Introduction to Aerospace Engineering

Octavian Thor Pleter, PhD, PhD, MBA (MBS)

This presentation draws on ideas from Dr. Pleters articles, books, and unpublished manuscripts. No part of this
publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means or in any form - electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise - without written consent from Octavian Thor Pleter or the
Brainbond consultancy firm, www.brainbond.ro Version 1.0 dated 23 October 2009 O. T. Pleter and Brainbond

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Course Outlines
1.
2.
3.
4.
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6.
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8.
9.

Introduction. Why Aerospace Engineering?

Flight Principles. Classification of Aircraft and Spacecraft.
Airplane. Aircraft Structure and Systems. Flight Control.
Aircraft Classes and Categories. Aircraft Materials.
Airplane Flight. Lift, Weight, Thrust, Drag. Airfoils.
Axes. Controls, Stability. Load Factor. Stall.
Helicopters. Controls, Stability. Lighter than Air Aircraft.
Airspeed, Mach Number. Flight Instruments: Pitot, Gyro, Magnetic.
Aero Engines and the Fuel System. Piston Engine. Jet Engine.
Instruments.
10.Aerodrome Operations. Air Traffic Management, Airspace. VFR, IFR.
11.Spacecraft Propulsion, Control and Stability.
12.Navigation. Air Navigation Systems. Automatic Flight Control. FMS.
13.Air Transport Engineering. Aviation Business. Regulators. Chicago
Convention.
14.Conclusions.
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Archytas of Tarentum in 400 B.C. invented the pulley, the screw, a

flying wooden pigeon (probably an aerodyne), and the kite.

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Kite Flight Dynamics

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Aerodynamic Forces
Lift Coefficient
Lift

L 0 / 2 V S CL
2

Wing Surface

Air Density
Airspeed
Drag

D 0 / 2 V S CD
2

Drag Coefficient
Useful Subjects: Fluid Dynamics / Aerodynamics
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aerodynamic forces are measured in the wind tunnel

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Kite Wing Polar

Useful Subjects: Fluid Dynamics / Aerodynamics

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Problem: Design your own kite

Choose:
WS = wing span
l = length
material (e.g. cardboard)
place where you launch (e.g. Bucharest)
Calculate:
m = mass
W = weight
best
L = lift
D = drag
T = thrust
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Problem: Design your own kite

Choose:
WS = 0.8 m
l = 1.2 m
material: CO5 cardboard 820 g/m2
place where you launch: Bucharest (close to sea level)
wind speed to raise the kite V = 8 m/s
Calculate:
S = l WS = 1.2 0.8 = 0.96 m2
m = 0.82 kg 0.96 m2 = 0.787 kg
W = mg = 0.787 kg 9.81 m/s2 = 7.72 N + 6.28 N rope + tail = 14 N
best = 12
L = 1.225 kg/m3 / 2 82 0.96 m2 0.68 = 25.59 N
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Problem: Design your own kite

Continue calculate:
D = 1.225 kg/m3 / 2 82 0.96 m2 0.44 = 16.56 N
solve the right triangle with two sides:
LW = 25.59 14 = 11.59 N
D = 16.56 N
b = arctan ((L W)/D) = 35
T = ((L W)2+D2) = 20.21 N
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aV c 2

2c cos b
4
2

Useful Subjects: Geometry

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WS 2
a c 2c cos b
4
2
4
2

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2
WS
b c 2 2c cos 180 b
4
2
4

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Problem: Design your own kite

Choose c = 1 m
Continue calculate:
a = 0.838 m
b = 1.529 m

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Problem: Design your own kite

Data inputs:
shape: diamond
material: balsa wood 1.8 g/m and tissue 12.5 g/m2
place where you launch: Bucegi Plateau (2000 m altitude)
wind speed to raise the kite V = 5 m/s
weight of rope and tail = 6 N
best = 12
Useful Subjects: Aircraft Materials / Atmosphere Physics
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Drag of a Disc

Turbulence volume:
the vortices at the front and at the back drag the
disc behind, like a parachute

Useful Subjects: Fluid Dynamics / Aerodynamics

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Drag of a Water Drop - Shaped Body

Fill the volume of the turbulence volume with material

the vortices have no more room
the turbulence disappears; flow is laminar

Useful Subjects: Fluid Dynamics / Aerodynamics

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Aurel Persu

Romanian Professor of Politehnica University of Bucharest

In 1923 invented the first aerodynamic car
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Types of Drag

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Problem: What is the best shape for a braking parachute?

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Wing = Maximum Lift for Minimum Drag

water drop cross section

kite-style flat rectangle

Useful Subjects: Fluid Dynamics / Aerodynamics

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Symmetric Airfoil Zero Incidence

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Cambered Airfoil Positive Incidence

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Turbulence Volume for a Kite

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Fill the Turbulence Volume with Material

Spectacular reduction in drag

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Cambered Airfoil

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Flight = Balance of 4 Forces

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Useful Subjects: Flight Dynamics

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