science

Mozhaysky's airplane

Mozhaysky's airplane is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Mozhaysky's airplane rather than just read about it. In short: Mozhaysky's airplane (Russian: Самолёт Можайского) was an experimental Russian airplane designed and built by a naval officer Alexander Mozhaysky (also transliterated as Mozhayskiy, Mozhayski, Mozhaiski and Mozhaisky). Powered by two steam engines, the monoplane design reputedly made a powered take off assisted by the use of a ramp, flying between 20 and 30 m (66–98 ft) near Krasnoye Selo, Russia in 1884.

Key takeaways

Mozhaysky's airplane belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Mozhaysky's airplane to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Mozhaysky's airplane from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Mozhaysky's airplane (Russian: Самолёт Можайского) was an experimental Russian airplane designed and built by a naval officer Alexander Mozhaysky (also transliterated as Mozhayskiy, Mozhayski, Mozhaiski and Mozhaisky). Powered by two steam engines, the monoplane design reputedly made a powered take off assisted by the use of a ramp, flying between 20 and 30 m (66–98 ft) near Krasnoye Selo, Russia in 1884.

Characteristics

The aircraft was originally powered by two steam engines with a total power of 30 horsepower (22 kW). It had an estimated flight speed of 40 km/h (22 kn; 25 mph), a gross weight of 950 kilograms (2,090 lb), a wingspan of 24 metres (79 ft) and a fuselage length of 15 metres (49 ft). Tests were carried out over several years starting in 1882. A note by the chief of the Military Engineering Board of the Russian Ministry of War, describes the results of testing in 1883: "we have seen it in action ... but it could not take off".

Project development

On 21 January 1883 Mozhaysky presented his project to the Russian Technological Society's Seventh Division (Aeronautics). A special presentation was made and resulted in the assignment of an evaluation commission, which included a Division II (Mechanical) representative. The aircraft, however, was not powerful enough for flight, and neither the Technological Society nor the Ministry of War could assist Mozhaysky. In 1885 the Mozhaysky Commission appealed to the Chief of Military Engineering, but the request was not accepted. That same year, the aircraft tried to take off in the presence of authorities, piloted by its mechanic I. N. Golubiov. During the flight trial a wooden member failed, resulting in a broken wing.

Feasibility Historical research by the Soviet Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute (Russian: ЦАГИ) of Moscow in 1979 and 1981 showed that it would be impossible to keep the aircraft in level flight due to a lack of stability. However, historical data has emerged claiming that Mozhaysky's aircraft achieved flight, as found in a 1909 newspaper, and also included in the "Military Encyclopedia" of 1916. After failing its test flight, Mozhaysky tried to repair his aircraft and equip it with new engines. The Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute proved in 1982 that with new engines it could have taken off. The new steam engines had a total of 50 horsepower (37 kW) but were not ready before Mozhaysky's death in 1890. The aircraft was later dismantled and transported to nearby Vologda. The aircraft design drawings disappeared, although various drafts of handmade components and their descriptions have been found throughout the twentieth century. Current models of the aircraft were derived from those draft drawings.

Claim to powered, manned flight Mozhaysky's design relied upon a ramp rather than engine power to generate sufficient speed for lift. The wing design of his aircraft lacked the airfoil camber necessary to generate sufficient lift. While it is possible that Mozhaysky's wings slowed his monoplane's descent after launch from the ramp, the wings were unlikely ever to have provided sufficient lift for sustained flight unless used at angles of attack that would have been impractical, given the steam engines then available to Mozhaysky. He also experimented with different angles of attack. According to Andrei Veimarn, Mozhaysky's airplane theoretically could have taken off if he had a headwind, which may have occurred on 20 July, although that date is not clearly established. On that day the weather station at Pulkovo measured wind speeds at 10 metres per second (19 kn; 22 mph), so it may have been sufficient for flight. The aircraft has been claimed to have made its maiden flight at Krasnoye Selo in 1884. In 1909 a Russian newspaper claimed that Mozhaysky's hop was the first powered flight. In 1971–1981 TsAGI researched the topic and disproved the claim. Mozhaysky's original aircraft was found incapable of generating lift because of low engine capacity. It was also shown that with a more powerful engine, which Mozhaysky had planned shortly before his death, the aircraft might have been able to fly.

References

Further reading Aleksandr Fyodorovich Mozhaiski . flyingmachines.org. Accessed on 03-08-2008. The Pioneers: Aleksandr Fyodorovich Mozhaisky . IETC. Accessed on 03-08-2008. К.С. СТРОИТЕЛЕВ (KS Stroitelev). Русский моряк А.Ф. Можайский - изобретатель первого в мире самолета (Russian Sailor A.F. Mozhaiski - Advances In Aircraft Of The War, (in Russian). flot.com. Retrieved on 03-08-2008. "Можайский, Александр Федорович (Mozhaiski, Aleksandr Fedorovich" (in Russian). airwar.ru (11/10/2007). Retrieved on 03-08-2008. Андрей Ковтун (Andrei Kobtun) (2004). "Кто первый? (Who was first?)" (in Russian). "Rodina". Accessed on 03-08-2008. Виктор ГОНЧАРЕНКО (Viktor Goncharenko). "Как люди научились летать. Самолет А.Ф. Можайского (Since people learned to fly. AFMozhaiski Plane)" (in Russian). МОО "Наука и техника." Accessed on 03-08-2008. Андрей ВЕЙМАРН (Andrei Veimarn) (03/07/2006). "Летучкас адскими снадобьями" (in Russian). politjournal.ru. Accessed on 03-08-2008.

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Mozhaysky's airplane

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Mozhaysky's airplane claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Mozhaysky's airplane before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Mozhaysky's airplane ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Mozhaysky's airplane

In research: Mozhaysky's airplane appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Mozhaysky's airplane in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Mozhaysky's airplane is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 19th-century Russian experimental aircraft, Aviation history of Russia, Discovery and invention controversies, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Mozhaysky's airplane outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Mozhaysky's airplane in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Mozhaysky's airplane means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Mozhaysky's airplane out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Mozhaysky's airplane in simple terms?

Why does Mozhaysky's airplane matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Mozhaysky's airplane?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Mozhaysky's airplane.