Book about aerodynamics

[Parkbremse]

Hi all,

i'm looking for a good (theoretical) book about aerodynamics and flight theory. Currently doing atpl ground school via distance learning and the aerodynamics module is exceptionally bad, which is a shame as i'm particularly interested in that field. I already got myself a copy of Richard v. Mises "Theory of flight" (due to my background in physics i'm pretty familiar with calculus of complex variables etc.) which is ok but a bit old (1945, a bit more modern would be nice) and only covers the subsonic part. So any recommendations?

Thanks in advance!

[Bodie]

Try Aerodymanics For Naval Aviators.

ISBN 156027140X

Quite a good book for reference but does go well beyond ATPL theoretical knowledge so be prepared to cut out the bits that are not relevant.

Bodie

[gengis]

Mechanics of Flight by AC Kermode

[bookworm]

Barnes McCormick's Aerodynamics, Aeronautics, and Flight Mechanics (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471575062) is eye-wateringly expensive but IMHO unsurpassed.

John Anderson's Fundamentals of Aerodynamics (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0471575062) is also good -- a bit more of a straightforward undergrad text.

Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/156027140X) is good value and not bad.

If you like the more theoretical consider Kuethe and Chow or one of Holt Ashley's.

(That's from the perspective of a physicist -- I wouldn't necessarily recommend the same for those without a technical background.)

[cwatters]

Barnes McCormick's Aerodynamics, Aeronautics, and Flight Mechanics is eye-wateringly expensive but IMHO unsurpassed

Try:

$59..
http://www.a1books.com/cgi-bin/a1Front?act=showDesc&a1code=ZPS44D7S&ISBN=0471575062

or secondhand from $21 from..
http://www.bookfinder.com/
but check the edition.

[Parkbremse]

wow, didn't expect answers so fast, thanks!

I will definitively look into all of these as i should get them through our university library network. (i hope so, 110USD+ is a bit to much for a broken atpl student...:) )

Thanks again, you have been really helpful guys!

[stator vane]

don't let a genuine desire to know the subject as it really is, get in the way of your preparing to take the test as it is.

by personal experience, you must simply study for the test questions since many have such clumsy english syntax that otherwise you may not pass.

then later, you can study to your hearts desire.

cheers

[Micky]

Try nordians Principles of flight

written for the JAR ATPL great book well and easilz explained
lots of picis etc.:D and dosent overload you with things you do not want need...
Helped me emansly...
but not with engllish spelling...:ok:

so all the best

Good luck for u're test

Micky

ps it was written by the metro.univ.of london together with the caa

[PhoenixRising]

Mechanics of Flight by AC Kermode

I would also heartily recommend this book. It's a fantastic text book on aerodynamics. Every pilot should have a copy in his bookcase.

I would also recommend AC Kermode's 'Flight without Formulae' - another excellent text book without the mathematics of 'Mechanics of Flight'. Very easy to read and understand and is a great introduction to the subject.

[Been Accounting]

Anything by Darrol Stinton ...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index=books-uk&field-author=Stinton%2C%20Darrol/203-3116811-7350319

[enicalyth]

Fundamentals of Flight (Richard S. Shevell)

Author: Richard S. Shevell Edition: 2
Format: Hardcover ISBN: 0133390608

My view, just as Bookworm has his and many others too. Unfortunately we can't buy 'em all so if there was one book to take to the Desert Island (on the basis that you can only escape by passing an interview) it would be Shevell. He doesn't do it all but he doesn't make mistakes. I have got wise to McCormick on aircraft and Mattingly on engines... when they publish mistakes, they do not willingly retract.

There will be no more books by Richard.

[Genghis the Engineer]

A caution.

I have a shelf full of textbooks on aerodynamics, and they're all excellent from one perspective or another (well most of them anyhow) - but bear in mind that many of them were not written for pilots to understand the subject - they were written for engineers, whose type and level of understanding is different (not necessarily better, just different) to that required or wanted by a pilot.

So Stinton, McCormick, Anderson are all superb books, but probably not what you want. Nor are other excellent books by Caruthers or Glauert for example.


Of those listed above, Kermode is almost certainly the one you want, which is one of the rare books that is equally suitable for engineers and pilots - very thorough, very clear, and no maths.

Increasingly another book is being used instead of Kermode, although in my opinion there's little to choose between them - that's Barnard and Philpot (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0131200437/qid=1133684674/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i2_xgl/202-8370794-7936628); they're both brilliant (and a quick look on Amazon will show that many people agree, both have nothing but 5* reviews!).

On the other hand, if you want an Engineers perspective as well and enjoy the maths, then I'd still start with either of those books anyhow, but progress to Houghton and Carpenter (http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0750651113/qid=1133685077/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/202-8370794-7936628).

[farsouth]

Stick and Rudder - Wolfgang Langewiesche

Won't cover supersonic, and is not modern, but still a great book.........

[alatriste]

You can also try "Aerodinamics for airline pilots". Captain N.P. Terving. ISBN 87-16-10457-9. It is nice and pilot oriented.

I guess it is difficult to find in any bookstore, BUt it is available at SAS Flight Academy in Stockholm airport.

[K. Soze]

Aerodinamics for airline pilots by Cpt. N.P. Ternvig definately helped me with my ATPL so i'll give it 2 thumbs up as well.

[bookworm]

So Stinton, McCormick, Anderson are all superb books, but probably not what you want.

It's very important to get a text at the right level. But Parkbremse has already confessed to "a familiarity with calculus of complex variables" so I hardly think he's going to be troubled by the level of maths in Anderson or McCormick. While Stick and Rudder has its place on a bookshelf for different reasons I think Parkbremse would find it rather unsatisfying.

(If you genuinely want to study aerodynamics using complex variables, Holt Ashley is probably appropriate as an adjunct to von Mises, but I always feel slightly cheated by complex variables formulations which are intrinsically two dimensional. That was fun before computers but it's "only" a PDE...)

[XL5]

The very best book on my shelf ( for aerodynamics, I do have some real fun ones sadly beyond the scope of this forum) is "The Illustrated guide to Aerodynamics" by H C 'Skip' Smith. ISBN 0-8306-3901-2

Amazon - USA or UK is the best bet but be aware that should you purchase and not find it suitable I'll not be refunding any money.

"Handling the Big Jets" by D.P. Davies is also more than readable and good for explaining ...well ....how to handle the big jets.

Read the above two titles and you'll be all set for "Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators". A complicated book - you'll need some serious masochistic traits to plough through this nasty tome. Funny thing is that Naval Aviators of my acquaintance have problems tying their shoelaces and simply wouldn't be able to grasp advanced aerodynamics. Maybe they use the book for something nautically weird or some other endeavour.... a cheese board perhaps.

All the air navigation theory you'll ever need is in one concise volume : Air Navigation by W H P Canner. A bit dated but still on target.

Two books to avoid at all costs: Stick and Rudder by Langewiesche - he admits in it that he's rewriting the theory of flight and really does try to (unsuccessfully) - and the Naked Pilot by David Beaty. I use them both as a door stop.

[Golf Charlie Charlie]

But Beaty's "Naked Pilot" book is hardly about aerodynamics. It's about human factors in accidents. It may have been superseded in places, but it's still a good introduction into human factors, systemic causes and the error chain in aviation accidents.

[Dushan]

Try this http://www.av8n.com/

[212man]

I agree with GTE; I think the Houghton and Carpenter book would be well suited to your needs. It was a standard text book when I was doing my Aero Eng degree 20 years ago.

[Vmu]

With your background in math, you might find the following discussion interesting:
http://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?p=862689#post862689

My guess is that pilot oriented books will not make you happy.

[Genghis the Engineer]

I agree with GTE; I think the Houghton and Carpenter book would be well suited to your needs. It was a standard text book when I was doing my Aero Eng degree 20 years ago.
Was using it to prepare some notes on Thursday when I found a mistake in it! The ISA model is completely wrong above above about 65,000ft.

Mind you, that's my 1987 edition, must see if the error is still in the latest.

G

[Dan Winterland]

Aircraft Flight by Barnard and Philpott. Published by Longman Scientific and Technical, ISBN 0-582-00338-5

By far the best IMHO. I don't know if it's appropriate for the JAR ATPL syllabus, but it was ideal for someone with a small brain doing his CFS A2 in 1993.

Update - a quick check on Amazon shows it's out of print, but they have some second hand copies staring at 63GBP. :eek:

[SentryIP]

My vote is for Aerodynamics For Naval Aviators (NAVWEPS 00-80T-80) by H. H. Hurt, Jr. I bought my copy from Sporty's Pilot Shop, but I've also seen it on mail order websites (Barnes & Noble and Amazon). Hope this helps.

[Macgyver]

"Flightwise Volume 1" by Chris Carpenter is an excellent book, in my opinion.

[Jetstream Rider]

Mechanics of Flight by Kermode (which was revised by Barnard and Philpott) is excellent.

As is Handling the Bigs jets.

I bought Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators and didn't actually use it much, I also have the Anderson book from Uni and again that wasn't much use for the ATPL exams. Anderson's book is however fantastic for other lives and the naval book is OK too.

All you NEED for the ATPL is Mechanics of Flight and perhaps Handling the Big Jets with a tiny bit of supplemental stuff from the notes you have (even if they are terrible). Was helping someone with their Principles of Flight today and its not Anderson or Naval territory! I totally agree with question practice, its the best way to pass the exams, but not the best way to learn.

[Ignition Override]

As for "Handling the Big Jets", which turboprops and jets did Mr. Davies fly?

[Avarell]

Aerodynamics by L.J. Clancy, Pitman Aeronautical Engineering Series, ISBN 273-01120-0.
In my days considered as theoretical and solid. A must have.

Avarell