On Basic Aerodynamics... And Tiredness
Notes from Basic Aerodynamics, Chapter I: Four Forces of Flight
The four forces of flight are thrust, lift, drag, and weight. A prime example of these forces acting upon a surface are airplanes. Every aircraft from the largest Boeing down to the tiniest Cessna relies on these four principles. Take for example a 737 jetliner, in level flight. Thrust is provided by the engines, lift by the air flowing over the wings, drag by anything protruding from the airframe, and weight by gravity and the general mass of the body moving through the air. In this state, thrust equals drag and lift equals weight. Therefore, the forces are neutralised. However, say there was a change in wing camber or shape, for example the pilots lowering the flaps. With the flaps down, the shape is altered, therefore airflow is altered. With this specific change, the alteration in airflow changes the attitude of the nose, raising it. This is due to-
Clunk. The pen dropped from my grasp, clattering to the top of the tile counter. My head drooped and my glasses began to slide down my nose, my vision rapidly blurring. Just as I began to nod off, I jerked myself awake, glancing up at the clock. It was ten after one in the morning, and my research paper still wasn't done. This was the second draft, on the principles of basic aerodynamics as applied to aircraft. My first draft was on quantum theory, and I even had a theory on faster than light travel. But none of it seemed correct. None of it would work.
With a groan I reached down and picked up the pen, hoping I didn't wake anyone. It was a sleepover, after all. Rainbow Dash was kind enough to host, and it had been a fun night. We stayed up playing games and doing all that other fun stuff until one by one we fell asleep, myself now being the only one awake. I had my earbuds in, calming music playing as I composed myself once more. As the song changes, I hear footsteps behind me. Then comes the all-too-familiar voice of my first real friend.
"Twilight, you're still awake?" she asks, concerned.
I jump at the sound, startled. I didn't exactly like it when people snuck up on me. "Sunset, I can explain," I reply. "I can't fall a-asleep. And I need to get this done."
A look of confusion appears on her face. "Is this...?" She picks up the book I had open and flips it around so she can see the cover. "Basic Aerodynamics? I've read this," Sunset mutters. "Twilight, are you doing a research project?"
"Y-yes," I replied with a yawn.
"You know that it's summer break, right?"
I directed my gaze back to my notes. "Yes." From the corner of my eye, I saw her pick up one of the drafts I had made before I switched the subject over to basic aerodynamics. I continued to write until I felt my eyes closing involuntarily, and it took the sound of the pen clattering to the floor again to jolt me back to my work. However, instead of me picking up the pen, I felt Sunset gently place it in my hand, her fingers closing tightly around mine.
"How can you write on and on like this at one in the morning, Twi?" she asks. Apparently she moved from standing beside me to sitting in the chair opposite me, now looking directly into my eyes.
"I, um, uh..." My voice trailed off, my thoughts running faster than I can talk.
She smiles and gently but forcefully removes the pen from my hand, walking around to the cabinet and taking out a glass.
"Hey!" I protest with a yawn. "Can't you see I'm writing here?"
Sunset poured something in the glass and popped it in the microwave, stopping it once it reached one second as to avoid a 'now-all-of-China-knows-you're-here' incident. I watch her curiously; somehow this is more interesting than my research paper, at least at the moment. Eventually she set the mug down in front of me and spoke. "Drink up, Twilight."
Skeptically I glance from the mug to her, and eventually oblige her request. Much to my surprise, it's warm milk. Warm milk contains high levels of tryptophan. I'd fallen for her trick! It doesn't take long before it sets in, and I'm soon nearly as exhausted as I am after socialising.
"Sunset..." I drowsily whisper.
"See? You're tired. Let's get you to bed, Twi."
All I can do is nod. She puts my arm across her shoulders and helps me walk, my vision growing ever more blurred and my eyelids becoming even heavier. We're almost to the guest room when I realise what I'd forgotten about in my drowsy stupor. "The project!" I slur. "It needs to get done!"
Sunset just continues on, opening the door and sitting me down on the bed. "Twilight, the project can wait. I think you need to get some rest."
"No! It c-can't wait! Are you even l-listening to.. to..." A yawn cuts off my sentence.
"Twilight, when is your research paper due?" Sunset asks as she sits down next to me.
"Not for a-awhile," I admit.
"Then you can rest." She gently pushes me back onto the bed, letting me begin to drift of as she takes my glasses and places them on the table beside the bed. Yet through my drowsiness, I see her stop at the door and hesitate for a moment. I let my eyes close as I hear the door shut, but soon the bed shifts, and she's once more sitting on the edge of the bed, looking down at me, a smile on her face. This sets my already burnt-out mind racing again.
And suddenly I don't want to be here alone. I don't want to be in the guest room by myself. It's not that I am afraid of the dark, but some random thought has taken over. "Sunset?" I whisper. "Stay with me?"
She smiles once more and crawls over to the other side, pulling me into a tight embrace. With a content sigh, I fall asleep as she strokes my hair, my mind finally at ease.
When I wake up, Sunset is still holding me, even though I can tell she's been up for a short while. Upon feeling me shift, she whispers in my ear. "Good morning, Twilight. Sleep well?"
Before I can reply, the door bursts open, and in come our friends. Pinkie Pie is the first to say anything, and that comes in the form of a surprised, "OH MY GOSH!"
