Practical Guide to
Performance and Design
by Donald R. Crawford
Includes nomograms & templates for quick performance predictions
The analyses described in this book can be used by the first time designer to calculate the complete performance of the airplane from seven parameters; gross weight, drag area, wing span, wing area, maximum lift coefficient, horsepower, and propeller diameter. All design variables are mathematically related to these parameters by equations derived through the design nomograms in this book.
A Practical Guide to Airplane Performance and Design is for the designer who wants to understand and compare how physical characteristics of an airplane contribute to its performance (speed, climb, stall, glide, etc...), and then implement those design choices to obtain that desired performance. With this book, calculated data can then be deciphered by the use of mathematics or with an enclosed plastic template and nomograms.
TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Descriptive Design Procedures
Worked Example -- Thorp T-18 Tiger
Relationships for performance & design
lift, airspeed, wing loading, stall
wing area, wing loading, gross weight
wing area, span, aspect ratio, chord
span, span loading, gross weight
drag, max speed, power
zero lift drag, drag area, wing area
span loading, minimum required power
sink rate, weight, minimum required power
drag area, span,lift,drag
drag area lift at minimum sink, chord
weight, power, rate of climb
thrust, power, prop speed for 74% effic.
prop diameter, rotational speed, tip mach number.
sink rate, airspeed, maximum lift-drag
lift/drag coefficient, aspect ratio
lift/drag, minimum drag, gross weight
Summary of calculations for T-18
How to use the templates
Parametric study of the baseline design
Other sample calculations
(Gossamer Condor, powered hang glider, Cessna 172)
Theoretical Background
Low speed aerodynamics
Idealized propeller theory
Summary of performance relations
Fortran computer program for analysis
Drag analysis
Airfoil selection
Calculating drag area
Reynolds numbers
Solving a cubic equation
RELATED LINKS:
- ...from the 'self design' Category
- > Helicopter Design and Data Manual
- > Airfoil Optimizer
- > Comprehensive Guide to Airfoil Selections
- > Scratch Building Basics for Homebuit Aircraft
- > Structures & Materials Library
- > Construction of Tubular Steel Fuselages
- > Airplane PDQ
- > Practical Guide to Performance and Design
- > Speed with Economy
- > Detail Design Manual
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WOW! This [website] is really nice and more importantly - easy! Many thanks to the Aircraft Technical Book Company!
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