What type of drag is caused by resistance placed on the aircraft as it moves through the air?

• A. Interference Drag
• B. Skin Drag
• C. Induced Drag
• D. Parasitic Drag

Answer: (D)

Parasitic drag is the resistance the aircraft feels as it moves through air that does not contribute to lifting the aircraft. It includes skin friction along the surfaces, pressure drag from the aircraft’s shape (form drag), and interference drag where flows around parts interact. This type of drag is all about the non-lift-producing resistance, unlike induced drag, which arises from the generation of lift and generally varies with speed in the opposite way. So parasitic drag best fits the description, with interference drag and skin drag being parts of it, and induced drag being a separate, lift-related effect.