Airplane Stability and Control

A History of the Technologies That Made Aviation Possible

By: Malcolm J. Abzug, E. Eugene Larrabee

Write A Review

Hardcover | 19 December 2002 | Edition Number 2

At a Glance

Hardcover
414 Pages

Edition Type
Revised

Dimensions(cm)
25.4 x 17.78 x 2.39

Hardcover

RRP $241.95

$211.75

12%OFF

or 4 interest-free payments of $52.94 with

Ships in 5 to 7 business days

From the early machines to today's sophisticated aircraft, stability and control have always been crucial considerations. In this second edition, Abzug and Larrabee again forge through the history of aviation technologies to present an informal history of the personalities and the events, the art and the science of airplane stability and control. The book includes never-before-available impressions of those active in the field, from pre-Wright brothers airplane and glider builders through to contemporary aircraft designers. Arranged thematically, the book deals with early developments, research centers, the effects of power on stability and control, the discovery of inertial coupling, the challenge of stealth aerodynamics, a look toward the future, and much more. It is profusely illustrated with photographs and figures, and includes brief biographies of noted stability and control figures along with a core bibliography. Professionals, students, and aviation enthusiasts alike will appreciate this readable history of airplane stability and control.

Industry Reviews

'This is a splendid book. The authors try to tell the whole story, starting with Cayley. With their immense background, practical as well as academic, the maths are all there but so are countless often fascinating references to actual aircraft ... How often do you find an erudite treatise that is truly un-put-downable?' Bill Gunston, Aerospace Magazine

Shipping

	Standard Shipping	Express Shipping
Metro postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Regional postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95
Rural postcodes:	$9.99	$14.95

Orders over $79.00 qualify for free shipping.

How to return your order

At Booktopia, we offer hassle-free returns in accordance with our returns policy. If you wish to return an item, please get in touch with Booktopia Customer Care.

Additional postage charges may be applicable.

Defective items

If there is a problem with any of the items received for your order then the Booktopia Customer Care team is ready to assist you.

For more info please visit our Help Centre.

You Can Find This Book In

Non-Fiction Engineering & Technology Technology in General History of Engineering & Technology Transport Technology & Trades Aerospace & Aviation Technology Engineering in General Transportation Aircraft & Aviation Mechanical Engineering & Materials Production & Industrial Engineering Energy Technology & Engineering

Electrical Engineering

Other Editions and Formats

Paperback

Published: 16th November 2005

View Product

Preface	p. xvii
Early Developments in Stability and Control	p. 1
Inherent Stability and the Early Machines	p. 1
The Problem of Control	p. 1
Catching Up to the Wright Brothers	p. 3
The Invention of Flap-Type Control Surfaces and Tabs	p. 3
Handles, Wheels, and Pedals	p. 4
Wright Controls	p. 5
Bleriot and Deperdussin Controls	p. 5
Stability and Control of World War I Pursuit Airplanes	p. 6
Contrasting Design Philosophies	p. 7
Frederick Lanchester	p. 9
G. H. Bryan and the Equations of Motion	p. 9
Metacenter, Center of Pressure, Aerodynamic Center, and Neutral Point	p. 11
Teachers and Texts	p. 13
Stability and Control Educators	p. 13
Modern Stability and Control Teaching Methods	p. 14
Stability and Control Research Institutions	p. 14
Stability and Control Textbooks and Conferences	p. 17
Flying Qualities Become a Science	p. 19
Warner, Norton, and Allen	p. 19
The First Flying Qualities Specification	p. 22
Hartley Soule and Floyd Thompson at Langley	p. 22
Robert Gilruth's Breakthrough	p. 26
S. B. Gates in Britain	p. 29
The U.S. Military Services Follow NACA's Lead	p. 30
Civil Airworthiness Requirements	p. 32
World-Wide Flying Qualities Specifications	p. 32
Equivalent System Models and Pilot Rating	p. 33
The Counterrevolution	p. 34
Procurement Problems	p. 35
Variable-Stability Airplanes Play a Part	p. 35
Variable-Stability Airplanes as Trainers	p. 36
The Future of Variable-Stability Airplanes	p. 37
The V/STOL Case	p. 39
Two Famous Airplanes	p. 41
Changing Military Missions and Flying Qualities Requirements	p. 43
Long-Lived Stability and Control Myths	p. 44
Power Effects on Stability and Control	p. 45
Propeller Effects on Stability and Control	p. 45
Direct-Thrust Moments in Pitch	p. 46
Direct-Thrust Moments in Yaw	p. 47
World War II Twin-Engine Bombers	p. 47
Modern Light Twin Airplanes	p. 49
Propeller Slipstream Effects	p. 50
Direct Propeller Forces in Yaw (or at Angle of Attack)	p. 52
Jet and Rocket Effects on Stability and Control	p. 53
Jet Intake Normal Force	p. 53
Airstream Deviation Due to Inflow	p. 54
Special VTOL Jet Inflow Effects	p. 54
Jet Damping and Inertial Effects	p. 55
Managing Control Forces	p. 57
Desirable Control Force Levels	p. 57
Background to Aerodynamically Balanced Control Surfaces	p. 57
Horn Balances	p. 60
Overhang or Leading-Edge Balances	p. 61
Frise Ailerons	p. 63
Aileron Differential	p. 65
Balancing or Geared Tabs	p. 66
Trailing-Edge Angle and Beveled Controls	p. 66
Corded Controls	p. 68
Spoiler Ailerons	p. 69
Spoiler Opening Aerodynamics	p. 70
Spoiler Steady-State Aerodynamics	p. 70
Spoiler Operating Forces	p. 71
Spoiler Aileron Applications	p. 71
Internally Balanced Controls	p. 72
Flying or Servo and Linked Tabs	p. 74
Spring Tabs	p. 75
Springy Tabs and Downsprings	p. 77
All-Movable Controls	p. 78
Mechanical Control System Design Details	p. 78
Hydraulic Control Boost	p. 79
Early Hydraulic Boost Problems	p. 80
Irreversible Powered Controls	p. 80
Artificial Feel Systems	p. 81
Fly-by-Wire	p. 82
Remaining Design Problems in Power Control Systems	p. 86
Safety Issues in Fly-by-Wire Control Systems	p. 87
Managing Redundancy in Fly-by-Wire Control Systems	p. 88
Electric and Fly-by-Light Controls	p. 89
Stability and Control at the Design Stage	p. 90
Layout Principles	p. 90
Subsonic Airplane Balance	p. 90
Tail Location, Size, and Shape	p. 91
Estimation from Drawings	p. 92
Early Methods	p. 92
Wing and Tail Methods	p. 92
Bodies	p. 93
Wing-Body Interference	p. 93
Downwash and Sidewash	p. 94
Early Design Methods Matured-DATCOM, RAeS, JSASS Data Sheets	p. 95
Computational Fluid Dynamics	p. 95
Estimation from Wind-Tunnel Data	p. 97
The Jets at an Awkward Age	p. 100
Needed Devices Are Not Installed	p. 100
F4D, A4D, and A3D Manual Reversions	p. 100
Partial Power Control	p. 101
Nonelectronic Stability Augmentation	p. 101
Grumman XF10F Jaguar	p. 104
Successful B-52 Compromises	p. 105
The B-52 Rudder Has Limited Control Authority	p. 105
The B-52 Elevator Also Has Limited Control Authority	p. 106
The B-52 Manually Controlled Ailerons Are Small	p. 107
The Discovery of Inertial Coupling	p. 109
W. H. Phillips Finds an Anomaly	p. 109
The Phillips Inertial Coupling Technical Note	p. 109
The First Flight Occurrences	p. 112
The 1956 Wright Field Conference	p. 115
Simplifications and Explications	p. 116
The F4D Skyray Experience	p. 118
Later Developments	p. 120
Inertial Coupling and Future General-Aviation Aircraft	p. 120
Spinning and Recovery	p. 121
Spinning Before 1916	p. 121
Advent of the Free-Spinning Wind Tunnels	p. 121
Systematic Configuration Variations	p. 124
Design for Spin Recovery	p. 124
Changing Spin Recovery Piloting Techniques	p. 126
Automatic Spin Recovery	p. 128
The Role of Rotary Derivatives in Spins	p. 128
Rotary Balances and the Steady Spin	p. 129
Rotary Balances and the Unsteady Spin	p. 130
Parameter Estimation Methods for Spins	p. 131
The Case of the Grumman/American AA-1B	p. 131
The Break with the Past	p. 133
Effects of Wing Design on Spin Entry and Recovery	p. 134
Drop and Radio-Controlled Model Testing	p. 136
Remotely Piloted Spin Model Testing	p. 137
Criteria for Departure Resistance	p. 137
Vortex Effects and Self-Induced Wing Rock	p. 141
Bifurcation Theory	p. 142
Departures in Modern Fighters	p. 142
Tactical Airplane Maneuverability	p. 146
How Fast Should Fighter Airplanes Roll?	p. 146
Air-to-Air Missile-Armed Fighters	p. 148
Control Sensitivity and Overshoots in Rapid Pullups	p. 148
Equivalent System Methods	p. 148
Criteria Based on Equivalent Systems	p. 149
Time Domain-Based Criteria	p. 152
Rapid Rolls to Steep Turns	p. 155
Supermaneuverability, High Angles of Attack	p. 157
Unsteady Aerodynamics in the Supermaneuverability Regime	p. 158
The Transfer Function Model for Unsteady Flow	p. 158
The Inverse Problem	p. 160
Thrust-Vector Control for Supermaneuvering	p. 160
Forebody Controls for Supermaneuvering	p. 160
Longitudinal Control for Recovery	p. 161
Concluding Remarks	p. 161
High Mach Number Difficulties	p. 162
A Slow Buildup	p. 162
The First Dive Pullout Problems	p. 162
P-47 Dives at Wright Field	p. 165
P-51 and P-39 Dive Difficulties	p. 167
Transonic Aerodynamic Testing	p. 168
Invention of the Sweptback Wing	p. 169
Sweptback Wings Are Tamed at Low Speeds	p. 172
Wing Leading-Edge Devices	p. 172
Fences and Wing Engine Pylons	p. 172
Trim Changes Due to Compressibility	p. 175
Transonic Pitchup	p. 176
Supersonic Directional Instability	p. 179
Principal Axis Inclination Instability	p. 181
High-Altitude Stall Buffet	p. 181
Supersonic Altitude Stability	p. 182
Stability and Control of Hypersonic Airplanes	p. 186
Naval Aircraft Problems	p. 187
Standard Carrier Approaches	p. 187
Aerodynamic and Thrust Considerations	p. 188
Theoretical Studies	p. 189
Direct Lift Control	p. 193
The T-45A Goshawk	p. 195
The Lockheed S-3A Viking	p. 196
Concluding Remarks	p. 196
Ultralight and Human-Powered Airplanes	p. 198
Apparent Mass Effects	p. 198
Commercial and Kit-Built Ultralight Airplanes	p. 199
The Gossamer and MIT Human-Powered Aircraft	p. 200
Ultralight Airplane Pitch Stability	p. 202
Turning Human-Powered Ultralight Airplanes	p. 202
Concluding Remarks	p. 204
Fuel Slosh, Deep Stall, and More	p. 205
Fuel Shift and Dynamic Fuel Slosh	p. 205
Deep Stall	p. 209
Ground Effect	p. 212
Directional Stability and Control in Ground Rolls	p. 215
Vee- or Butterfly Tails	p. 217
Control Surface Buzz	p. 219
Rudder Lock and Dorsal Fins	p. 220
Flight Vehicle System Identification from Flight Test	p. 224
Early Attempts at Identification	p. 224
Knob Twisting	p. 224
Modern Identification Methods	p. 225
Extensions to Nonlinearities and Unsteady Flow Regimes	p. 228
Lifting Body Stability and Control	p. 229
Safe Personal Airplanes	p. 231
The Guggenheim Safe Airplane Competition	p. 231
Progress after the Guggenheim Competition	p. 231
Early Safe Personal Airplane Designs	p. 233
1948 and 1966 NACA and NASA Test Series	p. 234
Control Friction and Apparent Spiral Instability	p. 235
Wing Levelers	p. 237
The Role of Displays	p. 237
Inappropriate Stability Augmentation	p. 240
Unusual Aerodynamic Arrangements	p. 240
Blind-Flying Demands on Stability and Control	p. 241
Needle, Ball, and Airspeed	p. 241
Artificial Horizon, Directional Gyro, and Autopilots	p. 241
Single-Pilot IFR Operation	p. 242
The Prospects for Safe Personal Airplanes	p. 243
Stability and Control Issues with Variable Sweep	p. 244
The First Variable-Sweep Wings - Rotation and Translation	p. 244
The Rotation-Only Breakthrough	p. 244
The F-111 Aardvark, or TFX	p. 245
The F-14 Tomcat	p. 246
The Rockwell B-1	p. 246
The Oblique or Skewed Wing	p. 247
Other Variable-Sweep Projects	p. 251
Modern Canard Configurations	p. 252
Burt Rutan and the Modern Canard Airplane	p. 252
Canard Configuration Stall Characteristics	p. 252
Directional Stability and Control of Canard Airplanes	p. 253
The Penalty of Wing Sweepback on Low Subsonic Airplanes	p. 253
Canard Airplane Spin Recovery	p. 254
Other Canard Drawbacks	p. 255
Pusher Propeller Problems	p. 257
The Special Case of the Voyager	p. 257
Modern Canard Tactical Airplanes	p. 257
Evolution of the Equations of Motion	p. 258
Euler and Hamilton	p. 258
Linearization	p. 262
Early Numerical Work	p. 263
Glauert's and Later Nondimensional Forms	p. 264
Rotary Derivatives	p. 266
Stability Boundaries	p. 267
Wind, Body, Stability, and Principal Axes	p. 267
Laplace Transforms, Frequency Response, and Root Locus	p. 270
The Modes of Airplane Motion	p. 271
Literal Approximations to the Modes	p. 273
Time Vector Analysis	p. 274
Vector, Dyadic, Matrix, and Tensor Forms	p. 274
Atmospheric Models	p. 277
Integration Methods and Closed Forms	p. 280
Steady-State Solutions	p. 281
Equations of Motion Extension to Suborbital Flight	p. 282
Heading Angular Velocity Correction and Initialization	p. 284
Suborbital Flight Mechanics	p. 284
Additional Special Forms of the Equations of Motion	p. 284
The Elastic Airplane	p. 286
Aeroelasticity and Stability and Control	p. 286
Wing Torsional Divergence	p. 287
The Semirigid Approach to Wing Torsional Divergence	p. 287
The Effect of Wing Sweep on Torsional Divergence	p. 288
Aileron-Reversal Theories	p. 289
Aileron-Reversal Flight Experiences	p. 290
Spoiler Ailerons Reduce Wing Twisting in Rolls	p. 291
Aeroelastic Effects on Static Longitudinal Stability	p. 291
Stabilizer Twist and Speed Stability	p. 295
Dihedral Effect of a Flexible Wing	p. 295
Finite-Element or Panel Methods in Quasi-Static Aeroelasticity	p. 296
Aeroelastically Corrected Stability Derivatives	p. 298
Mean and Structural Axes	p. 299
Normal Mode Analysis	p. 299
Quasi-Rigid Equations	p. 300
Control System Coupling with Elastic Modes	p. 300
Reduced-Order Elastic Airplane Models	p. 302
Second-Order Elastic Airplane Models	p. 302
Concluding Remarks	p. 302
Stability Augmentation	p. 303
The Essence of Stability Augmentation	p. 303
Automatic Pilots in History	p. 304
The Systems Concept	p. 304
Frequency Methods of Analysis	p. 304
Early Experiments in Stability Augmentation	p. 305
The Boeing B-47 Yaw Damper	p. 305
The Northrop YB-49 Yaw Damper	p. 306
The Northrop F-89 Sideslip Stability Augmentor	p. 308
Root Locus Methods of Analysis	p. 308
Transfer-Function Numerators	p. 310
Transfer-Function Dipoles	p. 310
Command Augmentation Systems	p. 310
Roll-Ratcheting	p. 311
Superaugmentation, or Augmentation for Unstable Airplanes	p. 312
Propulsion-Controlled Aircraft	p. 314
The Advent of Digital Stability Augmentation	p. 316
Practical Problems with Digital Systems	p. 316
Tine Domain and Linear Quadratic Optimization	p. 316
Linear Quadratic Gaussian Controllers	p. 317
Failed Applications of Optimal Control	p. 319
Robust Controllers, Adaptive Systems	p. 320
Robust Controllers, Singular Value Analysis	p. 321
Decoupled Controls	p. 321
Integrated Thrust Modulation and Vectoring	p. 322
Concluding Remarks	p. 322
Flying Qualities Research Moves with the Times	p. 324
Empirical Approaches to Pilot-Induced Oscillations	p. 324
Compensatory Operation and Model Categories	p. 326
Crossover Model	p. 327
Pilot Equalization for the Crossover Model	p. 327
Algorithmic (Linear Optimal Control) Model	p. 327
The Crossover Model and Pilot-Induced Oscillations	p. 328
Gibson Approach	p. 330
Neal-Smith Approach	p. 330
Bandwidth-Phase Delay Criteria	p. 331
Landing Approach and Turn Studies	p. 332
Implications for Modern Transport Airplanes	p. 333
Concluding Remarks	p. 333
Challenge of Stealth Aerodynamics	p. 335
Faceted Airframe Issues	p. 335
Parallel-Line Planform Issues	p. 337
Shielded Vertical Tails and Leading-Edge Flaps	p. 338
Fighters Without Vertical Tails	p. 340
Very Large Aircraft	p. 341
The Effect of Higher Wing Loadings	p. 341
The Effect of Folding Wings	p. 341
Altitude Response During Landing Approach	p. 342
Longitudinal Dynamics	p. 342
Roll Response of Large Airplanes	p. 343
Large Airplanes with Reduced-Static Longitudinal Stability	p. 343
Large Supersonic Airplanes	p. 343
Concluding Remarks	p. 343
Work Still to Be Done	p. 345
Short Biographies of Some Stability and Control Figures	p. 347
References and Core Bibliography	p. 357
Index	p. 377
Table of Contents provided by Syndetics. All Rights Reserved.

Airplane Stability and Control

A History of the Technologies That Made Aviation Possible

At a Glance

Hardcover

Industry Reviews

Shipping

How to return your order

Defective items

You Can Find This Book In

Other Editions and Formats

Paperback

More in History of Engineering & Technology

Apple

The First 50 Years

The Fabric of Civilization

How Textiles Made the World

Unknown Enemy

The Hidden Nazi Force That Built the Third Reich

How a Game Lives

Breakneck

China's Quest to Engineer the Future

Leonardo da Vinci

A Handheld History

A Celebration of Portable Gaming

Blood in the Machine

The Origins of the Rebellion Against Big Tech

The Aircraft Book

The Definitive Visual History

The Train Book

The Definitive Visual History

The Pattern Seekers

A New Theory of Human Invention

Joysticks to Haptics

A Visual History of Video Game Controllers

The Bomber Mafia

A Story Set in War

Fire in the Night

30 Years Since The Piper Alpha Disaster

Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!

Adventures of a Curious Character

Bauhaus

Updated Edition

The Technology Book

Big Ideas Simply Explained

The Untold Railway Stories

Once Upon a Time in Space

Burn Book

A tech love story

Ford Mustang 60 Years

60 Years

Architecture

From Prehistory to Climate Emergency

Engines

The Inner Workings of Machines That Move the World

Machines A Visual History

100 Machines and the Remarkable Stories Behind Each Invention

This product is categorised by