Understanding Flight

The simplest, most intuitive book on the toughest lessons of flight--addresses the science of flying in terms, explanations, and illustrations that make sense to those who most need to understand: those who fly. Debunks long-rooted misconceptions and offers a clear, minimal-math presentation that starts with how airplanes fly and goes on to clarify a diverse range of topics, such as design, propulsion, performance, high-speed flight, and flight testing. Not-to-be missed insights for pilots, instructors, flight students, aeronautical engineering students, and flight enthusiasts.

David F. Anderson is a physicist at the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory and a private pilot. Scott Eberhardt is an associate professor in the department of aeronautics and astronautics at the University of Washington. He is also the director of the Kirsten Wind Tunnel and a private pilot.