TC 3-04.1-4 — Fundamentals Of Flight
TC 3-04.1-4 governs fundamentals of flight, including aerodynamics, aircraft performance, loads, environmental flight, and flight operations.
- Publication number: TC 3-04.1-4
- Title: FUNDAMENTALS OF FLIGHT
- Date: 03/18/2026
- Proponent: T2COM
- Status: ACTIVE
View TC 3-04.1-4 on armypubs.army.mil
It covers rotary-wing and fixed-wing aerodynamics, weight and balance, hazardous and external loads, environmental and night flight, terrain flight, formations, and aircraft control. It requires attention to aircraft performance, operating limitations, preflight inspections, crew coordination, and hazard avoidance.
Topics covered
- Rotor system aerodynamics
- Weight and balance calculations
- External loads
- Rotary-wing environmental flight
- Night vision sensors
- Terrain flight modes
- Formation flight
- Fixed-wing stability
Questions and answers
How does compressibility affect helicopters?
Compressibility effects on the helicopter increase the power required to maintain rotor RPM and cause rotor roughness, vibration, cyclic shake, and an undesirable structural twisting of the blade. (paragraph 1-256)
What does the lift force act perpendicular to?
Lift is the component of the total aerodynamic force on an airfoil and acts perpendicular to the relative wind. (paragraph 1-74)
What external-load equipment cannot be used?
Nets and slings with frayed or cut webbing are not used for external loads. (paragraph 2-68)
How are terrain flight modes selected?
Aviators must determine which terrain flight mode to use in each segment of the planned route during the mission planning sequence. (paragraph 5-15)
What is required for safe multi-aircraft operations?
The success and safety of multi-aircraft operations require all crew members in the flight to understand and utilize approved crew coordination techniques and terminology. (paragraph 6-3)