Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators

It's a perfect book for those who wants to maximize their knowledges in Aerodynamics, and enter in an Airline.

Here's my very simple take on this book: if you operate (fly) airplanes of any kind, you need to have this book in your easy-to-get-to library. Period. My only negative comment is that the current "FAA reprint version" (How did they get involved? This is not a typical "How to" FAA kind of publications!)of the original NAVOPS manual is of very poor reproduction quality. The photos and artwork look "muddy" compared to an original copy of the manual. The text is not crisp, while some of the photographs of wind tunnel demonstrations are simply not understandable unless you know already what you're looking at. Although it was written in 1959 by Hugh Hurt of USC under contract to the U. S. Navy (and thus its copyright came into the public domain), it remains as relavant and informative today as it was when the ink was drying on the first press run! Incidentally, this same book also had a brief life as an Air Force manual, ATCM 51-3, Aerodynamics for Pilots, used by Air Training Command as a reference text in the pilot training program during the 1960s. The USAF version simply replaced the motivational photos of Navy aircraft with USAF models, but the manual was otherwise identical. It was eventually replaced by a much less rigorous edition, about one third the size and scope, that was, by comparison, almost useless. Seems that people found it too challenging, especially all that math -- a point I'll address below. Some of the material will shed "AH-HAH!" kind of light on day-to-day routine things; other topics will inform how you ought to approach the extraordinary, whether it's a sudden weather change, or an in-flight emergency. Not every pilot will find all chapters equally interesting. Also, experience has shown that the majority of pilots who are interested in the details of aerodynamics seem to gravitate towards the performance aspects of aircraft flight: Performance is generally easier to understand, but the real details of how the aircraft's inherent properties as seen by the pilot are only revealed in the sections on stability and control. Don't slight those chapters. A suggestion about approach: even though you may have never flow a jet-powered aircraft and have little prospect of doing so, don't think that it's a waste of time to learn about the details of jet aircraft aerodynamics (as distinct from propeller aircraft). Why? Because it's easier to learn first about how a jet-thrust aircraft behaves without the complications such as torque, brake horsepower, etc., introduced by getting thrust from an "air screw." Once you're clear about these basics, then you will be able to understand a little easier how various performance and stability and control issues are affected by the propeller/recip combination. Thus, the book is clearly oriented toward the operator/pilot and the things he has direct control over, or things that will affect his decisions or decision-making process, or choices of technique of how to operate his airplane. (You

This is an excellent manual for those interested in all aspects of aerodynamics. Originally printed for U.S. naval aviators, it covers aerodynamics from pistons to jets, fixed wing and rotary wing. The manual includes information on Basic Aerodynamics, Airplane Performance, High Speed Aerodynamics, Stability and Control, Operating Strength Limitations, and Application of Aerodynamics to Specific Problems of Flying. The manual is written at the university level and has graphs and formulae liberally sprinkled throughout the book. However, this is not an impediment and I have used this manual for many years and find it excellent for basic information.

Way too many pilots are making it through "professional" flight schools, a few years of instructing, into the commuters and finally into the cockpit of large jets with very little rigorous study of aerodynamics. With the emphasis on conservative training, electronic gadgets and such something is shortchanged and that is fundamentals of aerodynamics. This book is the answer as a text, instructor's aide and desk reference. The product review infers that this is an FAA publication. Thankfully it is not. Rather it is the text that has lead generations of young Naval Aviation officers from diverse backgrounds into the cockpits of jet fighters operating off of carriers and many other forms of aviation. The preface and title page clearly indicate that it was written by Hugh Hurt (University of Southern California); Hurt notes "The purpose of this textbook is to present the elements of applied aerodynamics and aeronautical engineering which relate directly to the problem of flying operations." In this case the client was the Naval Air Systems Command and the book's mission was to provide the aeronautical knowledge required to transition from a liberal arts major to the deck of a carrier. When I first bought this book I had been flying for several decades. My regret was that I had not read it earlier. Students who use the book in aviation courses will have a significant advantage in their training. It is a great resource book on all things having to do with how airplanes ( and helos) fly and sometimes do not fly. Considering that the feedstock of Navy aviation is a diverse group with backgrounds from aero to poly sci and that the demands placed on the graduates are huge, it is not surprising that this book was produced. It does a fantastic job of discussing concepts and then providing the math (most of it far beyond my ability) and graphs. However, the lack of a background in calculus does not prevent the reader from gaining priceless insights into the physics and practice of flying. Yes the photographs are dated and of planes long sent to the boneyard but the physics of flying have not changed since the earth cooled. In fact, with the current crop of flight instructors so affixed to their digital displays, most civilian students will need to study aerodynamics on their own. Want to understand why Mooney aircraft have so many bent props on the 231/252 series, just spend a few minutes wiht the applied problems in aero and some of the basics. For me the goal was not to understand every topic covered, but to add to my knowledge base, especially as it relates to the type of flying I normally do, and to have an excellent reference. With that goal this book is great. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED The author's success is evident in many ways but perhaps most in the fact that after more than four decades it is still the text of choice in many rigorous academic and professional training programs. If I had to pick two books to give a student pilot it

I first read this book in community college as a student pilot, then later at San Jose State University studying aerodynamics. It's the only book I've found that effectivly communicates the complexities of aerodynamics without becoming overly scientific or simplistic. The age of the book shows in it's graphics, but the line drawings used to illustrate the important points I find to be less distracting and more informative than the more complex graphics found in later works. Overall, this is an excellent addition to the library of anyone seriously interested in the science of flight.