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Aircraft Aerodynamics and Performance

Unit Code: HES2940




Duration

Contact Hours

Campus

Prerequisite

Corequisite


One Semester

48 hours (4 hours per week)

Hawthorn


Nil


Nil

Credit Points: 12.5 Credit Points

Related Course/s:

A unit of study in the
Bachelor of Aviation,

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Aims & Objectives:

To reinforce the student’s understanding of the basic aerodynamic factors influencing aircraft performance and present a theoretical explanation for the observed effects of flight parameter changes.
 
At the successful completion of this unit students should be able to;
  • describe the fundamental aerodynamic forces on an aircraft and the parameters in aircraft performance,
  • apply fundamental aerodynamic and performance principles to calculate basic problems,
  • describe the aerodynamic factors impacting on operation of fixed wing transport aircraft.

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Teaching Methods:

Classroom based with online Blackboard support.

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Assessment:

Examination (Worth 70%),
Assignments (Worth 30%).

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Generic Skills Outcomes:

  • analysis skills,
  • problem solving skills,
  • ability to tackle unfamiliar problems, and
  • ability to work independently

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Content:

Airspeed Measurement
Atmosphere, incompressible flow, compressible flow and speed of sound, airspeed measurement at high speed

Aerodynamic Forces
Dimensional analysis, lift and induced drag, boundary layer and total drag, high speed aerodynamics

Stability and Control
Static stability and control, dynamic stability and control, high speed flight limitations

Aircraft Performance
Powerplants, propellers and jets, cruise performance, climb and descent performance, take off performance, payload – range diagrams

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Textbooks:

Shevell, R.S., Fundamentals of Flight, 2nd edn., Prentice Hall, 1989.

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References:

Anderson, J.D. Jnr., Fundamentals of Aerodynamics, 4th edn., McGraw-Hill, 2005.
Houghton, E.L., and Carpenter, P.W., Aerodynamics for Engineering Students, 5th edn., Butterworth Heinemann, 2003.
McCormick, B.W., Aerodynamics, Aeronautics, and Flight Mechanics, 2nd edn., John Wiley, 1994.
Eshelby, M.E., Aircraft Performance, Theory and Practice, Arnold, 2000
Padilla, C.E., Optimizing Jet Transport Efficiency, McGraw-Hill

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