Performance, Stability, Dynamics and Control of Airplanes

TLDR

The book offers a comprehensive, integrated overview of aerodynamics, dynamics, and control systems, presenting fundamental principles through sketches, solved examples, and design exercises. Its chapters cover basic aerodynamic and performance principles, aircraft dynamics and stability derivatives, design of stability augmentation systems and autopilots, closed‑loop control methods, and advanced topics such as inertial coupling, spin, and high‑angle‑of‑attack behavior. The third edition updates all chapters and adds a new chapter on unmanned aerial vehicle stability, control, and challenges. It is intended as an ideal text for upper‑level undergraduates, graduate students, and professionals.

Abstract

Performance, Stability, Dynamics and Control of Airplanes provides a comprehensive and integrated overview of several interrelated disciplines involving airplane performance. It contains all necessary background material on aerodynamics, dynamics, and control systems, discussing the fundamental principles with the use of sketches, solved examples, and design exercises. It is an ideal text for upper level undergraduates, graduate students, and professionals. Chapters 1 through 3 present basic principles of aerodynamics, aircraft performance, and static equilibrium and control in steady flight. Chapter 4 deals with aircraft dynamics and decoupled equations for longitudinal and lateral motion, and it introduces the concept of stability derivatives. Chapter 5 discusses design of stability augmentation systems and autopilots. Chapter 6 discusses aircraft response and methods of closed-loop control of aircraft, while Chapters 7 and 8 discuss problems of inertial coupling, aircraft spin, and high angle of attack. The third edition features updates throughout along with a new chapter 9 on stability, control issues, and challenges of unmanned aerial vehicles