Hubert C. "Skip" Smith (University Park, PA) is Associate Professor Emeritus, Aerospace Engineering at
Pennsylvania State University. He is the author of McGraw-Hill's The illustrated Guide to Aerodynamics, Second
Edition.
Summary
Most pilots and flight students wince at the mention of the term "aerodynamics" because most courses
and books dealing with the subject do so using complicated scientific theory and intricate mathematical formulas.
And yet, an understanding of aerodynamics is essential to the people who operate and maintain airplanes. This unique
introductory guide, which sold more than 20,000 copies in its first edition, proves that the principles of flight
can be easy to understand, even fascinating, to pilots and technicians who want to know how and why an aircraft
behaves as it does. Avoiding technical jargon and complex calculations, Hubert "Skip" Smith demonstrates
how aerodynamic factors affect all aircraft in terms of lift, thrust, drag, in-air performance, stability, and
control. Readers also get an inside look at how modern aircraft are designed-including all the steps in the design
process, from concept to test flight and the reasoning behind them. This edition features expanded coverage of
aircraft turning and accelerated climb performance, takeoff velocities, load and velocity-load-factors, area rules,
and hypersonic flight, as well as the latest advances in laminar flow airfoils, wing and fuselage design, and high-performance
lightplanes. Question and answer sections are added for classroom use.
