Best aviation books according to redditors
We found 575 Reddit comments discussing the best aviation books. We ranked the 257 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
We found 575 Reddit comments discussing the best aviation books. We ranked the 257 resulting products by number of redditors who mentioned them. Here are the top 20.
Aviation is almost the worst for that. It even has a name for it, the 'killing zone', that period of time from 50 to 350 flight hours in which new pilots are on their own but don't yet have the skill necessary to recognize potentially dangerous situations.
In short, their mental estimation of their personal skill is significantly higher then their actual skill level. Similar with young people who just got their driver's license.
This is dramatically incorrect. According to The Killing Zone:How and Why Pilots Die, the first 100 hours are actually statistically safer than the next 200 or so hours where complacency begins to sit in. First of all, 40-50 hours are under the care of an instructor and take place during a time when the student is well into "I need to learn" mode. The next 50ish hours seem to, statistically speaking, reflect a safety-mood inertia of sorts from the learning. After 100 and through about 300, however, the curve goes up dramatically as complacency and other killing characteristics come into play.
Please don't push inaccurate statements like "the first 100 hours are the highest risk", it's absolutely unsupported by data and potentially will on ITS OWN contribute to higher mortality as pilots blaze off past 100 hours thinking "Cool, I made it" and start accumulating risk factors.
The point about antilock brakes is nonetheless valid. GA aircraft are in too many ways analogous to automobiles of the 1960s (engines, brakes, lack of energy-absorbing passenger zones, mixture/prop/throttle not electronically interconnected, rudder pedals at all, etc, etc). Wolfgang Langewiesche would be so disappointed.
There is no limit, fly it as long as you want. I know a guy with a cherokee flying an o-320 with 4500 hours soh.
Edit: If you are going to be an owner and be involved in the maintenance (which you should be), buy this book asap https://www.amazon.com/Mike-Busch-Engines-maintenance-troubleshooting/dp/1718608950
I'm a fairly low-hour pilot, but here are mine. Two of them. Both were avoidable, and both were really, really good lessons.
soloflight with a passenger. We flew from KARB around the DTW Bravo on the south with flight following, and up the Detroit River. We were stopping at KVLL (Troy) to meet a friend, and then flying back to KARB. When ATC terminated radar services, I squawked VFR and turned to the CTAF frequency and called all of my traffic properly. Winds were calm, so I chose a runway and entered base to a 1 mile final. As I turned to final, I saw another aircraft taking off towards me. Luckily, it was a long final, and I didn't see the aircraft on the runway due to trees and buildings. I swore, and climbed out to the right so he could take off, and re-entered the pattern, and was cursing those NORDO's who didn't transmit properly on CTAF. I even double checked my radio - and it was clearly set to CTAF 123.5...123.5...
When I switched to 123.05, and was on the correct frequency, I gave an apology to the pilot I'd flown in to, and said I was on the wrong frequency. He was very cool about it, and let me know we were using Runway 9, not Runway 27 that morning. I've hit the wrong frequency a few times, which happens, but that one was a real eye opener to actually write down all the frequencies I'll encounter on a short flight ahead of time, and to double check them if there is nobody else on them at all when I announce.
EDIT: Also - read this:
https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Zone-Second-How-Pilots/dp/0071798404
I am about 1/2 way through (started it last night and couldn't put it down).
http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Zone-How-Why-Pilots/dp/007136269X
The same is true for pilots. I bet there's some underlying theme about inexperienced people make mistakes.
From Stick and Rudder by Wolfgang Langewiesche, page 9, published 1944:
> The main fact of all heavier-than-air
> flight is this: the wing keeps the
> airplane up by pushing the air down.
>
> It shoves the air down with its bottom
> surface, and it pulls the air down
> with its top surface; the latter
> action is the more important. But the
> really important thing to understand
> is that the wing, in whatever fashion,
> makes the air go down. In exerting a
> downward force upon the air, the wing
> receives an upward counterforce--by
> the same principle, known as Newton's
> law of action and reaction, which
> makes a gun recoil as it shoves the
> bullet out forward; and which makes
> the nozzle of a fire hose press
> backward heavily against the fireman
> as it shoots out a stream of water
> forward. Air is heavy; sea-level air
> weights about 2 pounds per cubic yard;
> thus, as your wings give a downward
> push to a cubic yard after cubic yard
> of that heavy stuff, they get upward
> reactions that are equally hefty.
>
> That's what keeps an airplane up.
> Newton's law says that, if the wing
> pushes the air down, the air must push
> the wing up. It also puts the same
> thing the other way 'round: if the
> wing is to hold the airplane up in the
> fluid, ever-yielding air, it can do so
> only by pushing the air down. All the
> fancy physics of Bernoulli's Theorem,
> all the highbrow math of the
> circulation theory, all the diagrams
> showing the airflow on a wing--all
> that is only an elaboration and more
> detailed description of just how
> Newton's law fulfills itself--for
> instance, the rather interesting but
> (for the pilot) really quite useless
> observation that the wing does most of
> its downwashing work by suction, with
> its top surface. ...
>
> Thus, if you will forget some of this
> excessive erudition, a wing becomes
> much easier to understand; it is in
> the last analysis nothing but an air
> deflector. It is an inclined plane,
> cleverly curved, to be sure, and
> elaborately streamlined, but still
> essentially an inclined plane. That's,
> after all, why that whole fascinating
> contraption of ours is called an
> air-plane.
Skunk Works by Ben Rich - This book is probably one of the best reads in aerospace engineering. It tells the story of one of America’s premier aerospace research and development labs, Skunkworks at Lockheed Martin. They built such famous aircraft like the SR-71, U-2, F-80, F-114. I review the book here.
​
If you are looking for more of a textbook, Introduction to Flight by Anderson is one of the best. It's a bit on the expensive side but there's an international paperback edition that's much cheaper if you're outside of the US.
​
If you want something a bit between Skunkworks and Introduction to Flight, there's Ignition by John D. Clark which is all about the development of liquid rocket propellent.
In the case of these pilots, I think he was fair. If you haven't read his father's "Stick and Rudder" you might understand where he's coming from.
The Killing Zone, Second Edition: How & Why Pilots Die https://www.amazon.com/dp/0071798404/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_4Mr6CbNZCBHET
This is a good read and addresses your question.
>I'm not sure what kinds of other heavy scientific computing you've done, but CFD is a very difficult field and takes years to understand.
CFD isn't this difficult.
On one side you have partial differential equations (PDEs) describing fluid flow. On the other side you have numerical methods used to solve those PDEs. Put the two together, implement it in code, and you get a rudimentary CFD simulation. For CS students, who typically already have knowledge of numerical methods, coding one of these basic simulations can be done within a semester's worth of focused effort. Venturing into finer, more complex domains and trying to model more advanced flow phenomenons do indeed require years of study, but a beginner -- a 3rd year CS undergrad of all people -- has no need to deal with that stuff when all they want to accomplish is to get their feet wet with the inner workings of the simplest CFD simulation.
So let's not intimidate the poor kid and not oversell the profession. A lot of people love pretending like this stuff is black magic, presumably because it promotes job security, but it just isn't. There are lots of people doing CFD that come from CS and Applied Math backgrounds instead of Engineering or Physics. They all started somewhere. So can the OP.
-------------------------------------
@ /u/AnotherBrownBike
Khan Academy Physics, Fluid Dynamics lectures are your best friend in this.
I would recommend that you start with getting a decent physical understanding of incompressible (also called divergence-free) advection-diffusion equation. This is a simple PDE that describes how particles (or other quantities like energy) are transferred inside a physical system due to the process of diffusion and advection (aka convection). Solving this equation using a numerical solution method for PDEs (such as finite volume or finite element) will allow you to practice the fundamental underpinnings of a CFD code.
Finite Volume methods are more popular in CFD than finite element methods, because they're mathematically easier for people who have a robust understanding of fluid mechanics. That's not going to be the case for you, because you're not studying fluids academically. I would recommend that you focus on finite element methods instead. These are mathematically more challenging -- using them with fluid PDEs require stabilization terms (like SUPG or GLS) to prevent the solution from oscillating. However, the application of finite element methods to fluid PDEs require essentially no knowledge of the physics behind the PDE. It's pure mathematics, and you as a CS student should be well equipped to handle this.
If you're not familiar with finite element methods for solving PDEs, I would strongly recommend starting with a Python library called FEniCS. This is a brilliant finite element solver that allows you to input the bilinear form of your partial differential equation (Google what "bilinear form" is for finite element methods) in Python and generate a solution. This will allow you to practice the mathematics of finite element methods without getting tangled up in the code implementation of the solution process. Solve the Poisson equation first, and then the advection-diffusion.
Simple solvers you might like working with:
EasyCFD -- Educational program intended to teach the basics of a "black-box" CFD solver.
CFD Python -- A Python program designed with a 12-step lesson plan to solving Navier-Stokes equations.
PyFR -- Another Python-based flow solver. Documentation is a bit sparse, so you need an understanding of how CFD works to use it. But once you have that, PyFR's open-source nature allows you to break apart an actual full CFD solver and look at its components before trying to write your own.
Useful literature you might want to check out from your campus library:
White, Fluid Mechanics and/or Cengel and Cimbala, Fluid Mechanics -- Basically the two beginner level fluid mechanics bibles, depending on who you ask. An overwhelming number of engineers out there have had one or the other as their textbook in school. They're both fantastic. Flip a coin.
Moin, Fundamentals of Engineering Numerical Analysis -- Yet another undergraduate bible, this time on numerical methods commonly used by engineers (of all types). It covers material so crucial in all scientific computing that one of my doctoral qualification examiners specifically requested that I know this book from cover to cover.
Anderson, Computational Fluid Dynamics -- Superb introductory book that covers most everything related to CFD. If you're going to buy anything in this list, buy this one.
Hughes, Finite Element Methods -- The bible on finite element methods. The book focuses on structural applications (which do not require stabilization terms) but the mathematics involved are identical regardless of the physics behind the PDE, so this is still a very useful reference.
Zienkiewicz, Taylor and Nithiarasu, Finite Element Method for Fluid Dynamics -- Great supplement to Hughes' book for anyone using FEM on fluid flow. Covers stabilized methods, starting with easy equations (like advection-diffusion) and scaling up all the way to turbulent flows (which you shouldn't bother with right now).
Anderson, Fundamentals of Aerodynamics -- Just putting this down in case you ever need to specifically learn about aerodynamic applications of fluid flow.
Anderson, Introduction to Flight -- Used nationwide as an introductory aerospace engineering book. I recommend it to everybody outside of the industry who wants to work/study in it. Superfluously covers every aspect of the discipline, from structures to propulsion, from aerodynamics to flight control, from aviation to space.
Panton, Incompressible Flow -- Often used as a graduate level book on theoretical fluid mechanics. Focused mathematical approach. Not an easy read, required some prerequisite knowledge of fluid flow (overview of the fundamentals is very brief), but it's the next logical step up when you're ready to take your fluid work further.
A few things should be noted in case people are looking for more information:
If you want to really dive head-first into the subject, Rocket Propulsion Elements is the text we all have on our bookshelves.
I used the remotepilot101.com website. At first, honestly, I thought it was a total rip off because of the price. However, I will note that the guy running the site is actively updating it and does promise to provide that $150 as a resource for as long as he is in business for your renewal memberships. In essence, you're paying a lifetime membership for his course for a certification you have to renew every two years.
He is very good at listening to feedback and his questions and courses were the most thorough I could find. However, his teaching style is of a type some people may not like. He repeats basic information, A LOT. Some people love that, other people hate it.
He also provides real time practical feedback via e-mail on his website which is nice. After considering the fact he responds to e-mail and the fact he keeps this up to date for life I feel it's worth the $150. If I had known those two things I would've felt better about paying it. I will, however, note that the weather section and the regulation section were a tiny bit lacking and I had to supplement them with this: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1619544687/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Book which my test center proctor mentioned was a reputable test resource producer. The remotepilot101 guy did not explain the "pilots operating handbook" does not exist yet. He also did not explain squall lines and fronts to the detail the exam wanted, nor did he explain the procedure for entering an air traffic pattern from the pilot perspective.
I ended up with a 98% using both of these for about a week and a half.
/u/another_user_name posted this list a while back. Actual aerospace textbooks are towards the bottom but you'll need a working knowledge of the prereqs first.
Non-core/Pre-reqs:
Mathematics:
Calculus.
1-4) Calculus, Stewart -- This is a very common book and I felt it was ok, but there's mixed opinions about it. Try to get a cheap, used copy.
1-4) Calculus, A New Horizon, Anton -- This is highly valued by many people, but I haven't read it.
1-4) Essential Calculus With Applications, Silverman -- Dover book.
More discussion in this reddit thread.
Linear Algebra
3) Linear Algebra and Its Applications,Lay -- I had this one in school. I think it was decent.
3) Linear Algebra, Shilov -- Dover book.
Differential Equations
4) An Introduction to Ordinary Differential Equations, Coddington -- Dover book, highly reviewed on Amazon.
G) Partial Differential Equations, Evans
G) Partial Differential Equations For Scientists and Engineers, Farlow
More discussion here.
Numerical Analysis
5) Numerical Analysis, Burden and Faires
Chemistry:
Physics:
2-4) Physics, Cutnel -- This was highly recommended, but I've not read it.
Programming:
Introductory Programming
Programming is becoming unavoidable as an engineering skill. I think Python is a strong introductory language that's got a lot of uses in industry.
Core Curriculum:
Introduction:
Aerodynamics:
Thermodynamics, Heat transfer and Propulsion:
Flight Mechanics, Stability and Control
5+) Flight Stability and Automatic Control, Nelson
5+)[Performance, Stability, Dynamics, and Control of Airplanes, Second Edition](http://www.amazon.com/Performance-Stability-Dynamics-Airplanes-Education/dp/1563475839/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315534435&sr=8-1, Pamadi) -- I gather this is better than Nelson
Engineering Mechanics and Structures:
3-4) Engineering Mechanics: Statics and Dynamics, Hibbeler
6-8) Analysis and Design of Flight Vehicle Structures, Bruhn -- A good reference, never really used it as a text.
G) Introduction to the Mechanics of a Continuous Medium, Malvern
G) Fracture Mechanics, Anderson
G) Mechanics of Composite Materials, Jones
Electrical Engineering
Design and Optimization
Space Systems
Try not to worry about it too much. There are plenty of resources to learn this stuff. :)
Here's my list:
Edit: Some additional resources of varying quality.
Have you read this book?
I saw the launch in person and couldn't believe it when I saw the stage separate, flip, and retrofire through binoculars. I'd assumed it'd be much further downrange!
We really are living in an age of science fiction turned reality.
It's embarrassing that no one has mentioned Stick and Rudder yet, so I'll go ahead and do it. It's more "art of flying" than "stories about flying," but there's no excuse for a pilot to have not read it!
50-350 hours
I've done exactly one, but it exposed some issues with my plugs, so I'll be doing it more regularly (not every flight, probably, but periodically). Per Savvy:
> Also known as the "in-flight LOP mag check," the ignition stress test is the best way to evaluate the performance of your engine's ignition system. Every student pilot is taught to perform a mag check during the pre-flight engine run-up, but many pilots have never shut off a magneto in flight and are uncomfortable with the idea. That's a shame, because the in-flight ignition stress test is far more exacting and revealing of any ignition system problems than the usual run-up. The typical pre-flight mag check can detect only the grossest ignition system defects, while the in-flight stress test will reveal much more subtle ignition issues. ... [I]f your ignition system performance is marginal, it will show up during a lean (preferably LOP) in-flight test long before it becomes apparent in any other phase of operation. ... I recommend performing the ignition stress test on a regular basis - I do it on most every flight, generally at the end of the cruise phase just before starting my descent. It should always be performed any time any sort of engine anomaly is suspected.
https://www.savvyanalysis.com/articles/in-flight-diagnostics (Author: Mike Busch, A&P IA, airplane engine guru; this should be required reading IMHO)
My on-the-ground mag checks were fine, ~100 rpm drop on both mags, smooth, temp changes were normal. But the in-flight test revealed three of my eight spark plugs have drifted way out of spec (>5000K Ohms internal resistance), a problem that would have eventually grounded me on a run-up mag check - but I caught it well before it degraded to that point.
It absolutely will catch developing issues that aren't "visible" during the run-up check.
The Killing Zone suggests that 200 - 500 is the danger zone in terms of hours. Essentially the author suggests:
I'm at about 400 hours and just knowing I'm in this "Killing Zone" is a great voice in my head to be extra careful still.
Congrats!
I always recommend this book to new Private pilots. Understand your certification, your legal and personal limitations, and don't put yourself in a bad position. Stay away from "get-home-itis", aka pushing the limits of your abilities (primarily weather related) just because you need to get home.
Have fun!
I'm a fan of Rod Machado's book. I feel like the FAA resources are a bit dry for a newbie:
https://www.amazon.com/Rod-Machados-Private-Pilot-Handbook/dp/0963122991/
So this is going to be a bit macabre but I'll tell you about one on my list.
It is an established fact that most fatal aviation accidents occur between 100-350 hours of total flight time. It seems to be a interval where the confidence curve of the pilot and the competence curve of the pilot separate (delaminate if you will). To that end, a book has been written that discusses why and how this happens. In the interest of being a safer pilot, I think it'd be a good pic.
It may seem like a weird choice for a gift, but I find most pilots are pretty academic in their perspectives on the nature of the activity, so I think you'd find it appreciated.
The Killing Zone by Paul A Craig:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Killing-Zone-Second-Edition/dp/0071798404
The Killing Zone, Second Edition: How & Why Pilots Die https://www.amazon.com/dp/0071798404/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_2n0oybTT453VQ
Read "The Killing Zone, Second Edition: How & Why Pilots Die." You'll learn a lot about flying safely.
https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Zone-Second-How-Pilots/dp/0071798404
...all the FAA handbooks are available for free.
I suggest you start with:
When you are done reading this, you'll know more than many pilots out there! :-)
This book is great:
Say Again, Please: Guide to Radio Communications https://www.amazon.com/dp/1619540894/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_vTCVCb0EBN1EV
Stick and Rudder: http://www.amazon.com/Stick-Rudder-Explanation-Art-Flying/dp/0070362408
That’s exactly the way you should be thinking. Do yourself a favour and get this book to help realise you are always going to be a learner. I can tell just by the way you are thinking you have not read it, or anything like it.
https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Zone-Second-How-Pilots/dp/0071798404/ref=sr_1_1?crid=JQX5QCK3M3S2&keywords=the+killing+zone&qid=1558028284&s=gateway&sprefix=The+killing+zone%2Caps%2C229&sr=8-1
https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Zone-Second-How-Pilots/dp/0071798404
Your confusion is partially due to incorrect definitions of terminology you are using. As spacecampreject mentioned, there are four fundamental forces acting on an aircraft at any given time:
Weight - the downward force due to the aircraft's mass. This force always acts downward towards the center of the earth.
Thrust - the propulsive force due to the aircraft's engines doing what they do. In general, this force is aligned with the longitudinal axis of the aircraft, but some airplanes have their engines mounted at a slight angle for design reasons. Other airplanes (fighter jets) with thrust-vectoring capabilities can change the thrust axis slightly during flight, and many jets use some form of reverse thrust to assist in bringing the aircraft to a stop on the runway. But when the plane is flying normally, thrust pushes you forward and its direction is generally fixed with respect to the aircraft.
Lift - the component of the overall aerodynamic force that is perpendicular to the free-stream velocity vector (see below).
Drag - the component of the overall aerodynamic force that is parallel to the free-stream velocity vector (see below).
When an aircraft moves through the air, a overall aerodynamic force (sometimes called the resultant aerodynamic force) is created from the various pressure and friction forces imposed on the body. For engineering/math purposes, we separate this force into two perpendicular forces: lift and drag, defined in relation to the free-stream velocity vector. The free-stream velocity vector is the vector opposite the path of travel of the aircraft (sometimes referred to as the "relative wind"). (Here is a good force diagram)
In normal forward flight, lift is nearly parallel and opposite to weight, and thrust is nearly parallel and opposite to drag. If you were to point your airplane's nose straight up in an attempt to fly vertically, then with a purely vertical velocity, lift is now acting horizontally (not helping to keep the plane in the air) and the airplane's thrust must overcome the combined forces of drag and weight pulling the plane towards the earth.
To achieve/sustain vertical flight, an airplane needs a thrust-to-weight ratio greater than 1.0. Some fighter jets can do this. Many RC planes can. Most private and commercial airplanes cannot (a common ballpark thrust-to-weight ratio is about 0.3).
References: M.S. in Aerospace Engineering; if you want a great introductory textbook, I highly recommend Introduction to Flight by John D. Anderson, Jr. I own the 6th edition, I believe the 7th edition is current.
We use this book heavily at my school (undergrad). I've also heard it's pretty much a standard around the US
http://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Flight-John-Anderson/dp/0073380245
Mike Busch is the author of Manifesto, which is an easy read, but introduces the general aviation pilot to a whole new way of thinking about aircraft maintenance. Now he's come out with a 500-page ultimate guide to GA piston aircraft engines. I can't wait to read this and know everything a pilot should know about how to treat their engine and how to handle it when things go wrong.
https://www.amazon.com/Mike-Busch-Engines-maintenance-troubleshooting/dp/1718608950/
Stick and Rudder would go well as a supplement to the PHAK. Cheers!
You can do an online ground school like Kings or Sportys and read/study the PHAK and AFH. Maybe get a copy of and read Stick & Rudder.
For a textbook, try and find a copy of Sutton.
NASA's technical reports server will throw more data at you than you can possibly use, but if you can narrow the search terms enough it's useful.
You can google for particular engines or propellant combinations and find reasonable, but not necessarily authoritative data. The best sources will be from the manufacturers.
Please be aware that if you are in the USA, and make too good a simulation, it can fall under the "International Traffic in Arms Regulations" (ITAR) and be export-controlled. Launch to orbit and long range ballistic missiles are essentially the same problem, so any associated technology can be classed as military. "Export" includes passing a copy to a grad student who is not a US citizen, or posting the code on GitHub where anyone can copy it.
It's a bit dumb, because computers, aerodynamics, and Newtonian mechanics are all public, but I'd rather you didn't get in trouble accidentally. When I worked at Boeing, all our good trajectory simulators were export-controlled, and you had to be a US citizen to work in those areas of the company.
I think X-Plane is great. I have tons of fun flying in it. It is definitely a hardcore simulator and does not contain any game-like modes.
There is FSEconomy which can work with X-Plane to add an economy metagame but I have never tried it.
There is Smart Copilot which lets two people fly the same aircraft at once which is pretty cool for some of the really complex aircraft like the FlyJSim 737-200 in that video.
There is PilotEdge and Vatsim for online flying with real live person ATC and traffic.
Pretty sure it has built in multiplayer too but I have never tried it.
You want to go here to download all sorts of free addons and planes. If you have a fast computer you can get even higher resolution scenery here.
I love using xplane for learning about real world general aviation flying. A copy of The Private Pilot Handbook plus Skyvector can teach you a lot!
There are a couple of things that are annoying about xplane however.
This:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1619544733/ref=cm_sw_r_other_apa_i_gWyACbBY0R1E4
Sure, its more aligned with "applied" aerodynamics, but Stick and Rudder is a good read that goes into how airplanes work (and how to
fly themapply aerodynamics in a real-world environment).> In the FAA eyes it is taking away business from those pilots that have worked for the ratings
This might be a controversial set of facts, but here goes. The FAA doesn't give a rat's ass who makes money. What they do care about is protecting the public from inexperienced and statistically less safe pilots.
As a low-time (under 1000 hrs) private pilot you are statistically far less safe than your ATP certificated counterparts, even flying the same machinery. The public doesn't know that, but it's true. It's the FAA's job to protect them from us until we're safe enough to be entrusted with the lives of those who don't know an ATP from a CPL.
This is THE BEST, MUST HAVE book to read cover to cover and know by heart. You can probably find a used one for pretty cheap, although I don't know any pilot who would give their copy up!
I'm by no means an expert and don't have my own opinion. I have been reading an amazing book:
The Killing Zone, Second Edition: How & Why Pilots Die https://www.amazon.com/dp/0071798404/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_gMkYCb331JW3F
This looks at general aviation crash reports and breaks down the trends. The guy has basically determined most crashes happen as a result of pilot error.
The TLDR is most deaths occur after a pilot gets the PPL and leaves the protection of having a CFI, up to about the couple hundred hour mark. Most of these causes fall into a few categories: VFR into IMC causing CFIT; slow flight maneuvering, take off and landing.
Its 100% worth the read.
Statistically, GA has a crash rate 10x that of car crashes (as best the author could figure - source that book.)
Motorcycle crash rates are 75x that of cars however. (Source very quick Google-fu: https://www.askadamskutner.com/motorcycle-accident/how-do-car-accidents-compare-to-motorcycle-accidents/)
You are, partially correct. The way lift is generated in reality is similar to what happens with a venturi tube, think of air as a liquid, that cannot be compressed, so, when it goes through the "tube" it is funneled down into a smaller hole from which it started out from, and seeing as it cannot be compressed it MUST move faster in order to keep on moving, so in order for it to move faster it must lower the air pressure surrounding the smaller portion of the funnel, so the speed of the air increases and the air pressure decreases, pleasing Newton's third law. Now, how a wing works, is the top of the wing from the leading edge following the entire chord line, is longer than the bottom of the wing, why you ask? Well, seeing as the air is split into two by the wing, the air has to meet up again at the other side correct? So in order for this to happen the air on the top of the wing, seeing as it must travel a farther distance has to speed up, now if we recall the venturi tube example, when air speeds up, pressure decreases, and now the air pressure is lower on top of the wing than it is on the bottom of the wing, so that means the denser air on the bottom of the wing pushes the wing UP into the area of lower pressure, this is the force that we call LIFT. Now of course the engines provide thrust for us to achieve the air speeds necessary to get the air moving over the wings fast enough, put your example of how the wing is slightly titled up is INCORRECT... for the most part. Now, a stall is what happens when the angle of attack of the wing is so far exceeded that the air no longer moves along a straight line along the wing, but instead it just flows off and creates wake turbulence if my mind serves me correct, this means the two air flows do not meet, and therefore no lift is being created, meaning weight overcomes lift, and the aircraft falls to the ground.
If you want to learn all this fantastic theory of flight, just buy yourself the pilots bible, "From the Ground Up"
You also made me get out of bed and turn my computer on just to respond to this... goddamnit.
You're welcome :-)
You need to read Stick and Rudder. It will tell you everything you need to know about that rudder.
One great book to learn about jet engines specifically, which I find incredibly interesting, is "The Jet Engine", which is written by the engineers at Rolls-Royce. It's also pretty easy to understand and isn't too expensive, especially if you get an older edition.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1119065992/
The Killing Zone
http://www.amazon.com/Killing-Zone-Second-How-Pilots/dp/0071798404/ref=sr_sp-atf_title_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1407429030&sr=1-1&keywords=paul+craig
A book that that statistically explores GA accidents and why pilots with 100-350 hours (or something like that) are so much more likely to have a fatal incident.
The number of people who make the same mistakes that end up fatal is astounding. A lot of things you hear and say "obviously that's stupid and I would never do it" are explained and it's easier to get into those situations than one would think.
You would enjoy and learn a lot from this book https://www.amazon.com/Rocket-Company-Library-Flight/dp/1563476967
"The Art and Science of Flying Helicopters"
http://www.amazon.com/Art-Science-Flying-Helicopters/dp/081382169X
"Principles of Helicopter Flight"
http://www.amazon.com/Principles-Helicopter-Flight-W-Wagtendonk/dp/1560276495
From the FAA site you'll find a wealth of aviation documentation including 'Rotorcraft Flying Handbook' located here:
http://www.faa.gov/library/manuals/aircraft/
All three are great books. ('Rotorcraft Flying Handbook' can be downloaded as a free .pdf book.)
Have you read the Haynes Space Shuttle Manual?. Its amazing what the initial plan for the shuttle was, two reusable craft strapped to each other one going into orbit and the other being a booster stage. Cost was a major limiting factor. They had a choice between a cheap design and expensive launches or an expensive design and cheap launches, unfortunately we ended up with expensive design and launches.
Should you wish to learn how airplanes work,
http://www.amazon.com/Stick-Rudder-Explanation-Art-Flying/dp/0070362408
I ran across this book in the early-mid 1980's when I couldn't keep from crashing "Microsoft Flight Simulator II" on my Commodore 64 :)
The book was oldie but goodie even then. In fact I found it so helpful and interesting that I went on to get my pilots license and instrument rating.
great read for anyone interested in the aerospace field.
"Say Again, Please" by Bob Gardner is the one I was speaking about.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1619540894
Not familiar with the other one, but it's probably good too. Just make sure you're practicing out-loud, instead of only reading in your head.
The Microsoft flight sim line has always had a handful of tutorial lessons. I would start there, as it will teach you the basics of many of the things you are likely to learn/practice using what /u/loveofphysics linked to you.
Lesson one starts with straight and level flight, but by the end of all of them, you'll know how to fly the pattern, a VOR approach, shoot an ILS, land jets, ect, ect, ect...
Also, I always recommend this book to anyone interested in flying who is not very well educated in this complex field yet. Stick and Rudder is a must-read for student pilots and simmers alike.
Feel free to PM me if you run into any questions. 'Fly' safe!
To get an idea of what is possible, look at the WINGS program
https://faasafety.gov/WINGS/pub/learn_more.aspx
You could make a pretty interesting 8-10 hour course based on
https://smile.amazon.com/Killing-Zone-How-Why-Pilots/dp/007136269X/ref=sr_1_6?keywords=The+killing+zone&qid=1562503633&s=gateway&sr=8-6
supplemented with selected NTSB accident reports.
I'm really glad you brought this up because I'm about to pick up my IO-360 with a fresh major overhaul, and I've been researching it. Lycoming says "Continue break-in operation for 50 hours or until oil consumption stabilizes." Millenium/Superior says about the same thing, but leaves out the 50 hours and just says "till the rings have seated, oil consumption stabilizes, and cylinder head temperatures drop" This is a sign that the cylinders are broken in". At 100 hours with negligible oil consumption, you are there for sure. So, nice job!
Have you read Mike Busch's book Mike Busch on Engines? If not, you should. Really interesting and informative. Do you have a digital engine monitor installed?
The Jet Engine published by Rolls Royce who have some experience in the field;) - used to be (maybe still is) the de facto reading primer prior to embarking on licence courses in the UK.
Older versions are somewhat cheaper and still very relevant if you're after an intro level publication. This is the one I had as it happens.
Stick and rudder would definitely be appropriate. Although I would add it probably wouldn't translate well into x-plane. In general, VFR flight doesn't translate well into sims outside of some procedural stuff. If you want, get him an IFR book to practice with in the sim (I like this one).
One other book that you may want to consider is "The Killing Zone": https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Zone-Second-Pilots-Aviation/dp/0071798404. You'll have to decide if it's appropriate or not. Some of the statistics are debatable, but it really opened my eyes to being risk averse and how a lot of the dangers of flight are avoidable.
I would also recommend picking up "Stick and Rudder" by Wolfgang Langeweische. Written in the late 30's, but breaks the complexity of aerodynamics and airplane flying down to the basic level and with a great writing style that makes it easy to read.
Stick and Rudder: An Explanation of the Art of Flying https://www.amazon.com/dp/0070362408/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_8YJMDbMG8TQC5
I highly recommend you read The Killing Zone, Second Edition: How & Why Pilots Die
get this book https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Flight-John-Anderson/dp/0073380245
I would start with fundamentals
Hill and Peterson is pretty good for broad thermodynamics for propulsion systems:
https://www.amazon.com/Mechanics-Thermodynamics-Propulsion-Philip-Hill/dp/0201146592
Gas turbine theory is pretty good start for turbomachinery:
https://www.amazon.com/Gas-Turbine-Theory-H-I-H-Saravanamuttoo/dp/0132224372
You can build a turbopump without looking to power a rocket. (Pump water with steam or something) and in the endeavour I can guarantee you will learn so much.
https://www.amazon.com/Stick-Rudder-Explanation-Art-Flying/dp/0070362408/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1481303934&sr=1-1&keywords=Stick+and+rudder
Stick And Rudder - Google Books
Stick And Rudder - Amazon
Stick and Rudder
It's a little beyond my expertise to measure the danger level in a particular plan, what I could say is that the launch was a much, much riskier time for the shuttle than landing, with one notable exception in 2003. But Columbia's disintegration on re-entry stemmed from damage it sustained on liftoff. The design of the shuttle, particularly of the various forms of thermal protection systems (TPS: tiles, blankets, reinforced carbon-carbon) made re-entry from low-earth orbit based speeds as safe as it could, but the pressure generated from compressing the air in front of the body of the shuttle so rapidly meant there was little to no margin for error in the TPS on re-entry -- any hole, tear, imperfection could magnify danger to the point where the shuttle could be (and in that one instance, was) destroyed.
The wings actually have no purpose during launch, though, and the shuttle comes back with very little fuel (by design, they used all the SSME fuel at launch, and nearly all the OMS fuel on-orbit and for de-orbit). A smaller version of the shuttle could have flown without those big delta wings (and will, check out Sierra Nevada's DreamChaser spacecraft). The big wings were dictated by an Air Force requirement: 1,000 mile cross range capability. By design, the shuttle could launch south out of Vandenberg Air Force Base in California into a polar orbit, deploy a sensitive payload in space over Russia, then return and land in California, all in one orbit. The only problem is that the earth is spinning underneath the shuttle while it's doing that; one orbit later, California has moved a significant distance to the east!
So the 1,000 mile cross range meant that the shuttle could make its re-entry and steer/glide itself all the way back to California, counteracting the distance imparted by the rotation of earth itself. In reality, the shuttles never flew polar orbits from California, and the wings were really only used during the shuttle big S-turns to bleed off speed on approach, if I remember correctly.
But what you're mentioning above about the axis of entry; the shuttle was designed to re-enter from LEO speeds, and could not have survived a deep-space (or even far earth orbit / lunar orbit) re-entry, as the thermal systems would not have been up to the task of handling the additional heat generated by re-entry.
If you have some loose change in your pocket and want to learn a LOT more about the design, construction and operation of the Space Shuttle system, check out this book Probably the thickest, most dense scientific/engineering overview of the whole process from beginning to operation.
NASA's own "Wings In Orbit" is also an amazing book (I'm lucky enough to have a hardcover version of it) that's available for free online as a series of downloadable PDFs. While it's not quite as in-depth as the Jenkins book, it'll definitely give you a great picture of the Shuttle and how it works.
And finally, and slightly more tongue in cheek, the Hayes repair manual people licensed their automotive repair book style for this Space Shuttle Owners Manual which is another phenomenal book on the Shuttle.
The Jet Engine is a book by Rolls Royce
It’s been recommended to me by fellow aerospace guys. I just never bought it because it’s ~$60.
The Jet Engine https://www.amazon.com/dp/1119065992/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_yoQPCbGK1DBRM
Not an experienced pilot, but for someone like you I'd recommend The Killing Zone if you haven't already read it.
"The Killing Zone" is a good book for student pilots in General Aviation. The tagline of the book is "how and why pilots die." Here is an amazon link. https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Zone-Second-How-Pilots/dp/0071798404
It's $20, and if you use Amazon Smile donations, please consider Candler Field Museum. Our founder, Ron Alexander, recently died in a Jenny crash here in town and the museum can use all the help we can get.
Pretty prepared honestly. If you don't understand something in the ACS, chances are it will be what comes up. I read this book and I think it was super helpful. https://www.amazon.com/Private-Pilot-Oral-Exam-Guide/dp/1619544598
Link to Amazon.com Hardcover 2nd Edition (this is the version I bought)
It's weird to read a technical text that is gripping. I read it cover to cover, despite not getting the math.
Roughly 10.
But seriously, check out this book. It was my bible in school and I still use it almost daily. Chapter 12 is when it gets into basic rocketry. I seriously love that book.
Not exactly a fun subject, but The Killing Zone: How & Why Pilots Die is a great book.
You should read The Killing Zone, then you'll fully understand the reasoning behind the guess.
EDIT: Link to the book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Killing-Zone-Second-Edition/dp/0071798404
It was my first guess because often low time pilots, according to the book mind you, become overconfident. The video showing the maneurvers he was doing so close to the ground, I just thought it made sense.
Someone on /r/flying guessed a suicide flight.
Where do you fly from? I haven't started training yet, just a lot of reading. I'm still working on funding.
Depends how much knowledge you're starting with. There are plenty of books. And lots of simulation software. I'm pretty sure you can even take classes, including the official ground school classes, and even flying lessons. The only age limit is on actually getting your license to fly solo, you can still fly dual (With an instructor) at any age. Of course, this gets expensive, and young age tends to limit your budget unless your parents are very supportive and generous.
That said I would say start with books and software. For books, assuming you are in the USA, the FAA publishes lots of free resources and here are some other useful suggestions. I am also a fan of From The Ground Up which is actually used as the official training manual in Canada (but this is the US edition).
For software, either Microsoft Flight Simulator or X-Plane are excellent choices. Once you have a little more experience, both can connect to the VATSIM network, which is a group of volunteer air traffic controllers who strive to provide as realistic as possible radio control environment, flight tracking, and navigation services to simulator pilots. The DCS series is also worthy of consideration, despite being combat focused, as it contains by far the most detailed simulation of all the boring and usually forgettable details that you will have to know when you actually climb into an airplane. You can easily spend a few hours just learning where all the controls and switches are, before you even figure out how to follow the checklist, nevermind start the engines.
Finally, if all that's a little bit too intensely realistic for you, or you're still just struggling with the basics, maybe look at something like SimplePlanes or Kerbal Space Program.
If you're looking into aircraft side of things, then I would strongly recommend picking up Stick and Rudder
It's not a text on the engineering aspect, but it's good to have a grasp on how pilots will be using the aircraft you work on.
From the Ground Up. Probably the greatest textbook for recreational pilots. Covers pretty much everything related to flight, from weather prediction, to radionavigation, to engine construction. Probably not exactly the kind of book one would expect to see in a thread like this, but I am sure the other pilots on reddit would agree with me that it's one of the best books in the discipline.
I see you have the Student flair but I'm not sure how many hours you have under your belt. Is it safe to assume you have some flying hours? I still haven't attained my PPL but I'm at the end (practising for my check-flight test). You remind me of myself at the beginning of my PPL - I wanted to read as many books as I can.
I saw a similar post like yours long time ago on what books to read - top comment was a CFI who strongly recommended the OP to read over & over your aircraft's operator handbook. I'm passing that same advice to you - I just went for my first IFR flight with my CFI from one airport to another. From take-off to the approach, we constantly had zero visibility. It truly made me appreciate the fact that I spent a lot of time reading and understanding all the instruments & switches of the aircraft. Just being comfortable knowing where the "Pitot Heat" switch was without having to scan for it made flying IFR easier. And when in emergency?? You will be glad you have the procedures memorized.
In addition, I found this book "The Killing Zone" to be very informative. I heard the statistics are questionable but if you put the numbers to the side, you will learn a lot of small & valuable tips that can make every flight of yours safer.
Design is really complicated and encompasses a lot of different areas of engineering. If you're looking for an intro book to get started with, I'd recommend John Anderson's Intro to Flight.
Get one of the older editions for cheap(like the fifth edition). It's a good text that is focused on students that are not necessarily engineering. It'll get you started enough that you can start thinking about design principals if you want to tackle something like RC aircraft, a Flight Simulator, or Simple Planes.
I really like John D. Anderson's Intro to Flight and Aerodynamics books.
https://www.amazon.com/Remote-Pilot-Test-Prep-UAS/dp/1619544687/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1474216666&sr=8-1&keywords=remote+pilot+study+prep
Someone showed me this book that goes into the details of some fatal crashes and looks into what happened and why, all in a respectful yet analytical way. https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Zone-Second-How-Pilots/dp/0071798404
Keep in mind all the information you need to pass is available for free from the FAA. But I like having the books and in the grand scheme of things they're really cheap. The FARs are the regulations you need to know, mostly parts 61 and 91. The AIM has a ton of good information in it as well. All stuff that could show up on your written exam. The PHAK is going to be where a lot of your written material comes from. If you know the information in there forwards and backwards you'll do great.
The ACS is the practical standards to which you'll be judged on the check ride. How close do you need to hold altitude? How close do you need to hold that 45 degree bank angle? All found in the ACS.
The Oral Exam Guide's usefulness will vary based on who gives you your checkride. My DPE literally flipped through his copy of one and picked a few questions out of each section to ask me. If I messed up he stayed in that section longer. If I answered a handful near perfectly that section was done.
I'd say just build it, but The Illustrated Guide to Aerodynamics is awesome if you want to do a fixed wing design. It's a staple textbook for an intro to...aerodynamics
Illustrated Guide to Aerodynamics https://www.amazon.com/dp/0830639012/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_igPGDbBT34ZK8
Rolls Royce's The Jet Engine. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Jet-Engine-Rolls-Royce/dp/1119065992 Always fascinated me when I was younger, great diagrams and explanations.
Chapter one of a different Anderson book, Introduction to Flight has a good overview of the history. He also wrote a book just on history of aerodynamics that might be more useful to you.
When I was a student pilot I was also very intimidated by flight following, and talking with ATC in general. Since I intended to fly a lot, I figured I should suck it up and work through my fear of sounding stupid on the radio.
Firstly, I found that reading Say Again, Please gave me a good understanding of what radio calls to make and what to expect to hear in a wide variety of scenarios. Being able to anticipate what controllers are likely to say makes it significantly easier to understand it when they do say it. That said, it's worth keeping in mind that different controllers and different areas have different conventions, so you may hear different things as you fly in different areas.
Secondly, I found that practice helps a lot. I started getting flight following on every single flight out of the pattern, and made some longer cross countries.
Thirdly, I found that a better headset made it much easier to understand some instructions from ATC. When flying on a multi-day cross country with a more experienced friend of mine, I found that I wasn't catching frequencies that ATC was giving me, while he was hearing them easily. I initially figured this was due to him having a better idea what to listen for, but when we swapped headsets for a leg (his Bose A20 for my Faro Stealth ANR), suddenly I was able to catch frequencies while he struggled. I bought a Lightspeed Zulu 3 as soon as we were back from the trip, and I've been happy ever since.
Umm, no, that's just wrong because that's the odds for the general population flying 121 a couple times per year and not a general aviation pilot. Every statistical analysis (like this one, this one, this one or last but not least this one) of the GA fatal accident rate has shown that it's between 5 and 20 times more dangerous as driving, most of the time a lot closer to the 20.
Edit: In your edit you're looking at the statistics for part 121 airline travel. I hope you understand that's a fundamentally different thing than general aviation.
The previously mentioned Helicopter Flying Handbook is probably your best bet for free reading material.
If you don't mind spending a little money for reading material, I recommend:
(book title links to amazon)
[Principles of Helicopter Flight by W. J. Wagtendonk] (https://www.amazon.com/Principles-Helicopter-Flight-W-J-Wagtendonk/dp/1560276495) for around $25.
[Cyclic & Collective by Shawn Coyle] (https://www.amazon.com/Cyclic-Collective-Shawn-Coyle/dp/0557090660/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1497929356&sr=1-1&keywords=cyclic+and+collective) for around $45.
Another good one from Shawn Coyle is The Little Book of Autorotations which focuses only on autorotations.
I own all three, and they're all good, but I would recommend Cyclic and Collective. The book is packed with damn near everything you could possibly want to know about helicopter flying. It also helps that Coyle's writing style helps hold the reader's interest even through dry and technical subjects.
My guess is Mechanics & Thermodynamics of Propulsion 2e, by Hill & Peterson. This textbook was used to teach my undergrad Jet & Rocket Prop course.
Amazon Link
Get the ASA Oral exam guide for Private Pilot. They will over prepare you if you know it cover to cover. Congrats on passing the written, it's a good feeling getting those over with.
http://www.amazon.com/Private-Oral-Exam-Guide-comprehensive/dp/1560279494/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1458476616&sr=8-1&keywords=asa+oral+exam+guide+private
I haven't done TW but this is good for all flying, esp stick and rudder https://www.amazon.ca/Stick-Rudder-Explanation-Art-Flying/dp/0070362408/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1491856814&sr=8-1&keywords=stick+and+rudder
Isn't WJ Wagtendonk's 'Principles of Helicopter Flight' still considered 'the bible'? ISBN-13: 978-1560276494
If you're starting the training process, the first thing you should start doing is preparing for the knowledge exam, and the PPL test prep book (2020) is the best place to start. These are effectively the questions you'll see on the exam, if not THE questions. Most CFIs/pilots treat this as an SAT score, get >90% and you'll get taken more seriously. You'll need a FAR/AIM, which at first seems daunting but quickly becomes a bedside book. Jeppessen Private Pilot Manual is a good resource which consolidates a lot of the information nicely, and provides nice plots for things that otherwise feel a bit disjointed (e.g. medical certificate requirements, airspace).
Books that are helpful in terms of learning helicopter dynamics, my favorite by far is Principles of Helicopter Flight, as well as Cyclic and Collective. Many people like the Helicopter Flying Handbook, but as someone who knows better (I'm a PhD trained physicist), I found it to be garbage. The authors try to simplify things down to make it accessible to a lay person, but get a lot of things flat out wrong or are just plain sloppy with their descriptions. PoHF on the other hand isn't overly complicated, but provides a very clean and correct description of helicopter dynamcics. Don't be dazzled by the bright colors and pictures in HFH. Learning to Fly Helicopters is one I found to be a fun read, which lightly touches on flight details, but provides a lot of tangential tidbits around real world situations.
Study the Pilot Operating Handbook's for your training helicopter(s)! If you got some spare money, I'd recommend buying them (Robinson's can be found at their website, either free PDF or for purchase for ~$60). As you get closer to your check ride, you'll want to become more familiar with the Practical Test Standards which is the rubric the examiner will test you on, and there's several oral exam guide (general, helicopter) which are quite helpful.
I'd also recommend recording your rides and re-watching them. I did this and it was very helpful to go back and see what was happening, much like a quarterback watching film on Monday morning. You can find my PPL training videos on my YouTube channel, which includes my full check ride!
I also bought other books / resources, but these are effectively the only ones I used for my PPL, and I got 100% on the knowledge exam and also crushed the check ride. Best of luck in your journey!
the basic idea you can get from wikipedia pages and the first result of google search. this book is also good http://www.amazon.com/Rocket-Propulsion-Elements-7th-Edition/dp/0471326429
I found that Stick and Rudder is a good book on actually flying the plane. There are some technical inaccuracies (I'm an engineer so this bothers me, but others it might not so much) but it is a great for pilotage and helping with getting a feel for the plane. It's also a very good introductory book for flying, nothing too technical, just flying.
You can always study and take your written exam, many people think this should wait till you have some flight experience and that definitely helps, but you could still take it. The FAA manuals linked by /u/theygoup are good and free but boring. Rod Machado's PPL Book has similar information but is a little easier to read and has lots of really corny jokes, only $40 or $60 bucks, I refer to it much more often than the FAA manuals.
Sims could never hold my attention very long but I imagine there is some benefit to them, even if it's just instrument prep.
EDIT: I forgot, get a copy of the FAR/AIM from sporty's or someone (I prefer a print copy) or just refer to the online version. A lot of good information is there
Stick & Rudder is great, although if you are really going to go from sim to IRL, check out The Killing Zone: Why Pilots Die
A cheap subscription to Kitplanes is a great way to get into this whole plane-building thing in a measured way. I think you also get free online access to their past articles?
http://www.kitplanes.com/
I'm unaware of a "Kit Planes For Dummies" type book. But maybe the best, most general aviation book is one from 1944 called "Stick and Rudder." Most pilots end up reading it at some point.
https://www.amazon.com/Stick-Rudder-Explanation-Art-Flying/dp/0070362408
100% this! I used the ASA guide by Mike Hayes. Link to amazon here. Go through that whole thing cover to cover. Get someone else to ask you the questions if you can.
Buy this and read it cover to cover.
For what it is worth, I had done a good chunk of my PPL work back in 1993/94 and had a very long gap when I started up again in 2014. The first couple hours in the plane/radio were comical, but it only took about four hours before they cut me loose to solo xc again. Once you have your license, you don't lose it - but you do need to do an every other year review with an instructor (or add a rating) so he is due for his biannual review.
They did switch to a plastic license, so have him spend the $2 and fill out the form to get the updated version. The paper license is no longer valid. (do this sooner rather than later)
The medical could be easy, or could be a blocker. If he is taking meds for blood pressure or an array of other FAA issue items, that may prevent him from flying without spending a bunch of money on testing.
Were I him trying to do it cheap...
... and then schedule time with an instructor to actually fly. Things get expensive when people try to learn/remember these sorts of things while burning 100LL.
One of the biggest changes are the hand held gadgets available to him. An ipad mini/gps with foreflight provides an amazing amount of information for planning and executing a flight. (Another great gift idea) There are some android options too, but one of the best is only available on IOS.
How about Stick and Rudder by Wolfgang Langewiesche?
Here's a good place to start online.
https://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/technology/sts-newsref/stsref-toc.html
Here's a documentary NASA made toward the end of the program.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SvaG0xDdP8g
Here are a couple of books that might help as well.
https://www.amazon.com/NASA-Space-Shuttle-Manual-Construction/dp/1844258661/
https://www.amazon.com/Space-Shuttle-Operators-Manual-Revised/dp/0345341813/
>a low pressure zone which pulls on the top of the wing
There is not really a pulling effect, it merely doesn't push down as much as the air is pushing up on the bottom of the wing.
>The engines are responsible for this
Do you mean thrust vectoring engines (tilted up relative to the flight path)? If so, normally this isn't a significant contributing factor as compared to the lift from the wings, with some exceptions (I can only think of fighter jets with high T/W ratios that can pretty much ascend vertically). Upon reading it again I don't think you mean trust vectoring, but I still don't know what you're getting at with this...
>wings in level flight are pitched upwards
Uhh, you really don't want to do this as you drastically increase drag. Most aircraft have cambered airfoils such that you don't have to fly with the wings 'pitched upwards' (called a positive angle of attack). Some planes, however, do have symmetric airfoils which have to be flown at a positive angle of attack, such as many aerobatic aircraft.
Sorry I'm being nit-picky, but some things just seemed a little off so I went and dusted off my aero engineering book to make sure. Everything else you said sees correct, have an up-vote fellow aeronautics enthusiast!
Blue Origin might just turn out to be functionally the same as the 2nd stage/orbiter from The Rocket Company, which is a TSTO scheme. You can think of TSTO as SSTO with a "cheat." It's an SSTO that starts out above the atmosphere. This means that the engines can be optimized for vacuum and that the potential delta-v that's wasted trying to get above the atmosphere is regained.
Now, imagine that sometime in the future Blue Origin contracts with SpaceX to make them a set of "Grasshopper" boosters in an "asparagus" staging setup.
I'm not sure about this book, but if you're looking for something to help understand the principles and physics of flight, pick up a copy of Stick and Rudder: An Explanation of the Art of Flying It's one heck of a book filled with great information.
Then definitely go for it.
Pick up (or get it from the library) a copy of Introduction to Flight by John Anderson (you can also get the international version on ebay for like $40-50). It was (is?) the book used in MAE 262, which would be your first aero specific class. It's actually a useful text even if it's not still used. We ended up looking up a lot of things in it during senior design.
Regardless of which major you end up in, get involved with a club like the Aerial Robotics Club, Rocketry, AIAA, ASME, Wolfpack Motorsports. They all look good on a resume, especially if you end up in a leadership role, and they're also lots of fun and a great way to put what you've learned into practice and a way to learn things you wouldn't learn in class. ARC and Rocketry would also be useful for aero senior design.
Also, get a co-op or internship as soon as possible and keep getting them until you graduate. They help a lot when looking for a job.
If you end up in aero, AIAA meetings are a great place to meet and network with people from industry. They have speakers fairly often and sometimes the speakers are there specifically to recruit.
Good luck with whatever you choose!
It's called The Killing Zone.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Killing-Zone-Second-Edition/dp/0071798404
Might not be what you were thinking, but Stick and Rudder (itself perhaps historic) is a great overview of flight from the perspective of the past
I used this one. I took the SIFT towards the end of last month and got a 63. Few discrepancies in the book, but appreciated how thorough it was. If I had spent more time studying this book I would have been more than adequately prepared if that makes any sense.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/1628454318/ref=sspa_mw_detail_0?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This book
is absolutely perfect for what you described. Used it recently in an aerodynamics course and it's not too technical.
This?
https://www.amazon.com/Stick-Rudder-Explanation-Art-Flying/dp/0070362408
Your question is rather undefined. However, to help you on the general principles check out:
A google search provides a PDF download link - but when tested the D/L link did not work for me.
Also,
OP, when you get to the build and test stage, please post some pics of the resultant rocket on launch and a summary of your engineering design considerations.
A good book on the basics of helicopters and how they work:
http://www.amazon.com/Principles-Helicopter-Flight-W-Wagtendonk/dp/1560276495
A good textbook directed at engineers studying helicopters:
http://www.amazon.com/Principles-Helicopter-Aerodynamics-Cambridge-Aerospace/dp/0521858607/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1372342685&sr=8-1&keywords=leishman
this book
I assume you downloaded these;
Pilots Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge
Airplane Flying Handbook
Aeronautical Information Manual
Another book that helped me out is Stick and Rudder.
Most crashes are those outside of the inexperienced ranged and before the highly experienced range. Between 50-350 hours.
https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Zone-Second-How-Pilots/dp/0071798404
I am still in my studies but you may want to read The Killing Zone. They discuss situations such as this..in particular, there is a section on the dangers of complacency with new autopilot technologies. Always worth keeping yourself honest now that you've gotten yourself out of trouble once with technology that you don't up your personal limits because you know the tech is there to save you.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Killing-Zone-Second-Edition/dp/0071798404
You should read https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Zone-Second-How-Pilots/dp/0071798404
I'm going through it now so I understand the risks as I'm learning to fly.
This is the book I used while getting my pilots license:
https://www.amazon.com/Rod-Machados-Private-Pilot-Handbook/dp/0963122991
There's a couple chapters all about charts and VFR navigation. I highly recommend it
Obviously I'm commenting way after this is relevant, but I watched about half of the video and this guy has no idea about any airspace regulation at all and really underestimates the hazards of hitting a drone with a plane. 300 feet? That's class G airspace and is the minimum AGL altitude planes must fly. Controlled airspace is around airports and the distance and altitude varies depending on size.
Air strikes can cause damage which will cause planes to undergo documented certified mechanical checks. It's a serious problem.
He also seems to think watching the feed from the drone is better than seeing it. That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. It doesn't matter which way the drone is facing, it matters where it is, and what it is near.
I agree that a lot of the legislation is dumb, or at least requires some nuance in how it is interpreted, but he vastly understates the problems that flying a drone in regulated airspace can cause because he doesn't know what it is. If he's so confused he should pick up a copy of From the Ground Up.
http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/topic/20154-just-took-the-sift/
https://www.amazon.com/SIFT-Study-Guide-Questions-Instrument/dp/1628454318/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1539567546&sr=8-3&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_FMwebp_QL65&keywords=sift+study+guide&dpPl=1&dpID=51-iB8lVLJL&ref=plSrch
I can second GPA. I've met a couple of their instructors. It's good training at a good price.
http://www.flygpa.com/
Edit:
If you want to get your feet wet, this book will be indispensable during flight school.
Pilot's Handbook of Aeronautical Knowledge: FAA-H-8083-25B (FAA Handbooks series) https://www.amazon.com/dp/1619544733/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_McvKybXBS5QKB
Awesome! I'll probably get those to suppliment. Just to confirm, you're referring to these, right?
https://www.amazon.com/Pilots-Handbook-Aeronautical-Knowledge-FAA-H-8083-25B/dp/1619544733/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499377298&sr=8-1&keywords=Pilots+Handbook+of+Aeronautical+Knowledge
and
https://www.amazon.com/Student-Pilots-Flight-Manual-Certificate/dp/156027719X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1499377340&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Student+Pilots+Flight+Manual
Thanks!
I recommend the book "The Killing Zone: How & Why Pilots Die" by Paul Craig (non-affiliate link); it has some good discussion of how accidents and incidents can happen.
American here currently working on my US Remote Pilot license. The easiest thing to do would be to call the UK FAA which I believe is called the CAA. The CAA also has a place on their website for drones at https://www.caa.co.uk/Consumers/Unmanned-aircraft-and-drones/.
The rules of flying a drone are pretty straight forward but I found that information about how to handle being near an airport (communication, AirTAM's, and understanding flight space), understanding weather conditions, and basic maintenance extremely helpful. If the CAA offers any training or manuals on those topics I highly suggest you read them.
I'm linking the reference material for the faa here. I expect the UK will adopt similar laws to the FAA. The study guide I'm using for my training is the remote pilot test prep guide. I hope this helps you find some answers.
Edit: please don't fly in or around an airports air space. It can get you in a lot of trouble especially if the drone is at fault for damage to another aircraft.
Thanks!
First of all, (assuming you're in the U.S.) Read the Private Pilot ACS!! It tells you every piece of information that can be covered in the checkride.
Also, buy the Oral Exam Study Guide!!!!!!!!! This book helped me out tremendously! Study that, and if it ever mentions a regulation (it does it a lot), then review that regulation in the FAR/AIM. Also, you really should spend and hour or two studying with your CFI. He can answer any questions you have and also ask you questions in the way your DPE will.
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https://www.amazon.com/Private-Pilot-Oral-Exam-Guide/dp/1619544598/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536759778&sr=8-1&keywords=private+pilot+oral+exam+guide+2018
Ok so I passed with a 98% (the one question still bothers me lol) and here is what I used in no particular order
I read the FAA study guide, did some of the 3DR questions, and searched google and youtube for anything I didn't get and watched multiple videos until it clicked. I did this for airspace, airport markings, weather, METAR/TAFS.
Then I cracked open the ASA study guide and used that to reinforce everything I had been studying while also exposing me to more questions and concepts.
I used all 5 practice tests that came with the ASA book and felt they were very helpful to my actual exam with out using the exact same words.
Don't memorize the questions/answers, learn the concepts! They will try and trick you by changing stuff up, it's best to re-read every question. Learn how to decode METAR, learn where to drop 2 "0s" and make sure you know how to read sectional charts.
The test only took me about 30 min to complete, however I started back at the beginning and re-read every question and answer to make sure I was going with the one that makes the most sense.
Plenty of questions seem fairly obvious to any one who has been flying for a while and practices at least a basic level of safety.
Spread your study time out over at least a week or two depending on how well you cram. I spread mine out over about 3 weeks. The practice test I spread out over 4 days, 2 the first, 2 the second, none the 3rd and one the 4th day, the day before my test.
The Killing Zone
It's drawn from real world NTSB reports and does a very good job of going through all the factors contributing to pilot fatalities, especially in the 40-340 hour window that remains the deadliest experience level in aviation.
I'd also recommend Skip Smith's Illustrated Guide to Aerodynamics.
Easy to read, understand, and won't put you to sleep like Aerodynamics for Naval Aviators.
Heres the link for anyone interested.
Very classy plane. I believe its on the cover of my FTGU (from the ground up)
Buy this book immediately: http://www.amazon.com/Pilots-Handbook-Aeronautical-Knowledge-FAA-H-8083-25A/dp/1619540207/ref=pd_sim_b_7. It pretty much has everything you want to know about all aspects of flight. Great continuous, repeated read.
After you're flying for a bit, right around when you're at solo status (either pre or post XC), you'll want to get this book: http://www.amazon.com/Visualized-Flight-Maneuvers-Handbook-Handbooks/dp/1560275219/ref=pd_sim_b_48. For your PPL license you'll need to demonstrate a number of maneuvers with proficency, and this is a great reference for all of them.
When you're studying for your PPL written, grab this book:http://www.amazon.com/Private-Pilot-Test-Prep-2014/dp/1560279788/ref=pd_sim_b_23. Helped me a ton.
When you're getting ready for your checkride, get this book: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1560279494/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1.
Also, get an iPad and Foreflight. While you'll hear a ton from pilots about getting started too early with electronics during your training, the main thing to steer clear of is using it for in-flight navigation and relying on it for GPS. You have to learn dead reckoning, pilotage and old(er) school navigation like VORs. It's great for flight planning and the digital charts are incredible but I still plan out my flights using a paper flight plan. Also, it has a documents section that's just fantastic for downloading good FAA reads like the FAR/AIM, your aircraft's POH and a ton of other downloadable documents.
Love to hear some other suggestions.
Don't forget a few commercial manuals as well.
Why your plan is awesome
I know I'm a little late to the party, but I really like this topic. Hopefully this isn't so late that it's useless.
Most people will tell you that a home simulator is useless or worse than useless for PPL training. I disagree, provided you use it correctly. Let me break it down a bit. When you're flying, this is basically what's going on:
So, that basic model isn't exactly accurate in all phases of flight, but it's a reasonable approximation. Here's the thing. A good desktop sim can teach you all of those but the first one. Why wouldn't you want a tool that can mostly teach you how to fly for $0/hr after setup costs? I did this for my PPL training and had excellent results.
How to use a sim effectively
You can definitely build terrible habits in a home sim, and that's why they have a bad reputation for PPL students. However, there are some easy things you can do to avoid that.
Hardware recommendations:
Since you said money is not an issue, you might consider some more expensive hardware options. I have no experience with any of those, but they sure look nice :)
I used this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1619544598/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_L8DNAbTCRX32Z
The layout is great, and a non-pilot friend can pick it up and ask questions and let you know if you're right. If you've done your written and studied what you should, this is pretty much all you'll need to be ready.
Glad to hear it... As long as you never put yourself in a position where you have to fly for whatever reason, should be fine.
Also, check out the book "The Killing Zone" ( https://www.amazon.com/Killing-Zone-Second-How-Pilots/dp/0071798404 ). Apparently, some of his numbers are off, but its a great overview of how pilots get themselves killed and how to avoid those situations.
For propulsion http://www.amazon.com/Mechanics-Thermodynamics-Propulsion-2nd-Edition/dp/0201146592
But don't pay anywhere near that amount. Should be able to get it used for like 20-25
If my CFI were a redditor, I'd have you thank him.
In lieu of that, I'd suggest you get this book. It will teach you a lot about aerodynamics and basic flying skills.
Did something very similar to you OP. Built a rocket engine with KNO3 fuel, and added Fe3O4. Tested small scale with aluminum nozzles, screwed in with three screws 60deg around. The tests resulted in a decent burn, but the aluminum showed sligns signs of melting/shearing at the throat. Not terribly bad, but on a larger scale it would affect flight path quite a bit.
I do think that aluminum would be a good starting point for the nozzle though, then if it doesn't turn out too well, moving to graphite.
Also, check out "Rocket Propulsion Elements." It has fantastic details on solid and liquid propellents, nozzle theory, different analysis process, and tons of other stuff. If you look hard enough you can find a pdf of it on Google.
Don't feel down, just train and do it again!
There are a couple of resources that I found especially useful for the PPL oral: Rod Machado's book and the ASA Oral. You should have these cheat sheets memorized.
Though I did my PPL Part 61, I went to a Part 141 school that did three stage checks you had to pass (with an oral for each) so you could track your progress. If you can, I would have a CFI who routinely does stage checks for a Part 141 school do a mock oral with you before you go in front of the DPE again.
Have you ever read The Rocket Company? The DH-1 rocket looks like it could have inspired much of SpaceX's work.
> line is a bear for me. I can't sit in one place for awhile, so even at home, reading on a laptop that gets hot is killer. I'll spend the money for the print.
ASA publishes the print versions, here's the lazy-link: PHAK, AFH, and the FAR/AIM but it looks like the Gleim kit already has that one.
Could be worse; you could read what I read. I'm a bit of a nerd, so I read things like the Illustrated Guide to Aerodynamics. I would argue that any reading is better than no reading, though. So since you recently graduated and I see that you seem to post to /r/teachers, is it safe to assume you'll be getting much busier in the fall?
The weather section of this book pretty much covered it. Aside from that, I don't remember any serious "gotch-ya's".
I bought a SIFT study guide off Amazon when I was looking at flight school. I switched career paths but couldnt return it on Amazon because I took too long. PM me your info and I can save you like $30. I think it has practice tests if you want.
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it was this book:
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https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1628454318/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I read through this book twice and passed first try with an 88%. Probably 30 hours total studying: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1619544687/
The acceptance rate for street to seat is 90-100% currently. Those who are already enlisted are having a harder time getting selected. I went through WOCS with two nineteen year olds. Your odds are excellent right now so give it a shot!
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Here is what I provided to a friend currently applying. These resources helped me tremendously. Note I was no stellar candidate. I had a very average SIFT score. I did have to do a board which you no longer have to do (that's a huge plus). Check it out.
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EDIT: The civilian rates are much lower than when I was applying a year and a half a go (around 30%).
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Here are a few things to make things easier while you are putting together your packet. Some things to focus on are:
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Watch these:
Starting Strong -https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4jDe-oU_QW4&t=104sWOFT Application Process -
Part 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtV_U_weBk8Part 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HTAkJpnEttk
SIFT Overiew/Tips -
Part 1 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmFHSqsTDvsPart 2 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkR2ZbGlvaIVertical Reference Forum:http://helicopterforum.verticalreference.com/forum/32-general-military-helicopter-discussions/**SIFT Study Material:**SIFT Study Guide (amazon) -https://www.amazon.com/SIFT-Study-Guide-Questions-Instrument/dp/1628454318/ref=pd_sbs_14_1/132-0035256-5917327?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=1628454318&pd_rd_r=f5448d08-91fb-11e9-861b-61bc490b1f71&pd_rd_w=ZQNTs&pd_rd_wg=046qd&pf_rd_p=588939de-d3f8-42f1-a3d8-d556eae5797d&pf_rd_r=2ZFPP2TZGFGACXV9SYGP&psc=1&refRID=2ZFPP2TZGFGACXV9SYGP**I bought a different one and it was not accurate. This one seems to be a good choice, but feel free to look through or purchase others.FAA Helicopter Handbook -https://www.faa.gov/regulations_policies/handbooks_manuals/aviation/helicopter_flying_handbook/Army Fundamentals of Flight - https://fas.org/irp/doddir/army/fm3-04-203.pdfPractice Tests** - http://www.nelnetsolutions.com/dod/DODHubPage.aspx?sponsor=12894&HubPage=15149**I made several accounts so I could take the test several times. I just used different email addresses each time**Math Resource (Khan Academy)** - https://www.khanacademy.org/math/algebra**Focus on Algebra 1
I recommend you read The Killing Zone - Why pilots die