The X-29 was an unusual aircraft with a truly unique silhouette. It combined many features that challenged the technologies of its day and represented special problems for the developers and the team of testers responsible for documenting its features and design goals. This book is a look at the "big picture" of what this team accomplished in a relatively fast-paced test program involving the truly unique X-29.
Aircraft design, more than many other disciplines, exemplifies the phrase "form follows function." The laws of physics demand it. Aeronautical designers have always reached forward, stretching capabilities as far as the constraints of gravity and the limits of materials would allow their genius to probe. The emerging computer flight control and composite structures revolutions of the 1970s promised designers access to a hitherto impossible dream: a forward sweptwing (FSW) fighter with enhanced maneuverability and efficiency. The benefits of forward swept wings have long been understood. Both forward and aft swept wings yield significant drag reduction in the transonic speedrange. Since air flows inboard on forward swept wings, unlike the outboard flow on traditionally swept wings, the forward swept wings' tips remain unstalled at higher angles of attack, retaining maneuverability and controllability. The X-29 was an unusual aircraft with a truly unique silhouette. It combined many features that challenged the technologies of its day and represented special problems for the developers and the team of testers responsible for documenting its features and design goals. This book is a look at the "big picture" of what this team accomplished in a relatively fast-paced test program involving the truly unique X-29.
Aircraft design, more than many other disciplines, exemplifies the phrase "form follows function." The laws of physics demand it. Aeronautical designers have always reached forward, stretching capabilities as far as the constraints of gravity and the limits of materials would allow their genius to probe. The emerging computer flight control and composite structures revolutions of the 1970s promised designers access to a hitherto impossible dream: a forward sweptwing (FSW) fighter with enhanced maneuverability and efficiency.The benefits of forward swept wings have long been understood. Both forward and aft swept wings yield significant drag reduction in the transonic speedrange. Since air flows inboard on forward swept wings, unlike the outboard flow on traditionally swept wings, the forward swept wings' tips remain unstalled at higher angles of attack, retaining maneuverability and controllability.The X-29 was an unusual aircraft with a truly unique silhouette. It combined many features that challenged the technologies of its day and represented special problems for the developers and the team of testers responsible for documenting its features and design goals. This book is a look at the "big picture" of what this team accomplished in a relatively fast-paced test program involving the truly unique X-29.
Morphing Wings Technologies: Large Commercial Aircraft and Civil Helicopters offers a fresh look at current research on morphing aircraft, including industry design, real manufactured prototypes and certification. This is an invaluable reference for students in the aeronautics and aerospace fields who need an introduction to the morphing discipline, as well as senior professionals seeking exposure to morphing potentialities. Practical applications of morphing devices are presented—from the challenge of conceptual design incorporating both structural and aerodynamic studies, to the most promising and potentially flyable solutions aimed at improving the performance of commercial aircraft and UAVs. Morphing aircraft are multi-role aircraft that change their external shape substantially to adapt to a changing mission environment during flight. The book consists of eight sections as well as an appendix which contains both updates on main systems evolution (skin, structure, actuator, sensor, and control systems) and a survey on the most significant achievements of integrated systems for large commercial aircraft. - Provides current worldwide status of morphing technologies, the industrial development expectations, and what is already available in terms of flying systems - Offers new perspectives on wing structure design and a new approach to general structural design - Discusses hot topics such as multifunctional materials and auxetic materials - Presents practical applications of morphing devices
General Aviation Aircraft Design, Second Edition, continues to be the engineer's best source for answers to realistic aircraft design questions. The book has been expanded to provide design guidance for additional classes of aircraft, including seaplanes, biplanes, UAS, high-speed business jets, and electric airplanes. In addition to conventional powerplants, design guidance for battery systems, electric motors, and complete electric powertrains is offered. The second edition contains new chapters: - Thrust Modeling for Gas Turbines - Longitudinal Stability and Control - Lateral and Directional Stability and Control These new chapters offer multiple practical methods to simplify the estimation of stability derivatives and introduce hinge moments and basic control system design. Furthermore, all chapters have been reorganized and feature updated material with additional analysis methods. This edition also provides an introduction to design optimization using a wing optimization as an example for the beginner. Written by an engineer with more than 25 years of design experience, professional engineers, aircraft designers, aerodynamicists, structural analysts, performance analysts, researchers, and aerospace engineering students will value the book as the classic go-to for aircraft design. - The printed book is now in color, with 1011 figures and illustrations! - Presents the most common methods for conceptual aircraft design - Clear presentation splits text into shaded regions, separating engineering topics from mathematical derivations and examples - Design topics range from the "new" 14 CFR Part 23 to analysis of ducted fans. All chapters feature updated material with additional analysis methods. Many chapters have been reorganized for further help. Introduction to design optimization is provided using a wing optimization as an example for the beginner - Three new chapters are offered, two of which focus on stability and control. These offer multiple practical methods to simplify the estimation of stability derivatives. The chapters introduce hinge moments and basic control system design - Real-world examples using aircraft such as the Cirrus SR-22 and Learjet 45
This book, by Bill Holder, discusses the "Lost Fighter" turbojet and turboprop propulsion systems of the exciting jet fighter era in the United States since the mid-1940s. Until now, very little has been published about these fascinating fighter activities that, for a variety of reasons, did not reach fruition. Covering fighters that did not reach beyond an artist's concept stage, to those that were cancelled after an evaluation of flight capabilities, to others that were cast aside after losing a fly-off competition, this book makes use of previously unpublished, primary-source material. It provides a coherent picture of U.S. jet fighter development and evolution. This book also includes hundreds of photos, drawings, and illustrations of the many "Lost Fighters."