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Homework answers / question archive / Is there a difference between the Backside of the Power Curve and the Region of Reverse Command? Explain
Is there a difference between the Backside of the Power Curve and the Region of Reverse Command? Explain. Under what condition(s), if any, it is possible that an airplane requires the application of more power in order to fly slower?
POST 1
I believe there is a difference between both the Backside of the Power Curve and the Region of Reverse Command. First of all, when it comes to this we have to factor in that drag is evident in all scenarios. Second of all, what is Region of Reverse Command?"Flight in the region of reversed command means flight in which a higher airspeed requires a lower power setting and a lower airspeed requires a higher power setting to hold altitude" (Flight Literacy). With that being said being in the region of reverse command, you are needing to add power in order to maintain your current flight level. Basically slow flight is a maneuver we do in the region of reverse command because we are trying to get the airplane as slow as possible and the only way to gain altitude is to use more power, but to gain airspeed we must gently bring the nose down to the horizon.
When it comes to a difference between the backside of the power curve, there is a bit of evidence that supports why there is a difference. The back side of the power curve is pretty much a stall. Bringing the aircraft to slow flight is putting the aircraft right on the edge of stalling but not quite. I believe that the only difference between the two would be that reverse command is saying that you are only reversing the input of different things in flight. As stated before, slow flight is a maneuver that is in reverse command.
POST 2
As we went through lectures in last week’s classes, we learned about the region of normal command as well as the region of reverse command. The region of normal command or front side of the power curve is when pitching back and raising the nose is indicative of altitude gain. As you pitch the nose down, this represents a descent and altitude loss (AOPA). Region of reverse command is encountered during low-speed phases of flight such as coming into land or on an approach. Essentially, to achieve the region of reverse command, a decrease in airspeed must be accompanied by an increased power setting which will make steady flight maintainable.
There is a condition when aircraft fly with more power to fly slower. This is known as slow flight. When in slow flight, the pilot pitches to maintain airspeed and power to maintain altitude. This is a maneuver you learn during your first few lessons as a private pilot. It is used to demonstrate the region of reverse command and how flight controls are used for different things especially when set up in a landing configuration. Flying on the backside of the power curve is rather indicative of how the aircraft will operate. The controls reverse, which is seen in slow flight. This alerts and allows pilots to understand stalls and spin and what to look out for when one is approaching.
Aerodynamics
Yes, there is a difference. Behind the power, a curve is defined as an aerodynamic theory. The pilot must maintain and establish an airspeed in which an increase in angle attack increases the load factor and results in a stall warning. Flying at this high speed means that the plane is on the backside of the power curve, named the region of reversed command. In normal cruising, the pilot pitches the aircraft to maintain altitude and airspeed by powering the aircraft. On the power curve backside, these inputs are opposite. Flight within the region, referred to as the reversed command, means a flight cruising under high airspeed requires a high-level power setting to hold the required altitude (Grawunder, 2017). This region is encountered during the initial low-speed flight phases.
Flying below the maximum endurance speeds requires high power setting and a flight reduction in airspeed. The regime where the flight speeds between the stall speed and the minimum necessary power setting are called the region of reversed command. Therefore, the two are technically different. Under certain conditions, an airplane requires the application of more power to ensure the flight flies slower. The basics of the region of reversed command and the backside of the power curves are power and drag. Parasite drag is referred to a drag that impedes forward motion due to the resistance of the airframe. The parasite drag can be overcome by adding more power, and sometimes, the drag is greater than the available power (Beck et al., 2018). Induced drag is brought about by lift., more power must be used to the point of keeping the airplane in the air to maintain altitude.
Aerodynamics
Response 1
Hello Chris Hudak,
I concur that there is a significant difference between the backside of the power curve and the region of command. The former happens when the plane needs to go up while it is flying at minimum speed, and to do so, it loses altitude, which causes drag. The latter is when more power is needed to fly the plane at slower airspeed. It is important to note that thrust and drag must always be equal. This is why the airspeeds and the power change to achieve equity and hold the altitude.
Response 2
Hello Tyler Rice,
I agree with you that lower airspeed always goes with inputting less power when in the region of reverse command. This helps in holding the altitude. It means that the settings are changed depending on the altitude, which is effective for landing or approaching a destination. The backside of the power curve is where more power is needed to fly at a steady state than the one required when flying faster on the front side of the power curve.
