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Illustrated Guide to Aerodynamics

rrb

rrb

FRIEND
When I went for a biennial review recently my instructor suggested that if I wanted to gain a better understanding for some of the aerodynamics of aircraft that I read Skip Smith's An Illustrated Guide to Aerodynamics. A while back you may remember I was interested in the science between clipped wing cubs and the reduced parasitic drag and decreased lifting surface. Anyway I was just wondering if anyone had read through this book and if they found it helpful. I'm thinking I will finally get it soon.
 
I purchased this book about seven years ago when I was a student pilot and I thought it was an excellent book. Even now, as I am two months away from a degree in Aerospace Engineering, I still keep it on my shelf next to the "heavy hitters" for a quick and clear reference.

The book discusses everything you as a pilot would want to know about aerodynamics and why things happen as they do. It does not really go into the mathematics of it, but I think for the most part the qualitative analysis is better at that level anyways. It has a section for high-speed aerodynamics and some up-to-date developments if you are intrested aswell. For further reading I would recommend Anderson's "Introduction to Flight".

Combined with "Stick and Rudder" this book will help you get the most out an airplane.
 
I go to Kent State. I am a aernautical systems engineering major. We use that book in our Flight Dynamics classes. The book is good but it lacks the math. My teacher is a glider pilot that used to be a glider pilot that raced. He teaches us stuff that is not in the book. I would also get a book on glider flying, excellent stuff. I also took aerodynamics through our physics dept. here and that book (hubin was the author) is very intense but shows you how to find just about any parameter of flight. Lots of homebuilders use his book when designing. Ill find the book and update this post later.

Tim
 
I purchased the Illustrated Guide to Aerodynamics. I read it in the last week. It was quite informative and interesting. I also already own and have read Stick and Rudder. In a previous post you mentioned, Introduction to Flight by Anderson. Can you tell me any more about that book? I was considering purchasing it as well, however, have been slowed down by the price (Around $140 new i think.) Because it costs so much wanted to get some more information about it. Thanks for the advice.
 
I was thinking about reading it but it doesn't have enough pictures for me. thanks anyway.
 
Introduction to flight

rrb: I think I might have a copy of Introduction to flight by Anderson...Not sure if it's the same book you were interested in because Anderson's written several. If you'd like to borrow it or buy it used (I'm not sure if I want to sell it though. I haven't looked at it lately) let me know. Also, anybody thought of checking local libraries...Sometimes you can get lucky.
 
Woodchuk-- I may take you up on the offers depending on what you'd like to do with the book. Let me look around here for a bit. Did exams go well last semester (I hope.)

94Super18-- perhaps a parts catalogue for a vette has enough pictures for you? You find any STCs for it yet? Perhaps a tailwheel or X-brace for the soft top?
 
Another question that is related to my other post on airfoils. Do any of you know some of the associated numbers for either the modified USA-35B airfoil or a general USA-35B airfoil. The other discussion indicates that these are the airfoils used in the wings of the old Pipers. I was wondering if anyone had the coefficients or maybe the actual dimensions so I could attempt to do the math (though its been a while since I've done math.) Anyway anything would be nice.

Nice site MV
 
Alright another question that arises, sorry to those of you who do this as a career and wish to get away from it sometimes. What is the definition of wing area in many of the mathematical equations? Are we talking about total surface area or rather are we talking about the "footprint" of the wing (the area of the wing if it was 2 dimensional and we were looking down from above)? Or is there some other definition that should be used? Is one of those an appropriate approximation or does the difference negligible so it doesn't really matter? Thanks again-- I'm finding this quite interesting, perhaps I really should buy the Anderson book.
 
rrb

Our old Pipers use the USA 35B (mod) airfoil.
The upper coordinates are stretched a bit (9% if memory serves) over the 35B, so the L/D, Cl, Cd charts aren't exactly applicable. NACA report 244 is one source for the 35B (not mod) L/D chart, and it has an explanation.

As far as wing area goes, equations using S are typically referring to the planform or "plan view" area. This is as if looking straight down on the aircraft. Generally, this includes the area between the wing roots as if the wing continued through the cabin. For a stock PA-12 S=179.5 sq. ft. chord is 63".

An online text on aerodynamics with a lot of good information is located at:
[url]http://www.owlnet.rice.edu/~mech594/handouts/Intro_Aircraft_Performance_Text.pdf
[/url]
 
Book

The author of the book had just started teaching at Embry-Riddle in Daytona Beach in 1990, Skip was previously teaching at Penn-State before that and was close to retirement from Penn-State when he decided to teach a couple of years at Riddle. Good teacher and his book was fairly popular. You can always tell the teachers that had worked in industry and those that have not.
 
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