Understand the Science Behind Flight
Why does a wing generate lift?
What causes an aircraft to stall?
Why do wingtip vortices form?
What happens when an aircraft approaches the speed of sound?
Aerodynamics: From Airflow to High-Speed Flight by SB Luwang provides a structured journey through the principles that govern aircraft and airflow.
Beginning with the fundamental properties of air, the book progressively develops the reader’s understanding of pressure, velocity, conservation laws, Bernoulli’s equation, Reynolds number and Mach number before moving into real aircraft applications.
Topics Covered
- Fundamentals of airflow
- Pressure, density and temperature
- Conservation of mass, momentum and energy
- Bernoulli’s equation
- Reynolds number and Mach number
- Lift and circulation
- Airfoil geometry
- Boundary layers
- Flow separation and stall
- Parasite and induced drag
- Finite-wing aerodynamics
- Wingtip vortices and downwash
- Wing planform and sweep
- High-lift devices
- Aircraft stability and control
- Aircraft performance
- Propellers and helicopter rotors
- Unsteady aerodynamics
- Aeroelasticity and flutter
- Compressible flow
- Shock waves
- Supersonic aircraft
- Sonic boom and low-boom design
- Hypersonic aerodynamics
- Wind-tunnel testing
- Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD)
- Future aircraft technologies
Learning-Focused Format
Each major topic combines:
Concept → Physical intuition → Equation → Worked example → Engineering insight → Common misconception → Review questions → Problems
The book also contains reference appendices covering:
- SI units and conversions
- Standard atmosphere data
- Common aerodynamic equations
- Airfoil and wing terminology
- Dimensionless numbers
- Python calculations for aerodynamics
- Selected exercise answers
- Glossary and technical references
Who Is This Book For?
Ideal for:
- Aerospace and mechanical engineering students
- Aviation enthusiasts
- Pilots and trainee pilots
- Drone and UAV designers
- Model-aircraft enthusiasts
- Aircraft-design learners
- STEM students
- CFD beginners
- Anyone interested in understanding how aircraft fly
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