Theory of Flight

Contents......Page 5
Preface......Page 3
1. Density. Pressure. Equation of State......Page 9
2. Equilibrium of a Perfect Gas under the Influence of Gravity......Page 12
3. The Standard Atmosphere......Page 16
4. Determination of True Altitude. Reduction of a Climb to Standard Atmosphere......Page 21
5. Troposphere and Stratosphere. Influence of Humidity......Page 26
1. Steady Motion......Page 30
2. Bernoulli's Equation......Page 34
3. Dynamic Pressure......Page 39
4. Variation of Total Head across the Streamlines. Rotation......Page 43
5. Circulation and Rotation......Page 47
6. The Bicirculating Motion......Page 53
1. Flux of Momentum in Steady Flow......Page 60
2. Momentum Equation for Steady Flow......Page 63
3. Moment of Momentum......Page 66
4. Quasi-steady Flow. Relative Flow......Page 71
5. Energy Equation......Page 75
1. Viscosity......Page 82
2. Law of Similitude. Reynolds Number......Page 85
3. Laminar and Turbulent Motion......Page 89
4. Continuous and Discontinuous Motion......Page 93
5. Boundary Layer......Page 98
1. Definitions......Page 101
2. Bluff Bodies......Page 102
3. Round Bodies......Page 105
4. Streamlined Bodies......Page 108
5. Skin Friction......Page 111
6. Parasite Drag of Major Airplane Components......Page 113
1. The Three Coefficients......Page 118
2. Geometry of Airfoil Profiles. Sets of Profiles......Page 121
3. Theoretically Developed Airfoil Sections......Page 127
4. Geometry of Airplane Wings......Page 138
1. The Three Main Results......Page 145
2. Influence of Aspect Ratio......Page 152
3. Historical Development of Wing Profiles......Page 161
4. Influence of the Shape of the Profile......Page 165
5. Influence of the Reynolds Number. Degree of Turbulence......Page 171
1. The Momentum Equation for Irrotational Plow......Page 174
2. The Lift on an Airfoil of Infinite Span......Page 178
3. The Pitching Moment of an Airfoil of Infinite Span......Page 185
4. The Metacentric Parabola......Page 190
5. Vortex Sheets, Another Approach......Page 192
6. Theory of Thin Airfoils......Page 202
1. Curved Vortex Lines......Page 215
2. Vortex Sheet and Discontinuity Surface......Page 223
3. The Flow Past a Wing of Finite Span......Page 228
4. Prandtl's Wing Theory......Page 235
5. Elliptic Lift Distribution......Page 243
6. Biplane Theory......Page 248
7. General Lift Distribution......Page 254
1. Stalling......Page 262
2. High-lift Devices......Page 268
3. Pressure Distribution......Page 275
4. Influence of Compressibility......Page 279
1. Basic Concepts......Page 289
2. Geometry of Propellers......Page 294
3. Propeller Characteristics......Page 300
4. Quantitative Analysis......Page 306
5. Propeller Sets and Variable-pitch Propeller. Propeller Charts......Page 314
1. Blade-element Theory......Page 321
2. Momentum Theory, Basic Relations......Page 330
3. Momentum Theory, Conclusions......Page 338
4. Modified Momentum Theory......Page 343
5. The Two Theories Combined......Page 349
6. Additional Remarks......Page 354
1. The Engine at Sea Level......Page 360
2. The Engine at Altitude......Page 368
3. Engine Vibrations......Page 375
1. Introduction......Page 385
2. Power-required and Power-available Curves......Page 389
3. Dimensionless Performance Analysis......Page 398
4. Discussion of Sea-level Flight......Page 402
5. Altitude Flight......Page 413
1. Analytic Expressions for the Power Curves......Page 423
2. Gliding. Level Flight with Given Power......Page 431
3. The Ideal Airplane: Power Available Independent of Speed......Page 441
4. Numerical Data. Example......Page 446
5. Small Variations. Choice of Propeller......Page 451
6. Power Available Varying with Speed......Page 454
7. Numerical Discussion......Page 459
1. Range and Endurance......Page 465
2. Take-off......Page 473
3. Steep Gliding and Diving......Page 479
4. Landing Operation. Landing Impact......Page 487
5. Seaplane Problems......Page 492
1. Pitching-moment Equilibrium......Page 501
2. The Contribution to the Pitching Moment from the Tail......Page 505
3. The Contribution from the Propeller and the Fuselage......Page 511
4. Static Stability and Metacenter :......Page 518
5. Simplified Stability Discussion......Page 526
6. Lateral Moments......Page 531
1. Introduction. Elementary Results......Page 537
2. Lanchester's Phugoid Theory......Page 543
3. Longitudinal Flight along a Given Path......Page 549
4. Effect of Elevator Operation......Page 555
5. Asymmetric Motion......Page 559
1. The General Equations of Motion of an Airplane......Page 568
2. Steady Motion. Specification of Forces......Page 574
3. Theory of Dynamic Stability......Page 578
4. Application to the Airplane......Page 584
1. Longitudinal Stability of Level Flight......Page 590
2. The Small Oscillations Following a Disturbance......Page 597
3. Lateral Stability......Page 603
4. Numerical Discussion......Page 607
5. Final Remarks. Autorotation. Spinning......Page 612
Bibliographical and Historical Notes......Page 618
Index......Page 625