Guide to Reliving the Wright Way
In the spirit of the Wright Brothers, NASA is using aeronautics technology to provide access to space. These fundamentals and lessons will help you understand their journey of flight.
The Wright Way will show you the basic math and physics that led to the invention of the airplane by the Wright Brothers.
Fundamentals
- The Wright Brothers’ discuss Newton’s Laws of Motion – Video
- Newton’s Laws of Motion
- Application of Newton’s Third Law – Action & Reaction
- Torque (Moments)
- Equilibrium
- The Idea of Functions
- Sine-Cosine-Tangent
- The Process of Combustion
- Work Equals Force Times Distance
- What is Power?
Lessons in Aerodynamics
- Aerodynamic Forces
- Center of Pressure
- Aerodynamic Center
- Similarity Parameters
- Boundary Layer
- Bernoulli’s Equation
- Roll
- Pitch
- Yaw
Wright Brothers Aircraft
Interactive Simulations
Forces on an Aircraft
Aircraft Parts
Roll and Wing Warping
Kites and Gliders
- Aircraft Flown as a Kite
- Aircraft Flown as a Glider
- Glide Angle
- Drag to Lift Ratio
- Lift to Drag (L/D) Ratio
1901 Wind Tunnel Tests
- 1901 Wind Tunnel Interactive
- 1901 Bicycle Tests
- 1901 Wind Tunnel Tests
- Wind Tunnel
- Wind Tunnel Models
- Lift Balance – Design
- Lift Balance – Operation
- Drag Balance – Design
- Drag Balance – Operation
- Wind Tunnel Results
Wright 1903 Engine
- Internal Combustion Engine – Otto Cycle
- Engine Thermodynamic Analysis
- Engine Mechanical Operation
- Intake Stroke
- Compression Stroke
- Combustion Process
- Power Stroke
- Heat Rejection
- Exhaust Stroke
- Engine Parts
- Crankcase
- Power Train
- Bore and Stroke
- Combustion Chamber
- Fuel System
- Electrical System
- Cooling System
- Lubrication System
- Timing System
Lift and Drag
The Wright Brothers’ discuss Lift
- Lift
- Lift Equation of the 1900’s
- Modern Lift Equation ..Interactive
- Effects of Shape on Lift ..Interactive
- Effects of Inclination on Lift ..Interactive
- Effects of Velocity on Lift ..Interactive
The Wright Brothers discuss Drag Force
Thrust and Weight
The Wright Brothers Discuss Thrust Force
The Wright Brothers discuss Weight Force
The Wright Brothers discuss Center of Gravity
Flight Control and Maneuvers
The Wright Brothers’ discuss Roll
The Wright Brothers’ discuss Pitch
The Wright Brothers discuss Yaw
- Yaw
- Translations
- Relative Velocity
- Cruise Conditions
- Simplified Motion
- Equations of Motion
- Banking Turns
- Side Forces
Gas Static
- Properties of Air
- Air Pressure
- Air Temperature
- Equation of State
- Specific Heats – cp and cv
- Boyle’s Law
- Charles and Gay-Lussac’s Law
- Work Done by a Gas
- Enthalpy
- Entropy of a Gas
- Compression and Expansion
Thermodynamics
- What is Thermodynamics?
- Zeroth Law – Thermal Equilibrium
- First Law – Internal Energy
- First Law – Conservation of Energy
- Second Law – Entropy
- Heat Transfer
Replicas
- Full Scale Replica of Wright 1900 Aircraft
- Computed Performance Predictions
- Interactive Performance Prediction
- Panel Code Performance Prediction
- Computed Flows at Angle = 0
- Computed Flows at Angle = 5
- Computed Flows at Angle = 10
- Half Scale Replica of Wright 1902 Aircraft
- Modeling the Wright 1902 Glider
- Replica of Wright 1902 Aircraft
- Replica of Wright 1903 Aircraft
- Replica of Wright 1905 Aircraft