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Altitude: Difference between revisions
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→Density altitude: improved explanations
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==Density altitude== | ==Density altitude== | ||
*Altitude in terms of the density of the air | *Altitude in terms of the density of the air. | ||
This is the only kind of altitude, that is not used for determining the position of the aircraft. Instead it is an important factor for the power your aircraft/helicopter is able to develop in the current situation. | |||
High temperatures cause the air to be less dense. Low air density causes less drag (friction), less lift, less engine performance (the rotorblades have less effect and the engine receives less oxygen). But less friction also enables you to fly faster and more efficient, as less energy is lost for the friction. | |||
Low temperatures cause the air te be more dense. So you have more drag, lift and engine performance (rotorblades have more effect, engine recieves more oxygen) for the price of being slower and burning more fuel as more energy is needed to overpower the friction. | |||
In FlightGear the density of the air is simulated by making a helicopter stick to the ground on a warm day or by making it impossible for the heavy loaded Antonov to depart from Mexico City. The density altitude is calculated from the barometric pressure and the temperature. The higher the temperature, the lower the density, the higher the density altitude (in reference with the [[#True altitude|true altitude]]). ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Density_altitude wikipedia]) | |||
==General Definitions== | ==General Definitions== | ||