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Old 9th Sep 2006, 22:06
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Genghis the Engineer
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Personally I think that Glauert's 1926 book "Aerofoil and Airscrew theory" is far superior, but a little less accessible.


Seriously, I really don't see a problem. I've learned so many different explanations of how an aeroplane flies, that I long ago ceased to believe that I know how an aeroplane flies - I lost track of that somewhere in the middle of my doctorate (in aerospace engineering).

What I do know, which is much more important, is how to predict whether it will or not. Which brings us back to the grossly simplistic, and largely innacurate model which has been used for training pilots for years.

The fact is, it's good enough. It does a fair job of explaining about the stall, the relationship between speed, lift and g, and how the controls work - it does a good enough job for any private and the majority of professional pilots, without loading them down with theory that is frankly of no practical use to them whatsoever.

But, seriously, if anybody really wants to see the theory - get hold of a copy of Glauert - it is beautifully written, and in 1926 had already shot down the theory we all learned when we did our PPLs.

G
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