The Science of Flight

How two pilots coax their glider to a new altitude record; focusing on this feat as a lesson in the key principles of winged flight; exploring "the miracle on the Hudson"; closing with an investigation of the control inputs yaw, roll and pitch.

Using the ideal gas law to determine air density; using the hydrostatic equation to chart air pressure versus altitude; applying these concepts to lighter-than-air craft to learn how the Breitling Orbiter balloon is able to circumnavigate the globe.

Lift is the fundamental force involved in winged flight; debunking an incorrect explanation of lift; the power of air flowing around an airfoil at differing angles of attack; examining Albert Einstein's misguided attempt to design a better airfoil.

Focusing on parasitic drag, a byproduct of moving an aircraft through the air; zeroing in on two aspects of parasitic drag, which are skin friction and pressure; how these phenomena arise; how they can be reduced; laminar flow; golf ball design.

The role of stall in several notable air accidents; seeing a demonstration in which Professor Gregory deliberately pilots a plane through a stall, showing how to recover; technological measures to combat stall; the problem of induced drag.

Tracing the role of wind tunnels for studying lift and drag; aerodynamic research also involves analysis and computations; getting a taste of this process by analyzing conservation of mass, momentum and energy as they relate to lift and drag.