| Aa |
|
| ability |
being able |
| activated |
to make active or get started |
| adjustments |
to make a change or to correct |
| aerodynamic* |
having the characteristics that enable flight |
| aeronautical* |
having to do with the science of flight |
| aeronautical design* |
a drawing or plan for a flying machine |
| affectionately |
a warm, loving feeling |
| aircraft* |
any machine made for flying |
| airflow* |
the motion of air molecules as they flow around an
object |
| altitude* |
the height above the Earth's surface |
| anxiously |
feeling uneasy or worried |
| Bb |
|
| B-29 |
Boeing Superfortress airplane used as a bomber in World
War II. It has four large propeller engines and was capable of flying
at high altitudes for great distances. |
| barrier |
something that blocks the way |
| buffet |
to strike repeatedly |
| Cc |
|
| calculations |
to find out answers by reasoning |
| chambers |
an enclosed space in a machine |
| climbed |
to rise to a higher altitude |
| cockpit* |
a compartment in front of an airplane where the flight
crew performs their job of flying the aircraft |
| confidence |
a strong belief or trust in something |
| considering |
keeping in mind or taking into account |
| control |
to have the power to guide or operate |
| cruise* |
to fly smoothly at an efficient speed |
| Dd |
|
| data |
facts and figures taken during tests which are used
to improve an aircraft design |
| dawn |
the first light of morning that appears when the sun
rises |
| design |
to intend for a certain use |
| dive* |
to make a sudden, steep drop during flight |
| drag* |
the force that resists the motion of an aircraft through
the air |
| Ee |
|
| elevator* |
Control surface located on the horizontal part of
the tail that is used to control the airplane's pitch |
| encounter |
to come up against |
| engineer |
a person who is trained in the science or work of
applying scientific knowledge for practical purposes |
| engines |
a machine that uses energy of some kind to give power
to or propel something |
| equipment |
all the special tools needed for a specific purpose |
| era |
a long period of time |
| explorer |
a person who explores a little-known region or an
unknown territory |
| Ff |
|
| flight test* |
a method of testing an aircraft by placing special
data gathering instruments on it and monitoring its flight to collect
information about how well the aircraft flies |
| Gg |
|
| Glamorous Glennis |
the nickname (named after his wife) of the X-1 aircraft
that Captain Charles Yeager flew during the first supersonic flight |
| Hh |
|
| hammered |
to hit hard with repeated blows |
| historic |
a past event famous in history |
| horizontal stabilizer* |
the horizontal part of the tail that helps to keep
the airplane stable during flight |
| hue |
a certain shade of a color |
| humankind |
all people |
| Ii |
|
| ignited |
to set fire to or to make burn |
| imaginary |
not real |
| immediately |
at once, right away |
| impossible |
not capable of being done or happening |
| improve |
to make better |
| indifferent |
showing no interest in |
| invest |
to spend money on something hoping to get more money
in return |
| Jj |
|
| jet engine |
a propulsion system that works by creating a high velocity
jet of air to propel the engine forward |
| Kk |
|
| Ll |
|
| leveled off |
after ascending or descending to fly a flat and even
course |
| loping |
to move along easily |
| Mm |
|
| Mach number* |
a usually high speed ( at or faster than the speed
of sound) |
| meter |
an instrument that measure how much of something passes
through it |
| midair |
a point in the air not immediately next to the ground |
| monarch |
a king or queen |
| mothership |
a large aircraft that has a smaller aircraft attached
to it |
| Mustang |
World War II fighter monoplane with one propeller
and a top speed  |
| Nn |
|
| NACA |
National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, a US
government agency started in 1917 to guide research in aeronautics |
| Oo |
|
| obstacle |
anything that gets in the way or blocks the progress
of something |
| observation |
the act of watching closely |
| obstruction |
anything that blocks or stops something officially
highly recognized |
| off-the-scale reading |
the amount measured by a meter that is greater than
what the meter can measure |
| officially |
to recognize by one in authority |
| operation |
in action or in use |
| overcome |
to get the better of, to defeat, to surmount |
| Pp |
|
| pilot* |
a person who controls the flight of an aircraft |
| pressurized* |
to maintain nearly normal atmospheric pressure inside
an aircraft during high altitude flights |
| propel |
to push or drive forward |
| pressure waves* |
a sound wave caused by an aircraft disturbing the
air molecules as it flies through them |
| plummet |
to drop sharply and quickly |
| persuade |
to get someone to do or believe in something |
| Qq |
|
| Rr |
|
| radioed |
to send a message by radio |
| regime* |
an aircraft speed category |
| research |
careful study in order to find out important facts
or principles about something |
| researcher |
someone who performs the careful studies that find
out important facts or principles about something |
| righted |
to put back in a proper or upright position |
| rocket* |
a long, narrow, jet-propelled device |
| runway |
the paved strip at an airport used by airplanes for
takeoff |
| Ss |
|
| schedule |
the time at which something is supposed to happen |
| shock wave* |
the sound wave that forms in front of an aircraft
while it is traveling at the supersonic speed |
| slightly |
just a little bit |
| sonic boom* |
a sound resembling a loud explosion caused by a shock
wave (formed at the nose of an aircraft flying at supersonic speed)
reaches the ground |
| sound barrier |
a sudden great increase in aerodynamic drag that is
caused when an aircraft's speed approaches the speed of sound
|
| speed of sound* |
the rate at which sound waves travel |
| Spitfire |
One of the best fighters of World War II this monoplane
with one propeller was armed with machine guns and cannons.  |
| similar |
almost the same |
| stabilizer* |
a control surface on an aircraft that enables stable
flight |
| stall* |
a breakdown of the airflow around a wing which suddenly
reduces lift |
| stress* |
the strain or pressure caused by aerodynamic forces
on an aircraft |
| structure |
the way in which something is built |
| subsonic |
moving at a speed slower than the speed of sound |
| supersonic* |
moving faster than the speed of sound |
| supplies |
materials that are needed to make or do something |
| Tt |
|
| tachometer* |
a device for measuring the speed of rotation |
| tail section* |
the rear part of an airplane |
| test pilot* |
a specially trained pilot who flies experimental aircraft |
| theory |
an explanation for why or how something happens |
| tracking |
van a ground-based vehicle that follows an aircraft
during flight tests |
| transonic* |
speeds slightly below the speed of sound during which
the airflow around an aircraft becomes turbulent (speeds between .9
and 1.4 times the speed of sound)v
|
| Uu |
|
| undisturbed |
not upset; not moved |
| Vv |
|
| violently |
acting with great force that causes damage |
| vast |
very great or very large |
| Ww |
|
| wind tunnel* |
a tube, cylinder or tunnel in which the model of an
aircraft or a part of an aircraft is placed for testing |
| withstand |
to stand strongly against |
| wrestle |
to struggle with |
| Xx |
|
| X-1* |
an experimental aircraft built in the late 1940s used
for supersonic flight tests |
| Yy |
|
| Zz |
|
