Civil Air Patrol Billy Mitchell Award – Complete Guide to
Aerospace Knowledge, Leadership Skills, and Cadet
Achievement
Overview:
Achieve the Billy Mitchell Award, a key milestone in the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) cadet program, with a
focus on aerospace education and leadership development. This award recognizes cadets who
demonstrate proficiency in aerospace knowledge, leadership skills, and physical fitness. Gain a deeper
understanding of aviation principles, CAP operations, and aerospace history while advancing in your
cadet journey. Perfect for cadets aiming to strengthen their aerospace expertise and leadership
credentials.
Civil Air Patrol | Billy Mitchell Award Aerospace
camber
the curved part of an airfoil from its leading to trailing edge
chord
a line drawn through an airfoil from its leading to trailing edge
downwash
the downward movement of air behind a wing in flight
drag
a force which slows the forward movement of an aircraft in flight
dynamic
forces in motion
gravity
,the natural force pulling everything to earth
leading edge
the front part of a wing or airfoil
lift
the upward force that opposes gravity and supports the weight of an
aircraft
relative wind
the flow of air which moves opposite the flight path of an airplane
thrust
the force which moves an aircraft forward in flight
upwash
the upward movement of air ahead of the wing in flight
vortex
a spinning column of air that is created behind the wingtip as a result of
air moving from an area of high pressure on the bottom to an area of
low pressure on top
wind
air in motion
the first manned aircraft
1299 AD when Marco Polo saw Chinese sailors attached to kites being
used as military observers
November 21, 1783
,the first successful 25-minute long flight over Paris by Joseph and
Etienne Montgolfier
Daniel Bernoulli
discovered the relationship between pressure and fluids in motion
The four forces of flight
Drag, gravity, thrust, lift
Axes in an airplane
Vertical axis, lateral axis, longitudinal axis
UAV
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
MQ-9
MQ-9 Reaper
Primary Function: Unmanned hunter/killer weapon system.
RQ-4
Global Hawk
Altitude
the height or distance above a reference plane (The most common
planes of reference used in aviation are heights above sea level and
ground level. If it's above average sea level, it's referred to "MSL," or
Mean Sea Level, and if it's above ground level, it's referred to as "AGL.")
Convection
fluid motion between regions of unequal heating
density
, mass in a given volume (example: 12 eggs in a basket)
glide ratio
a mathematical relationship between the distance an aircraft will glide
forward to the altitude loss (If an aircraft has a glide ratio of twenty to
one, and it is one mile above the Earth, it should glide 20 miles before
landing.)
lapse rate
the average rate at which temperature decreases with an increase n
altitude (The average lapse rate is 3 1/2° F per 1000 feed increase in
altitude.)
soaring
the art of staying aloft by exploring the energy of the atmosphere
stability
the atmosphere's resistance to vertical motion
thermal
a column of air that moves upwards
tow plane
usually a single-engined airplane that will pull a glider from the ground
to an altitude where it can be released
wave
a waving action with strong up and down motions started as air moves
across mountain ranges (Sailplane pilots can use the motion of this
wave to gain altitude.)
How far away is the sun from Earth?
Aerospace Knowledge, Leadership Skills, and Cadet
Achievement
Overview:
Achieve the Billy Mitchell Award, a key milestone in the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) cadet program, with a
focus on aerospace education and leadership development. This award recognizes cadets who
demonstrate proficiency in aerospace knowledge, leadership skills, and physical fitness. Gain a deeper
understanding of aviation principles, CAP operations, and aerospace history while advancing in your
cadet journey. Perfect for cadets aiming to strengthen their aerospace expertise and leadership
credentials.
Civil Air Patrol | Billy Mitchell Award Aerospace
camber
the curved part of an airfoil from its leading to trailing edge
chord
a line drawn through an airfoil from its leading to trailing edge
downwash
the downward movement of air behind a wing in flight
drag
a force which slows the forward movement of an aircraft in flight
dynamic
forces in motion
gravity
,the natural force pulling everything to earth
leading edge
the front part of a wing or airfoil
lift
the upward force that opposes gravity and supports the weight of an
aircraft
relative wind
the flow of air which moves opposite the flight path of an airplane
thrust
the force which moves an aircraft forward in flight
upwash
the upward movement of air ahead of the wing in flight
vortex
a spinning column of air that is created behind the wingtip as a result of
air moving from an area of high pressure on the bottom to an area of
low pressure on top
wind
air in motion
the first manned aircraft
1299 AD when Marco Polo saw Chinese sailors attached to kites being
used as military observers
November 21, 1783
,the first successful 25-minute long flight over Paris by Joseph and
Etienne Montgolfier
Daniel Bernoulli
discovered the relationship between pressure and fluids in motion
The four forces of flight
Drag, gravity, thrust, lift
Axes in an airplane
Vertical axis, lateral axis, longitudinal axis
UAV
Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
MQ-9
MQ-9 Reaper
Primary Function: Unmanned hunter/killer weapon system.
RQ-4
Global Hawk
Altitude
the height or distance above a reference plane (The most common
planes of reference used in aviation are heights above sea level and
ground level. If it's above average sea level, it's referred to "MSL," or
Mean Sea Level, and if it's above ground level, it's referred to as "AGL.")
Convection
fluid motion between regions of unequal heating
density
, mass in a given volume (example: 12 eggs in a basket)
glide ratio
a mathematical relationship between the distance an aircraft will glide
forward to the altitude loss (If an aircraft has a glide ratio of twenty to
one, and it is one mile above the Earth, it should glide 20 miles before
landing.)
lapse rate
the average rate at which temperature decreases with an increase n
altitude (The average lapse rate is 3 1/2° F per 1000 feed increase in
altitude.)
soaring
the art of staying aloft by exploring the energy of the atmosphere
stability
the atmosphere's resistance to vertical motion
thermal
a column of air that moves upwards
tow plane
usually a single-engined airplane that will pull a glider from the ground
to an altitude where it can be released
wave
a waving action with strong up and down motions started as air moves
across mountain ranges (Sailplane pilots can use the motion of this
wave to gain altitude.)
How far away is the sun from Earth?
