Essential Physics

Introduction

To understand how and why a helicopter flies, a basic comprehension of the laws of physics is essential, and these are explained in this section. If you don't feel comfortable with physics, you will hopefully gain an understanding of the concepts with the help of what follows. The theory is explained by way of examples, which are comprised of situations that are relevant to helicopter operations.

This section will adhere to the International System of Units (SI system), as is common practice. It is assumed that you have knowledge of basic calculus and linear algebra.

Newton's Laws (1-ste, 2-nd and 3-th)
Distance, velocity, acceleration
Vector Quantities
Gravity and Weight
Work, Energy, Power
Kinetic Energy
Moment, Couple
Circular Motion
Rotation
Momentum
Rotating Reference frame: Centrifugal and Coriolis Forces
Pressure

Units