Summary

Many textbooks are unable to step outside the classroom and connect with industrial practice, and most describe difficult-to-rationalize ad hoc derivations of the modal parameters. In contrast, Elementary Flight Dynamics with an Introduction to Bifurcation and Continuation Methods uses an optimal mix of physical insight and mathematical presentation to lead students to the heart of professional aircraft flight dynamics in a pleasant and informative manner.

Presenting an updated version of the aerodynamic model with the corrected definition of the rate (dynamic) derivatives, the book is peppered with examples of real-life airplanes, real airplane data, and solved examples. It plunges directly into the core concepts of aircraft flight dynamics with minimal mathematical fuss. When the 6-degree-of-freedom equations are presented in the final chapter, the students are already familiar with most of the physical concepts and the math is easier to absorb.

Aimed at junior and senior undergraduate students, this book covers recent developments in airplane flight dynamics and introduces bifurcation and continuation methods as a tool for flight dynamic analysis. Designed to help students make the transition from classroom calculations to the real-world of computational flight dynamics, it offers a practical perspective, enhanced by the inclusion of an open source computational tool.