Aerodonetics: Constituting the Second Volume of a Complete Work on Aerial Flight
This volume lays out the foundational theory and data needed to bring flight science into the engineer’s domain. It extends the author’s earlier work with a thorough look at stability, flight paths, and the role of scale models in design.
The book combines theory with practical tests, including an in-depth treatment of the phugoid theory and its implications for longitudinal, lateral, and directional stability. It also discusses how wind, gravity, and inertia influence flight, and shows how scale-model experiments can guide safe, efficient aircraft design. Appendices cover the gyroscope’s applications and historical experiments that support the core ideas.
What you’ll experience
- Clear explanations of stability equations and the law of corresponding speed
- Step-by-step discussion of flight paths, phugoid motion, and their practical implications
- Guidance on scale-model testing to reduce risk and cost in development
- Examples linking theory to birds, aircraft concepts, and early flight models
Ideal for engineers, students, and readers curious about the science behind aerial navigation and aircraft design.