Principles of Flight: Lift, Drag, and Angle of Attack
- Episode: core-02
- Version: 0.2.0 — approved script draft
- Source verification: Public source links re-verified 2026-08-13 before release preparation.
In this episode
- Relative wind, chord line, and angle of attack.
- Why pitch attitude is not the same thing as angle of attack.
- Lift as a complete airflow and pressure picture, not a one-slogan explanation.
- Protecting useful airflow over the airfoil by understanding angle of attack and the changing flight condition.
- Parasite drag, induced drag, and the basic total-drag tradeoff.
- The relationships that later support slow-flight, stall, and performance study.
Diagrams and visual aids
The following FAA diagrams are the visual companions called out in the episode:
- Airfoil geometry and angle-of-attack diagrams — PHAK Chapter 4, pp. 4-6–4-8
- Pressure-distribution and airfoil-behavior diagrams — PHAK Chapter 4, pp. 4-7–4-9
- Drag and lift-to-drag diagrams — PHAK Chapter 4, pp. 4-9–4-12
- Stall and angle-of-attack diagrams — PHAK Chapter 5, pp. 5-25–5-27
Fact-check and source material
| Topic | Source type | Authoritative source | Locator | Verified |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aerodynamics in private-pilot study | FAA standard | Private Airplane ACS, Area I Task F | PA.I.F.K3, printed p. 6 | 2026-08-13 |
| Slow-flight aerodynamics relationships | FAA standard | Private Airplane ACS, Area VII Task A | PA.VII.A.K1, printed p. 42 | 2026-08-13 |
| Air as a fluid | FAA guidance | PHAK Chapter 4, pp. 4-2–4-5 | Air Is a Fluid | 2026-08-13 |
| Lift and airfoil behavior | FAA guidance | PHAK Chapter 4, pp. 4-5–4-9 | Theories in the Production of Lift; Airfoil Behavior | 2026-08-13 |
| Angle of attack | FAA guidance | PHAK Chapter 4, pp. 4-6–4-8 | Airfoil Design and Angle of Attack | 2026-08-13 |
| Stall airflow and published-speed context | FAA guidance | PHAK Chapter 5, pp. 5-25–5-27 | Stalls and Angle of Attack Indicators | 2026-08-13 |
| Drag tradeoff | FAA guidance | PHAK Chapter 4, pp. 4-9–4-12 | Drag; Induced Drag; Parasite Drag; Lift/Drag Ratio | 2026-08-13 |
Correction status
This is a study resource, not flight instruction. Corrections and source updates are recorded in the episode production log before a revised version is published. Submit a source correction through the repository issue form or email [email protected]. Do not send credentials, private documents, or personal flight information.