The Simple Science of Flight From Insects to Jumbo Jets revised and expanded edition Henk Tennekes The MIT Press Cambridge, Massachusetts London, England 6 2009 Massachusetts Institute of Technology All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form by any electronic or mechanical means (including photocopying, recording, or information storage and retrieval) without permission in writing from the publisher. For information about special quantity discounts, email
[email protected]. Set in Melior and Helvetica Condensed on 3B2 by Asco Typesetters, Hong Kong. Printed and bound in the United States of America. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Tennekes, H. (Hendrik) The simple science of flight : from insects to jumbo jets / Henk Tennekes. — Rev. and expanded ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-262-51313-5 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. Aerodynamics. 2. Flight. I. Title. TL570.T4613 2009 629.132'3—dc22 2009012431 10987654321 Index Advanceratio,102,103 Climb, 46 Ailerons, 153 Cloud streets, 22 Airbrakes, 55, 69, 109 Concorde, 18, 165–167, 170 Airbus A340, 172, 178 Condors, 17, 18, 114 Airbus A380, 24, 172, 175, 178 Contrails, 118, 119 Airships, 55, 168, 182 Convair B36, 167 Airspeed, 4, 38, 63, 70, 82, 109, 121 Convergence, 19–24, 178 Air traffic controllers, 65, 93 Crows, 125 Albatrosses, 10, 45, 54, 68, 105, 106, 113, Cruising altitude, 64, 170, 185 124 Alexander, David, 23 Dacron, 143, 148 Antonov AN225, 178 Da Vinci, Leonardo, 154 Approach procedures, 89–94 Descent,