AE 1203 – ELEMENTS OF AERONAUTICS

PART A

1. What are high lift devices? What has prompted their development?
2. What is the basic difference between a hot air balloon and an aircraft?
3. What is equivalent air speed? How is it related to true air speed?
4. What are the functions of ailerons in an aircraft?
5. Define Troposphere and temperature lapse rate.
6. Define aerodynamic centre.
7. Enumerate the stiffener shapes used in aircraft fuselage shell.
8. What are the main advantages and disadvantages of composite materials for
aircraft structures?
9. State the propellant burning configurations possible in solid propellant motors.
10. What are hypergolic propellants? Give an example.
11. Differentiate between anhedral and dihedral.
12. What do you mean by “Absolute ceiling”?
13. What is the purpose of elevator?
14. Enumerate the engine instruments.
15. Define ‘Air foil’.
16. What is ‘aerodynamic center’?
17. Explain the term ‘Empennage’.
18. State the uses of titanium alloys in aircraft industry.
19. Define ‘specific impulse’ of rockets.
20. What is cryogenic propellant? Give example.
21. Distinguish between air breathing propulsion and rocket propulsion.
22. What are the new types of alloys used now-a-days for airframe construction of
modern aircraft?
23. Name any four components of airframe of an airplane and mention their
functions.
24. What is stratopause?
25. Define Mach number.
26. What are the general types of construction of an airplane structure?
27. What are the general considerations for the fuselage design of an airplane. Name
any two.
28. What is the basic operating principle of a piston engine?
29. Define specific impulse of a rocket.
30. What is jet thrust?
31. Differentiate between biplane and monoplane.
32. State the two kinds of aircraft.
33. Differentiate between conventional control and powered control.
34. What are the basic instruments for flying?
35. Define ‘absolute altitude’.
36. Explain ‘Mach Number’.
37. Differentiate between Monocoque construction and semi-monocoque constrction.
38. Enumerate the composite materials.
39. What is ‘Ramjet’ engine?
40. What are the advantages and the disadvantages of rocket propulsion?
 PART B

1. (i) What are the advantages and disadvantages of monoplanes compared to

biplanes?
(ii) Explain why swept back wing concept has been developed.
(iii) Discuss the advantages of carry through structures connecting cantilever
wings.
2. Describe a Ramjet engine and compare its working principle with SCRAMJET
and turbojet engines.
3. Describe the major components of an aeroplane with a neat sketch and explain
their functions.
4. (i) Enumerate the basic instruments used for flying.
(ii) Describe the flight instruments measuring ATTITUDE of an aircraft.
5. (i) Discuss the temperature variation with altitude of standard atmosphere and
classify the atmospheric layers.
(ii) Derive the expressions relating the standard atmosphere values of pressure,
density and temperature at any altitude in the troposphere with that of sea level
values.
6. (i) Describe an aerofoil and explain its nomenclature.
(ii) Define centre of pressure, coefficient of pressure and Mach number.
(iii) Express lift and drag of an aerofoil in terms of normal and axial forces.
7. explain how aeroplane wings are constructed and indicate the choice of materials
for the main components.
8. (i) Write a short note on composite materials and their applications to aircraft
construction.
(ii) Discuss briefly the choice of material for aircraft engine components.
(iii) Discuss the need for Alclad aluminium alloys for aircraft structures.
9. (i) With a neat sketch explain the principle of operation of a turbo prop engine.
(ii) What is a cryogenic rocket engine? Explain.
10. (i) Thrust produced by an aircraft engine is best explained by Newton’s third law
of motion. True/False? Justify your answer.
(ii) Define propeller efficiency.
(iii) Describe a turbofan engine with a neat sketch and explain why the efficiency
of this engine is better than a turbojet engine.
11. Explain in detail:
(i) Static stability with example.
(ii) Dynamic stability with example.
12. (i) Define standard atmosphere.
(ii) State the Bernoulli’s principle.
(iii) Explain its application of subsonic flow.
(iv) State the four forces acting on an aircraft inflight.
13. (i) Define Lift (L), Drag (D) and Pitching moment (M).
(ii) State the points to be observed for pressure distribution on an aerofoil.
(iii) Enumerate the six factors of an ideal aerofoil.
14. Explain the types of fuselage constructions with sketches.
15. (i) explain in detail about the fundamental designs on which the using
construction is based.
(ii) Draw and indicate the common wing forms.
(iii) Enumerate the main structural parts of a wing.
16. Describe with a neat diagram, a basic hydraulic system with hand pump.
17. Describe the operation of turbojet engine with a neat diagram.
18. (i) State and classifications of rocket engines.
(ii) State the advantages and disadvantages of liquid propellants rocket engine
over other types.
19. Explain the operation of a solid of a solid propellant rocket motor with a neat
diagram.
20. With neat illustrations, explain in detail the salient features of airplanes with
biplane and monoplane design from aerodynamics point of view. Bring out the
advantages and limitations of each type.
21. Briefly describe the modern developments in aircraft design with respect to the
following:
New airfoil profiles, new fuselage designs, gas turbine engine powered propulsion
system and flight control systems.
22. (i) Discuss the classification of flight vehicles. Mention the criteria for
classification.
(ii) What are the salient features of monologue construction of an airplane
structure?
23. (i) Name any two basic instruments for flying. With illustrations explain their
operating principle.
(ii) With neat sketch, explain the construction of a typical aircraft wing. Show all
the structural components of wing construction and mention the types of
loads/stresses experienced by the structural members.
24. Write short notes on the following:
(i) Geodesic constructions
(ii) Use of composite materials for aircraft structures.
25. Explain the following:
(i) Application of semi-monologue constructions for aircraft
structures.
(ii) Use of titanium and composite materials for aircraft
components and the need for such materials.
26. (i) What is international standard atmosphere? How are the various regions of
atmosphere classified?
(ii) With neat illustration, describe how lift and drag are produced, when an airfoil
is placed in a uniform air flow.
27. (i) Explain how pressure, temperature and altitude are related in the mathematical
representation of atmospheric property variations with altitude.
(ii) Draw a typical sketch of an airfoil and identify the important terminology with
respect to its geometrical features. Draw any two NACA airfoils and explain their
nomenclature.
28. (i) Bring out the essential differences between piston type engines and jet engines
for aircraft propulsion.
(ii) What are the applications of rockets? How are they classified?
29. (i) Explain how a propeller produces thrust for aircraft propulsion.
(ii) What are the merits and limitations of turbojet engines?