One of the first things that is likely to be noticed
during a visit to the local airport is the wide variety of
airplane styles and designs. Although, at first glance, it
may be seen that airplanes look quite different from one
another, in the long run their major components are quite
similar. These similarities lie in the fuselage, wing,
empennage, landing gear, and powerplant. The four forces of
flight which all planes have in common are lift, weight,
thrust, and drag.
The fuselage serves several functions. Besides being a
common attachment point for the other major components, it
houses the cabin, or cockpit, which contains seats for the
occupants and the controls for the airplane. The fuselage
usually has a small baggage compartment and may include
additional seats for passengers.
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