widely used until World War II, but then they were supplanted by helicopters and aircraft used from aircraft carriers.

19. Flying boat

Another type of seaplane, the flying boat, is an airplane with a fixed wing and a hull shaped so that it can land on water. It differs from a float seaplane in that it uses a specially designed fuselage that can float. Flying boats were very common in the first half of the 20th century. Similar to floatplane seaplanes, they were subsequently discontinued after World War II.

Also known by other names (eg, cargo aircraft, cargo ship, transport aircraft, or cargo aircraft), a cargo aircraft is a fixed-wing aircraft that is designed or converted to carry goods rather than passengers. At the moment, the An-225, built in 1988, is the largest and most cargo-carrying in the world.

21. Bomber

A bomber is a combat aircraft designed to attack land and sea targets by dropping bombs, launching torpedoes, or launching air-to-surface cruise missiles. There are two types of bombers. Strategic bombers are primarily intended for long-range bombing missions - that is, to attack strategic targets such as supply bases, bridges, factories, shipyards, etc. Tactical bombers are aimed at countering enemy military activities and supporting offensive operations.

22. Spaceplane

A cosmoplane is an aerospace vehicle that is used in the Earth's atmosphere. They can use both rockets and auxiliary conventional jet engines. Today there are five such vehicles that have been successfully used: X-15, Space Shuttle, Buran, SpaceShipOne and Boeing X-37.

23. Spaceship

A spacecraft is a vehicle designed to fly in outer space. Spacecraft are used for a variety of purposes, including communications, Earth observation, meteorology, navigation, space colonization, planetary exploration, and the transport of people and goods.

A space capsule is a special type of spacecraft that has been used in most manned space programs. A manned space capsule must have everything it needs to Everyday life including air, water and food. The space capsule also protects astronauts from cold and space radiation.

25. Drone

Officially known as an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), the drone is often used for missions that are too "dangerous" or simply impossible for humans. Initially, they were used mainly for military purposes, but today they can be found literally everywhere.

Modern technologies have become part of our life. It has become available to almost everyone to realize their dream - to climb into the sky on an aircraft with a motor. There are a lot of ways to make a dream come true, to learn to fly. They are able to satisfy the most sophisticated tastes.

You can learn to fly in an aircraft without a motor, or with a motor.

The conversation will focus on aircraft with a maximum take-off weight of up to 600 kg, which lift the pilot into the sky using a motor. You can get off the ground using the thrust of the engine and the lift of the wing, for this there is an airplane, a paramotor and a motor glider. In addition to them, a helicopter and an autogyro can be available for training.

You can sit at the helm of such an aircraft at the age of 18. Before the first independent flight, you should fly with an instructor for some time and make about a hundred takeoffs and landings to practice skills. In the event of an engine failure, the pilot's chances of rescuing are equal to his skill level.

What can happen in flight

Engine breakdown
Such an incident will be taken by surprise if the pilot is not ready for it. You shouldn't be too worried about this. Modern light aircraft can glide without an engine. Some even manage to gasoline.
Control errors during takeoff or landing
The reason, as a rule, is the low level of pilot training. The most common mistake all newbies make when boarding an airplane is "goat". So they say "skozlil". It is generally accepted that sustainable piloting skills for novice pilots arrive at 150 flying hours.
Thunderstorm, strong wind
The weather does not change overnight. To minimize the negative impact of the weather, there is a weather service. BUT modern systems alerts and warnings can alert you in a timely manner to an impending storm front. Visually, you can approximately predict the development of events 15-20 minutes ahead. The presence of an engine on the aircraft allows you to escape from bad weather or turn back.
Flying in modes unacceptable for this aircraft, including the performance of unauthorized aerobatics
Such actions can really lead to sad consequences. If you are not ready to comply with the requirements of technical documents, then it is too early for you to sit at the wheel yourself. For example, many small aircraft are not designed for aerobatics. There are many examples on the Internet of what the violation of flight requirements leads to.
An unplanned meeting with the earth or with what is on it
This happens when the instructions that prohibit flying over an obstacle below 50 meters are violated. Most often they cut into wires due to their low visibility. Unfortunately, a lethal outcome is not excluded in this case.
Unscheduled meeting with another with another aircraft in flight
Most of the flights take place in a class G zone, free from air traffic control and under the visual flight rule. This means that the pilot is left to himself and is 100% responsible for his own life and the lives of the passengers entrusted to him. To prevent a collision with another aircraft, you need to look both ways. This is more likely to occur in areas where there are many aircraft congestion.
You can get lost
This is very frequent problem novice pilots. From the air, the surface of the earth does not look like it is depicted on the map. A beginner can get lost even with a map in hand. Nowadays GPS saves this problem, but if it fails, there can be many problems. It is best to fly with two GPS receivers with independent power supplies.
Bird collision
This also happens. The danger from this accident is similar to that of a collision with a car.
Pilot feeling unwell
If suddenly there are health problems before the flight, it is better not to fly. In general, it is for this that a small medical checkup... A sudden deterioration in well-being in flight is a rather rare situation.

Important notes about motor aircraft

A smaller aircraft is more susceptible to air currents, but it has more freedom of movement.
The very presence of the engine on board requires increased attention to the readings of the instruments about its operation, as well as compliance with the maintenance schedule. It is extremely risky to ignore the strange sound. Overheating the engine is very dangerous.
Having an engine is relaxing. The pilot has the illusion that he can turn on the gas at any time and fly away from danger. As a rule, it is, but if the engine suddenly fails at this moment, you can accidentally break wood.
The takeoff of an aircraft has a number of features:
- the location of the engine in the nose, the so-called pulling propeller, creates a gyroscopic moment that tries to turn the aircraft in the direction of the propeller rotation, it is compensated by the rudder;
- the location of the engine behind, that is, the pushing propeller, turns the aircraft in the opposite direction.
Several fuel tanks are usually installed on board. They are switched by a simple mechanical valve. By switching the valve incorrectly, even if there is fuel in the tanks, the engine can fail when operating in air.
Aircrafts of two types are offered for sale: ready product and in the form of a KIT-set. The second option is cheaper, you can assemble it yourself.
Light aviation in Europe is much more developed than in the CIS. For example, England has 112 flight schools, Ukraine - three.
Most motorized aircraft use 95 gasoline.
For motorized aircraft, the rescue system of the entire vehicle (large parachute) is often used, rather than individual rescue equipment.
You should not master motorized aircraft on your own. There are many pitfalls that a beginner may not be aware of. It is better to find a flight school where you will be taught the basics of piloting. Usually training consists of theory and practical training in the amount of 40-45 hours.

Who is undesirable to fly:

people with heightened emotionality: you cannot cope with emotions in the air - to be in trouble;
people who are overly self-confident: you need to be able to come to terms with the opinion of more experienced pilots who assess the level of training;
those who like to break the laws of aerodynamics;
extremals: it is always possible to find extreme sports, but it is dangerous to be in the air with such a pilot;
lazy and unwilling to learn: you can take off and land only with mechanical control skills, but the lack of theoretical knowledge attracts unwanted problems.

Note. Oddly enough it sounds, but many people suffering from aerophobia got rid of their ailment by practicing in an air club.

Airplane

An airplane is a classic example of a powered aircraft. Modern ultralight aircraft (with a takeoff weight of up to 495 kg) are able to help look beyond the horizon, look down on the ground, take off and land on a grassy airfield. Stepping into the sky on a small plane is different in its sensations from flying on a large liner.

The empty weight of the aircraft is 80-300 kg.
Speed - 50-230 km / h.
The price of a new device is from 950,000 rubles.
You can take off from water, snow, even from small cobblestones with special equipment.
It takes about 150 m for takeoff.There are masters to land without a run
Usually about 250 m for landing.
Rescue system - the parachute rescue system of the entire aircraft.
Average consumption of gasoline A-95 - 9 liters / 100 km. (Average figure)
Crew - 1 pilot and 1 passenger.

Over long distances, air travel is cheaper than by car, because the flight takes place along the shortest line.
In aviation, fuel consumption is considered "in hours of operation" for different operating modes of the engine.

Advantages

Freedom of movement. This is a real plane - where it is necessary there and flies, with a slight correction. In Russia, there is a notification system of flights: free flights are allowed in the class G zone, as well as at altitudes up to 3000 meters and speeds up to 450 km / h. The airplane doesn’t care about bad weather. You can also fly above the clouds.
The design of production aircraft is as simple and proven as possible. There are enthusiasts who assemble the plane on their own.
Depending on the engine type, it is possible to climb up to 6000 m, but above 4000 m the pilot needs oxygen equipment.
With proper preparation, you can make intercontinental travel.
It is possible to assemble the plane yourself by purchasing a KIT-set.
Some types of aircraft can be aerobatics.

Flaws

An airplane is a full-fledged vehicle and requires appropriate documents and a pilot's license. They need to be renewed regularly.
Flying on an airplane, you will have to constantly monitor many different parameters: one of the main ones is speed. In aviation, there is a saying "it is better to lose a wife than speed." Loss of speed on many aircraft can lead to a stall and subsequent spin.
Technically, it is possible to fly up to 6000 m, practically (in Russia) freely in the G class zone: up to an altitude of 3000 m and at a speed not exceeding 450 km / h, although very few people fly at such speeds in small aircraft. Above requires agreement.
During the flight along the route, you should have a working radio communication, conduct radio exchange with dispatchers. This requires some skill.
Medical requirements.
If you want to control something that flies with a mass of more than 120 kg (takeoff weight): an airplane, a gyroplane, a helicopter, then you will need to go through a medical commission. The requirements for amateur pilots are not as strict as for professionals.

Paramotor (paramotor)

If you want to feel like a Carlson, fly with a paramotor. A small device with a motor and a paraglider canopy makes it possible to have a great time.

Engine weight - 7-20 kg.
The flight speed is 20-60 km / h.
As a transport, it is practically not used.
There is the option of flying alone, there is an option in tandem.
In case of an unforeseen situation - a parachute.
The cost of a new device is from $ 6,000.

Advantages

For paragliders, mastering a paramotor is easy.
Low fuel consumption.
A more tangible feeling of flight due to the lack of a cockpit.
Low speed during takeoff and landing.
Ease of transportation due to small dimensions

Flaws

Immediately into battle. Theory on the ground, and in the air alone with the elements and apparatus.
There is no training method for such pilots. The training is carried out by active pilots according to individual experience.
If the engine fails in the air - landing only in front of you.
Takeoff / landing is performed from feet. There is a risk of injury.
Take off requires wind.
The ability to fold the wing in the air.
You need sufficient physical strength.
This is more entertainment than transportation.

Motor glider

The continuation of the development of the theme of free flight on a glider was a motor glider. Its main advantage is that it does not depend on the towing aircraft and towing complex, but takes off and gains the required altitude on its own.

Weight - 7-20 kg.
The flight speed with a motor is 160-190 km / h.
Aerodynamic quality - from 14 to 60
The cost of the new device starts from 30,000 euros, there are options for 140,000 euros.
The cost of a used device is from 20,000 euros

Advantages

A motor glider, above all a glider, plans far and long.
The presence of the motor allows this glider to land not where the loss of altitude occurred, but where the airfield is. Very expensive gliders, such as the Nimbus-4D, can be damaged when landing on an unfamiliar site.
Have expensive models the engine can be stowed away when going into hover mode.
Airframe engines can be internal combustion, electric and jet engines.

Flaws

There are either single or double gliders.
As in the case of an airplane, it is necessary to monitor the speed during landing, loss of speed is fraught with stall and spin. It is dangerous if there is not enough headroom.
For storage, you need a hangar and an airfield, for transportation, troublesome disassembly and a trailer.
Small motor resource of the engine.

Autogyro

The mass of the apparatus is 450 - 550 kg.
Flight speed 130 -180 km / h
Cost from 900,000 rubles

Advantages

The ability to make a relaxed flight at an altitude of 3-5 meters at a speed of 90 -100 km / h
Flight safety is higher than on other winged aircraft. Don't worry about losing horizontal speed and stalling. The gyroplane is more stable in the air than other aircraft.
You can fly up to a wind speed of 15-17 m / s, while for a light aircraft and a motorized hang-glider 6-8 m / s can become a serious problem.
Landing without run. There is no need for specially prepared landing sites. You can take off with a short two-meter run, but it is important to spin the rotor up to working speed.

Flaws

It is not recommended to independently master the apparatus of high-quality production, most often the rotor of the gyroplane suffers from the inept actions of beginners. The apparatus falls on its side, falls on the tail. At the same time, pilots mostly suffer only financially.
Possibility of rotor icing. In the event that this happened, the rotor, the main rotor of the gyroplane, will not be able to self-rotate, which can lead to a fall. To avoid this, it is recommended to constantly monitor the rotor speed in winter and, at the slightest suspicion of a decrease in speed, go to land

conclusions

If someone thinks that the dream of flying is the prerogative of rich people, then he is mistaken. There are options even for citizens whose incomes do not allow them to climb into the skies on a commercial basis.
Whatever your financial situation, if you really want to fly, come to the airfield. You can take an introductory flight there, for a fee, of course. And now in the air you can really understand if you need it. You can also try flying on a glider, because the feeling of flying will be completely different.

By the way, if money is really very tight, you can ask to work at the airport for the opportunity to learn to fly. These, as a rule, will be unskilled jobs, but you have a great desire to fly, for the realization of which you need to find opportunities.
If you own the profession of a designer, artist, electronics engineer, developer, and so on, then it is quite possible that your skills will be useful at an airfield, in an aviation training center and in other "earthly" structures. By volunteering to help them, you will also be able to fly.