Model Aircraft Glossary

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Laminar Flow Wing

A wing designed such that the air flow over it is laminar at zero to small angles of attack. In Laminar flow the adjacent layers of air flowing over the wing do not mix.

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Landing

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Landing Gear

See: Undercarriage.

Landing Wire

Bracing wires which take the non-flying loads on a wing or wings; usually found on bi-planes.

Lap Joint

See also: Joints.

Lateral Axis

The axis extending through the centre of gravity of an aircraft and parallel to the wing surfaces.

Lateral Control

Ailerons give lateral control allowing the aircraft to be rotated around its lateral axis.

Lathes

Lathes are used for many engineering operations: boring, facing, screwcutting...

Some basic hints, tips and other links for further information are available from here. more......

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Leading Edge

The front or entering edge of a wing or tail.

Leadout

The wires that are attached to the bellcrank and which extend out past the wing tip, to fasten to the control wires on a control line model.

Legalities of Model Flying

Model aircraft are potentially dangerous, it is therefore sensible to ensure that when you are flying you are covered by third party insurance. Many clubs have arranged special deals for their members, but if you are a solo flier then look in some recent magazines for brokers or companies specialising in this area.

Once you are insured, your obligations don't end. To fly in the local park or near to a public road is just plain daft. A model travelling at something like 50mph can do a lot of damage if it goes out of control.

Take care, be sensible and fly safely using common sense.

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Lift

The sum of all the aerodynamic forces acting on an aircraft at right angles to the flight path. When the aircraft is in steady level flight the lift is equal and opposite to the weight of the aircraft. Wings create lift.

Lift Coefficient

An indication of the relative lift of an aerofoil.

Lift-Drag Ratio

The relation of total lift to total drag of an aerofoil, expressed as a mathematical proportion; 6 to 1;15 to 1 and so on.

Lifting Body

An aircraft that uses the shape of its body to generate lift instead of using wings.

Lindbergh

In 1927 Charles Lindbergh made the first west to east non-stop crossing of the Atlantic in The Spirit of St Louis.

See Also: Chronology of Flight.

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Lomcovak

An aerobatic manoeuvre which combines extreme roll pitch and yaw changes to produce a violent movement of the aircraft. The name is derived from a Polish word which describes the effect of too much liqueur spirit.

See Also: Aerobatics.

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Longerons

The main fore-and-aft strips in a fuselage.

Low Wing

An aircraft with a single set of wings mounted at or near the bottom of the fuselage.

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