Aircraft Degree of Freedom

Cruise Equilibrium

The aircraft is a six degree of freedom system. For equilibrium there should be no unbalanced Force or Moment on it

In cruise - level flight at constant velocity - the moment equations don't apply ( the plane is a particle ?) and the problem can be reduced to two dimensions yielding the result

L = W

D = T

On a sheet of paper

draw a plane

draw the rectangular coordinate system at the cg

with x - forward

with y - right (starboard)

with z ???

Identify that

for a positive roll (M_x ) the _____ wing goes _________

for a positive pitch (M_y ) the nose goes _____

for a positive yaw (M_z ) the nose turns _______