Wake. The high-velocity stream of turbulent air behind an operating aircraft engine.
Wankel engine. See rotating combustion (RC) engine.
Warp clock. An alignment indicator included in a structural repair manual to show the orientation of the piles of a composite material. The ply direction is shown in relation to a reference direction.
Warp threads. Threads that run the length of the roll of fabric, parallel to the selvage edge. Warp threads are often stronger than fill threads.
Warp tracers. Threads of a different color from the warp threads that are woven into a material to identify the direction of the warp threads.
Wash in. A twist in an airplane wing that increases its angle of incidence near the tip.
Wash out. A twist in an airplane wing that decreases its angle of incidence near the tip.
Waste gate. A controllable butterfly valve in the exhaust pipe of a reciprocating engine equipped with an exhaust-driven turbocharger. When the waste gate is open, exhaust gases leave the engine through the exhaust pipe, and when it is closed, they leave through the turbine.
Watt. The basic unit of electrical power. One watt is equal to 1⁄746 horsepower.
Way point. A phantom location created in certain electronic navigation systems by measuring direction and distance from a VORTAC station or by latitude and longitude coordinates from Loran or GPS.
Web of a spar. The part of a spar between the caps.
Weft threads. See fill threads.
Wankel engine. See rotating combustion (RC) engine.
Warp clock. An alignment indicator included in a structural repair manual to show the orientation of the piles of a composite material. The ply direction is shown in relation to a reference direction.
Warp threads. Threads that run the length of the roll of fabric, parallel to the selvage edge. Warp threads are often stronger than fill threads.
Warp tracers. Threads of a different color from the warp threads that are woven into a material to identify the direction of the warp threads.
Wash in. A twist in an airplane wing that increases its angle of incidence near the tip.
Wash out. A twist in an airplane wing that decreases its angle of incidence near the tip.
Waste gate. A controllable butterfly valve in the exhaust pipe of a reciprocating engine equipped with an exhaust-driven turbocharger. When the waste gate is open, exhaust gases leave the engine through the exhaust pipe, and when it is closed, they leave through the turbine.
Watt. The basic unit of electrical power. One watt is equal to 1⁄746 horsepower.
Way point. A phantom location created in certain electronic navigation systems by measuring direction and distance from a VORTAC station or by latitude and longitude coordinates from Loran or GPS.
Web of a spar. The part of a spar between the caps.
Weft threads. See fill threads.
Wet-sump engine. An engine that carries its lubricating oil supply in a reservoir that is part of the engine itself.
Wet-sump lubrication system. A lubrication system in which the oil supply is carried within the engine itself. Return oil drains into the oil reservoir by gravity.
Wet-type vacuum pump. An engine-driven air pump that uses steel vanes. These pumps are lubricated by engine oil drawn in through holes in the pump base. The oil passes through the pump and is exhausted with the air. Wet-type pumps must have oil separators in their discharge line to trap the oil and return it to the engine crankcase.
Whittle, Sir Frank. The British Royal Air Force flying officer who in 1929 filed a patent application for a turbojet engine. Whittle’s engine first flew in a Gloster E.28 on May 15, 1941. The first jet flight in America was made on October 2, 1942, in a Bell XP-59A that was powered by two Whittle-type General Electric I-A engines.
Windmilling propeller. A propeller that is rotated by air flowing over the blades rather than powered by the engine.
Wing fences. Vertical vanes that extend chordwise across the upper surface of an airplane wing to prevent spanwise airflow.
Wing heavy. An out-of-trim flight condition in which an airplane flies hands off, with one wing low.
Wire bundle. A compact group of electrical wires held together with special wrapping devices or with waxed string. These bundles are secured to the aircraft structure with special clamps.
Woof threads. See fill threads.
Work. The product of a force times the distance the force is moved.
Worm gear. A helical gear mounted on a shaft. The worm meshes with a spur gear whose teeth are cut at an angle to its face. A worm gear is an irreversible mechanism. The rotation of the shaft, on which the worm gear locks the spur gear so its shaft cannot be rotated.
Wrist pin. The hardened steel pin that attaches a piston to the small end of a connecting rod.
Wet-sump lubrication system. A lubrication system in which the oil supply is carried within the engine itself. Return oil drains into the oil reservoir by gravity.
Wet-type vacuum pump. An engine-driven air pump that uses steel vanes. These pumps are lubricated by engine oil drawn in through holes in the pump base. The oil passes through the pump and is exhausted with the air. Wet-type pumps must have oil separators in their discharge line to trap the oil and return it to the engine crankcase.
Whittle, Sir Frank. The British Royal Air Force flying officer who in 1929 filed a patent application for a turbojet engine. Whittle’s engine first flew in a Gloster E.28 on May 15, 1941. The first jet flight in America was made on October 2, 1942, in a Bell XP-59A that was powered by two Whittle-type General Electric I-A engines.
Windmilling propeller. A propeller that is rotated by air flowing over the blades rather than powered by the engine.
Wing fences. Vertical vanes that extend chordwise across the upper surface of an airplane wing to prevent spanwise airflow.
Wing heavy. An out-of-trim flight condition in which an airplane flies hands off, with one wing low.
Wire bundle. A compact group of electrical wires held together with special wrapping devices or with waxed string. These bundles are secured to the aircraft structure with special clamps.
Woof threads. See fill threads.
Work. The product of a force times the distance the force is moved.
Worm gear. A helical gear mounted on a shaft. The worm meshes with a spur gear whose teeth are cut at an angle to its face. A worm gear is an irreversible mechanism. The rotation of the shaft, on which the worm gear locks the spur gear so its shaft cannot be rotated.
Wrist pin. The hardened steel pin that attaches a piston to the small end of a connecting rod.