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Unit of study_
AERO8560: Flight Mechanics 1
2025 unit information
This unit aims to develop an understanding of aircraft longitudinal equilibrium, static stability, dynamic stability and response. Students will develop an understanding of the importance and significance of flight stability, will gain skills in dynamic system analysis and will learn mathematical tools used for prediction of aircraft flight behaviour. Students will gain skills in problem solving in the area of flight vehicle motion, and learn the fundamentals of flight simulation. At the end of this unit students will be able to understand: aircraft flight conditions and equilibrium; the effects of aerodynamic and propulsive controls on equilibrium conditions; the significance of flight stability and its impact of aircraft operations and pilot workload; the meaning of aerodynamic stability derivatives and their sources; the effects of aerodynamic derivatives on flight stability; the impact of flight stability and trim on all atmospheric flight vehicles. Students will also be able to model aircraft flight characteristics using computational techniques and analyse the aircraft equations of rigid-body motion and to extract stability characteristics. Course content will include static longitudinal aircraft stability: origin of symmetric forces and moments; static and manoeuvring longitudinal stability, equilibrium and control of rigid aircraft; aerodynamic load effects of wings, stabilisers, fuselages and power plants; trailing edge aerodynamic controls; trimmed equilibrium condition; static margin; effect on static stability of free and reversible controls.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Engineering
| Study level | Postgraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | Aerospace, Mechanical and Mechatronic |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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None |
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Corequisites:
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None |
| Prohibitions:
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AERO9560 |
| Assumed knowledge:
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Mathematics, Physics and Dynamics assumed knowledge at the level of Bachelor of Science or equivalent |
At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:
- LO1. Demonstrate capabilities in written communication through preparation of reports.
- LO2. Demonstrate developed skills in group interaction and interactive problem solving.
- LO3. Analyse the aircraft equations of rigid-body motion and extract stability requirements.
- LO4. Model aircraft flight characteristics using computational techniques.
- LO5. Understand aircraft flight conditions and equilibrium.
- LO6. Understand the effects of aerodynamic and propulsive controls on equilibrium conditions.
- LO7. Understand the significance of flight stability and its impact on aircraft operations and pilot workload.
- LO8. Understand the meaning of aerodynamic stability derivatives and their sources.
- LO9. Understand the effects of aerodynamic derivatives on flight stability.
- LO10. Understand the impact of flight stability and trim on all atmospheric flight vehicles.
Unit availability
This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.
The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.
| Session | MoA ? | Location | Outline ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 2 2025
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
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