Plan:

Introduction

• 1 Aircraft classification
  • 1.1 By purpose
  • 1.2 Takeoff weight
  • 1.3 By type and number of engines
  • 1.4 According to the layout
  • 1.5 By flight speed
  • 1.6 By type of landing organs
  • 1.7 Type of takeoff and landing
  • 1.8 By type of thrust source
  • 1.9 Reliability
  • 1.10 By way of management
• 2 Aircraft design
• 3 Aircraft history
• 4 Interesting Facts
Literature

Introduction

Airplane(aka airplane) - an aircraft with an aerodynamic method of creating lift using an engine and fixed wings (wings) and used for flights in the Earth's atmosphere. (Later in this article, the term airplane interpreted only in this sense.)

The aircraft is capable of moving at high speed using lifting force wings to keep themselves in the air. A fixed wing distinguishes an airplane from an ornithopter (maple) and a helicopter, and the presence of an engine distinguishes it from a glider. An airplane differs from an airship in an aerodynamic way of creating lift - an aircraft wing creates lift in the oncoming air flow.

The above definition is "classic" and relevant for aircraft that existed at the dawn of aviation. In relation to modern and promising developments in aviation technology(integral and hypersonic aerodynamic configurations, the use of a variable thrust vector, etc.) the concept of "aircraft" needs to be clarified: Airplane- an aircraft for flights in the atmosphere (and outer space (for example, an orbital aircraft)), using the aerodynamic lift of the airframe to keep itself in the air (when flying within the atmosphere) and the thrust of the power (propulsion) installation for maneuvering and compensating for losses of total mechanical energy for frontal resistance.

1. Aircraft classification

The classification of aircraft can be given according to various criteria - by purpose, by design features, by engine type, by flight performance parameters, etc., etc.

1.1. By appointment

1.2. Takeoff weight

Light aircraft MAI-223

• 1st class (75 tons and more)
• 2nd class (from 30 to 75 tons)
• 3rd class (from 10 to 30 tons)
• 4th class (up to 10 tons)
• light-engine
• ultralight (up to 495 kg)

The class of the aircraft is associated with the class of the airfield capable of receiving aircraft of this type.

1.3. By type and number of engines

Cross-sectional radial engine

Turbojet engine compressor (TRD)

• By type of power plant:
  • piston (PD) (An-2)
  • turboprop (TVD) (An-24)
  • turbojet (TRD) (Tu-154)
  • with rocket engines
  • with combined power plant (CPU)
• By number of engines:
  • single-engine (An-2)
  • twin-engine (An-24)
  • three-engine (Tu-154)
  • four-engine (An-124 "Ruslan")
  • five-engine (He-111Z)
  • six-engine (An-225 "Mriya")
  • seven-engine (K-7)
  • eight-engine (ANT-20, Boeing B-52)
  • ten-engine (Convair B-36J)
  • twelve-engine (Dornier Do X)

1.4. According to the layout

Classification on this basis is the most multivariant). Some of the main options are offered:

• By the number of wings:
  • monoplanes
  • one and a half gliders
  • biplanes
  • triplanes
  • polyplanes
• By wing position (for monoplanes):
  • high-wingers
  • medium plans
  • low-wing
  • parasol
• According to the location of the tail:
  • normal aerodynamic configuration (tail plumage at the rear)
  • flying wing (tailless)
  • tailless
  • type "duck" (plumage in front);
• By type and dimensions of the fuselage:
  • single-body;
    • narrow-body;
    • wide-body;
  • two-beam scheme ("frame");
  • fuselageless ("flying wing").
  • Double-deck aircraft
• Chassis type:
  • Land;
    • with wheel chassis;
      • with tail support;
      • with front support;
      • bicycle type support;
    • with ski chassis;
    • with caterpillar chassis;
  • seaplanes;
    • amphibians;
    • float;
    • "flying boats".

1.5. By flight speed

• subsonic (up to Mach 0.7-0.8)
• transonic (from 0.7-0.8 to 1.2 M)
• supersonic (from 1.2 to 5 M)
• hypersonic (over 5 M)

1.6. By type of landing organs

• land
• shipborne
• seaplanes
• flying submarine

1.7. Type of takeoff and landing

• vertical (GDP)
• short (KVP)
• normal takeoff and landing

1.8. By type of thrust source

• screw
• reactive

1.9. Reliability

• experimental
• experienced
• serial

1.10. By way of management

• piloted
• unmanned

2. Aircraft design

The main elements of the aircraft:

• Wing - creates when forward movement lift required for the aircraft to fly.
• Fuselage - is the "body" of the aircraft.
• Plumage - bearing surfaces designed to provide stability, controllability and balance of the aircraft.
• Chassis - takeoff and landing device of the aircraft.
• Power plants - create the necessary traction.
• On-board equipment systems - various equipment that allows you to fly under any conditions.

3. Aircraft history

Viktor Vasnetsov "Flying Carpet", 1880

Vimana aircraft are described in ancient Indian literature. There are also references to aircraft in folklore. different peoples(flying carpet, stupa with Baba Yaga).

The first attempts to build an airplane were made in the 19th century. The first full-size aircraft built in 1882 and patented is the aircraft of Mozhaisky A.F. In addition, Ader and Maxim built aircraft with steam engines. However, none of these structures could take to the air. The reasons for this were: too high take-off weight and low specific power of engines - (steam engines), lack of flight and control theory, theory of strength and aerodynamic calculations. In this regard, the aircraft were built "at random", "by eye", despite the engineering experience of many aviation pioneers.

The first aircraft that was able to independently take off the ground and make a controlled horizontal flight was the Flyer-1, built by the brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright in the USA. The first aircraft flight in history took place on December 17, 1903. The Flyer stayed in the air for 59 seconds and flew 260 meters. The brainchild of the Wrights was officially recognized as the world's first heavier-than-air vehicle, which made a manned flight using an engine.

Their apparatus was a canard-type biplane - the pilot was placed on the lower wing, the rudder at the rear, the elevator at the front. The two-spar wings were sheathed in thin unbleached muslin. The Flyer's engine was a four-stroke, with a starting power of 16 horsepower and weighed only (or whole, if we evaluate from a modern point of view) 80 kilograms.

The apparatus had two wooden propellers. Instead of a wheeled chassis, the Wrights used a launch catapult consisting of a pyramidal turret and a wooden guide rail. The catapult was driven by a falling massive load connected to the aircraft by a cable through a system of special blocks.

In Russia, the practical development of aviation was delayed due to the government's orientation towards the creation of aeronautic aircraft. Based on the example of Germany, the Russian military leadership relied on the development of airships and balloons for the army and did not timely assess the potential of a new invention - an airplane.

The story of V. V. Tatarinov's "Airmobile" also played a negative role in relation to aircraft heavier than air. In 1909, the inventor received 50 thousand rubles from the Ministry of War for the construction of a helicopter. In addition, there were many donations from individuals. Those who could not help with money offered their labor for free to realize the inventor's plan. Russia had high hopes for this domestic invention. But the venture ended in complete failure. The experience and knowledge of Tatarinov did not correspond to the complexity of the task, and a lot of money was thrown to the wind. This case had a negative impact on the fate of many interesting aviation projects - Russian inventors could no longer obtain government subsidies.

In 1909, the Russian government finally showed interest in aircraft. It was decided to reject the offer of the Wright brothers to buy their invention and build aircraft on their own. Aircraft officers M.A. Agapov, B.V. Golubev, B.F. Gebauer and A.I. Shabsky were instructed to design the aircraft. We decided to build three-seater aircraft of various types in order to choose the most successful one later. None of the designers not only did not fly airplanes, but did not even see them in kind. Therefore, it is not surprising that the planes crashed even while running on the ground.

"Kudashev-1" - the first Russian flying aircraft

Winged benz. Russian airplane in the back of a truck on the Caucasian front of the First World War. 1916

The first successes of Russian aviation date back to 1910. On June 4, a professor at the Kyiv Polytechnic Institute, Prince Alexander Kudashev, flew several tens of meters in a biplane of his own design.

On June 16, the young Kyiv aircraft designer Igor Sikorsky for the first time took his plane into the air, and three days later the plane of engineer Yakov Gakkel flew an unusual biplane with a fuselage scheme (bimonoplane) for that time.

Business Aviation Representative.

Long gone are the days when an airplane (later an airplane) was just. As they say in and for themselves. People's needs are changing, technological progress does not stand still at all, and planes practically do not fly for the sake of interest, extreme sports or anything like that. Although, of course, in fairness it should be said that this also takes place. However, the mercantile-useful use of aviation still prevails. And since in modern world There are already quite a few areas of its application, and its diversity is quite large.

So, . They are defined according to regulations. There is such a serious (in appearance :-)) document: the Air Code of the Russian Federation. So it defines that aviation has three types: civil, state and experimental . Civil aviation includes civil, civil commercial and general aviation. With the first two, I think it’s clear, but “general purpose” is all kinds of useful work, such as agricultural work, medical care, police assistance, private and corporate flights, training, etc. Experimental aviation is used to carry out various experimental work and test equipment (including aviation). And the state is military aviation and state aviation special purpose , such as, for example, aviation of the Ministry of Emergency Situations or there is also aviation of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to perform various special tasks. Interestingly, both government and experimental aircraft can also be used for commercial purposes. This is defined in the above code.

Transporter AN-12

The well-known passenger Boeing 737

This is how it all sounds official. And now, without looking at the regulatory documents, I will add something else from myself. FROM civil aviation everything is more or less clear. These are passenger, transport and cargo-passenger. Their functions are clear to everyone. And their brightest representatives are, for example, hard workers TU-154 and Boeing-737, An-12 and Il-76.
As for general aviation, although this name is spelled out in the code, there are other definitions next to it, and sometimes it is not always clear which of them contains the other. We will not understand this, I will just mention some more, or rather their names, which are now used in aviation practice.

Business aviation aircraft cabin interior.

Abroad, it has existed for quite a long time, and in Russia, the so-called business aviation or "Business aviation" in the Anglo-American version. These are usually special aircraft (and, of course, their maintenance complex) of small capacity, but quite a lot of comfort :-). They are used for individual and corporate flights and, of course, for the provision of special services. One of the representatives is the Gulfstream G500.

Aircraft Yak-52.

Sports Yak-55M

Sports SU-26M.

Honored AN-2

Further, sports aviation and aviation of initial training can be distinguished. In other words, aeroclub. These are the planes and helicopters on which people learn to fly and further improve their flight skills. In Russia, the system of flying clubs in the process of revolutionary changes, from perestroika onwards, was thoroughly destroyed. But something remains and is now even slowly developing. Representatives of this type of aviation in our country are mainly the Yak-52, Yak-55, SU-26 and the hard worker Yak-18T. Of course, the AN-2 is also used in this system (mainly for auxiliary purposes, for example, for the removal of paratroopers). Abroad, these are most often Cessna-172, Piper PA-28 Warrior and Robinson R-22.

Piper PA-28 Warrior

Helicopter Robinson R-22

Naturally, all these aircraft are also used for commercial cargo and passenger purposes. After all, all flying clubs are mostly private. And just one plane can be privately owned. Then a person with a private pilot's license can fly it for their own purposes (even just for fun :-)). But this, however, applies more to the United States and Western countries. In Russia, there is not yet any legislative framework, nor technical and financial capabilities. It's a pity ... It would be nice to have such a "family plane" and fly on it on weekends to visit another city :-).

In connection with the above, it must be said that in general, such a concept as small aircraft . Legislatively, this concept is not clearly defined (although, in my opinion, it is closest to general aviation), but usually small aircraft have a low takeoff weight (usually up to 9000 kg) and take on board no more than 18 passengers. Of course, the entire service infrastructure also belongs to small aviation, i.e. airfields, air traffic control systems, Maintenance. Aircraft small aviation is now becoming more and more around the world. In the USA, for example, there are already more than 280 thousand registered. Accordingly, the number of runways and platforms is also growing. According to statistics, more than 80% of everything that flies in the world works in small aircraft. That is, small aircraft conquer the world :-). That's it. But let's leave it alone and get back to the serious :-).

Although I, in fact, have already listed everything. But it’s definitely worth saying that some apart from this division is military aviation(although it is part of the state). The fact is that she herself also has species, and in addition, some of them are also divided into genera. Quite an interesting division, and this is already the topic of another article, or rather the second part of the article on types of aviation.

Photos are clickable.