Airplane Performance Stability And Control

First written in 1949, this is a classic text in aeronautical engineering. It covers airplane performance in reciprocating engine craft, propeller performance, as well as aircraft stability and control. This is an excellent book for the professional and the serious amateur aircraft maker. It is written in a straightforward and easy to understand manner. To get the most out of this book, readers should have an understanding of differential calculus.

The performance, stability, control and response of aircraft are key areas of aeronautical engineering. This book provides a comprehensive overview to the underlying theory and application of what are often perceived to be difficult topics. Initially it introduces the reader to the fundamental concepts underlying performance and stability, including lift characteristics and estimation of drag, before moving on to a more detailed analysis of performance in both level and climbing flight. Pitching motion is then described followed by a detailed discussion of all aspects of both lateral and longitudinal stability and response. It finishes with an examination of inertial cross-coupling and automatic control and stabilization. The student is helped to think in three dimensions throughout the book by the use of illustrative examples. The progression from one degree of freedom to six degrees of freedom is gradually introduced. The result is an approach dealing specifically with all aspects of performance, stability and control that fills a gap in the current literature. It will be essential reading for all those embarking on degree level courses in aeronautical engineering and will be of interest to all with an interest in stability and dynamics, including those in commercial flying schools who require an insight into the performance of their aircraft. Ideal for undergraduate aeronautical engineers Three-dimensional thinking introduced through worked examples and simple situations

The second edition of Flight Stability and Automatic Control presents an organized introduction to the useful and relevant topics necessary for a flight stability and controls course. Not only is this text presented at the appropriate mathematical level, it also features standard terminology and nomenclature, along with expanded coverage of classical control theory, autopilot designs, and modern control theory. Through the use of extensive examples, problems, and historical notes, author Robert Nelson develops a concise and vital text for aircraft flight stability and control or flight dynamics courses.

Based on a 15-year successful approach to teaching aircraft flight mechanics at the US Air Force Academy, this text explains the concepts and derivations of equations for aircraft flight mechanics. It covers aircraft performance, static stability, aircraft dynamics stability and feedback control.