Aircraft Types

QUIZ
Do you know the correct answer?

1. A small fast military aircraft that can destroy enemy aircraft in the air is called

 raider
 attacker
 fighter
 striker

2. If the crew of a military aircraft consists of just one pilot, the plane is called

 one-pilot plane
 single-seat plane
 one-man plane
 single-crew plane

3. An aircraft with an engine that pushes out a stream of hot air and gases behind it
is called
 jet foil
 jet
 jet-lag
 jetty

4. An aircraft with two engines is called

 twin-engined plane
 double-engined plane
 multi-engined plane
 bi-engined plane

Now turn the page and do exercise 1 to check if you were right...

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 II.
AIRCRAFT TYPES
1. Match the following words with their definitions.
1. BOMBER A Aircraft powered by a jet engine.
2. FIGHTER B Having two engines.
3. GROUND ATTACK C A type of aircraft used to refuel other aircraft in the air.
4. HELICOPTER D Having only one person on board.
5. TANKER E An aircraft used to carry large quantities of supplies or
people.
6. TRAINER F An aircraft in which student pilots learn to fly.
7. TRANSPORT G Having 3 or more engines.
8. JET H In this type of engine a propeller is driven by a turbine.
9. PISTON I Aircraft which drops bombs on enemy positions.
10. TURBOSHAFT J Type of engine, mostly found in helicopters.
11. TURBOPROP K Slower than sound.
12. SINGLE-ENGINED L Aircraft used to attack targets on the ground.
13. TWIN-ENGINED M Aircraft used to fight other aircraft in the air.
14. MULTI-ENGINED N Having two people on board, usually a pilot and a weapon
systems operator.
15. SINGLE-SEAT O Type of aircraft engine, similar to those found in most cars.
16. TWO- SEAT P Faster than sound.
17. SUBSONIC Q Having only one engine.
18. SUPERSONIC R A type of aircraft which has rotor blades instead of wings.

2. Complete the table with the words in the box.

single-engined piston multi-engined

tanker subsonic single-seat
bomber fighter turboprop
supersonic trainer jet
two-seat helicopter twin-engined
transport ground attack turboshaft

type of aircraft

number of crew

engine

number of engines

speed

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 Aircraft Types

3. Match the types of the aircraft with the pictures.Then complete the missing
information about each of them.

C-130 Hercules B-52 AH-64 Apache Tornado F-16

KC 135 Cessna 172

1. 2.

name:....................................................
type:......................................................
number of crew:....................................
engine: ..................jet...........................
number of engines:...............................
speed:...................................................
name:....................................................
type:......................................................
number of crew:....................................
engine: .................................................
number of engines:.....multi-engined......
speed:...................................................

3.

name:.....................................................................
type:.......................................................................
number of crew: ..................two-seat.....................
engine:...................................................................
number of engines:................................................
speed:....................................................................

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 Aircraft Types

4. 5.

name:......................................................
type: .....................tanker.........................
number of crew:......................................
engine:....................................................
number of engines:.................................
speed......................................................
name:.................................................
type:...................................................
number of crew:.................................
engine:...............................................
number of engines:............................
speed: ................subsonic ..................

6. 7.

name:....................................................................
type:......................................................................
number of crew:....................................................
engine: ............................piston............................
number of engines:...............................................
speed:...................................................................
name:.......................................
type:..........................................
number of crew:........................
engine:......................................
number of engines:twin-engined
speed:.......................................

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 Aircraft Types

4. Before you read the text, work in pairs and answer the questions.

 What do you know about Eurofighter?

 How are the following things connected with Eurofighter?

Mach 1
Eurojet GmbH
Rolls Royce
January 1998
620
2 ASRAAM

5. Now read the text and check if your ideas were right.
EUROFIGHTER

The four nation Eurofighter Typhoon is a foreplane delta wing beyond-visual-range and close
air fighter aircraft with surface attack capability. Eurofighter has high agility at supersonic
speed and 'supercruise' capability, that is, it can fly at sustained speeds of over Mach 1
without the use of afterburner.

The company carrying out the development of the aircraft is Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH
based in Munich and wholly owned by Alenia of Italy, British Aerospace of the UK, CASA of
Spain and DASA of Germany. The company responsible for the development of the EJ200
engine is Eurojet GmbH, in Munich which is owned by Rolls Royce, Motoren und Turbinen
Union, Fiat Aviazione and ITP.

An overall production contract for 620 aircraft was signed in January 1998 with 232 for UK,
180 for Germany, 121 for Italy and 87 for Spain. Initial orders have been placed for 148
aircraft - Germany (44), Italy (29), Spain (20) and UK (55). Production is underway on the
first of these aircraft which are planned to enter service with the four participating nations in
2002.

Greece has also chosen to join the Eurofighter programme and is to procure 60 to 90 aircraft,
with deliveries beginning in 2005.
As well as an internally mounted 27 mm Mauser gun, the Eurofighter Typhoon has thirteen
hard points for weapon carriage, four under each wing and five under the fuselage.

For air-to-air combat the standard weapon configuration is four BVRAAM (Beyond Visual
Range Air to Air Missiles), which are mounted in semi-recessed fuselage stations, and two
Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missiles, ASRAAMs, on the outer pylons. A mix of up to ten
medium range and short range missiles can be carried. Eurofighter has the capability to carry
a range of air-to-surface weapons, including the Brimstone and DWS 37 anti-armour
weapons (three under each wing and one under the centre fuselage) and laser-guided
bombs.

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 Aircraft Types

6. Divide into pairs and do the exercise below.

STUDENT A STUDENT B
1. Prepare a summary of the first half of 1. Prepare a summary of the second half
the text for your partner (student B) of the text for your partner (student A)
Concentrate on: Concentrate on:
 Description of the Eurofighter  Which country joined the
Typhoon and its advantages. programme later?
 Who has been developing the  What weapons can Eurofighter
aircraft and the engine? Typhoon carry? How?
 Details of the production  What is the standard air-to-air
contract and orders. configuration?

2. Listen to B's summary and fill in the

following table. 2. Listen to A's summary and fill in the
following table.
Which country joined the programme
later? General description of the plane:

Number of planes it is going to procure: Advantages of the Eurofighter:

The first planes produced for this country

will be delivered in: The company that has been developing the
aircraft:
Internally mounted gun:
The company that has been developing the
Number and position of hard points for engine:
weapon carriage:
Date of signature of the production
Standard weapon configuration: contract:

Number of medium and short range Number of aircraft to be produced:

missiles the Eurofighter can carry:
Number of initial orders:
Air-to-surface weapons the Eurofighter
can carry: First planes will be ready in:

7. Find the expressions in the text which have the same meaning.
1. ability to move quickly and easily ............................. (paragraph. 1)
2. continuing at the same level or rate for a long time ........................ (par. 1)
3. belonging to ............................. (par. 2)
4. completely, totally ........................ (par. 2)
5. total .......................... (par. 3)
6. happening at the beginning .......................... (par. 3)
7. already started or happening ......................... (par. 3)
8. to obtain something ............................. (par. 4)
9. opposite of inner ........................ (par. 5)
10. placed on something or attached to something ........................... (par. 5)
 Explain in your own words.
“Greece is to procure 60 to 90 aircraft.”

8.  II.I.

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