Back Side of the Power CurveTopic: Aerodynamics
A flight regime below an aircraft's most efficient speed where decreasing airspeed requires increasing power rather than less, reversing the normal speed-power relationship.Reference
Aviation glossary
Concise definitions for aviation terminology, from METAR and NOTAM to aerodynamics and airline operations. Search directly or scan alphabetically.
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- Baggage Belt LoaderTopic: Airport OperationsA motorized conveyor belt mounted on a mobile vehicle that transfers luggage and cargo between the airport ramp and an aircraft's cargo hold.
- Baggage Handling SystemTopic: Airport OperationsAn integrated network of conveyor belts, scanners, and automated equipment that tracks and routes checked baggage from check-in through security screening, sorting, and loading onto aircraft using barcode or RFID tags.
- Bank AngleTopic: Flight Controls & StabilityBank angle is the angle between an aircraft's wings and the horizontal horizon during a turn. It controls turn rate and load factor, with greater angles producing tighter turns and higher g-forces.
- Belly CargoTopic: Airline Operations & EconomicsBelly cargo is freight loaded into the lower cargo hold of a passenger aircraft, utilizing unused space beneath the cabin floor to generate additional revenue for airlines.
- Bernoulli's PrincipleTopic: AerodynamicsBernoulli's Principle states that as the speed of a fluid increases, its pressure decreases. In aviation, this relationship explains how wings generate lift by accelerating airflow over a curved upper surface.
- Best-Angle-of-Climb SpeedTopic: AerodynamicsBest-angle-of-climb speed (Vx) is the airspeed at which an aircraft gains the most altitude over the shortest horizontal distance, used primarily for obstacle clearance after takeoff.
- Best-Rate-of-Climb SpeedTopic: AerodynamicsBest-rate-of-climb speed (Vy) is the airspeed at which an aircraft gains the most altitude per minute. It represents the point where available power exceeds required power by the greatest margin.
- Bleed AirTopic: Aircraft SystemsBleed air is hot, high-pressure air extracted from a jet engine's compressor and routed to aircraft systems like cabin pressurization, air conditioning, and anti-ice protection.
- Bypass RatioTopic: Aircraft SystemsThe ratio of air bypassing a jet engine's core to air passing through it. Higher bypass ratios produce quieter, more fuel-efficient engines typical of commercial aircraft.
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