DOCUMENT RESUME ED 058 456 VT 014 597 TITLE Exploring in Aeronautics. An Introductionto Aeronautical Sciences. INSTITUTION National Aeronautics and SpaceAdministration, Cleveland, Ohio. Lewis Research Center. REPORT NO NASA-EP-89 PUB DATE 71 NOTE 398p. AVAILABLE FROMSuperintendent of Documents, U.S. GovernmettPrinting Office, Washington, D.C. 20402 (Stock No.3300-0395; NAS1.19;89, $3.50) EDRS PRICE MF-$0.65 HC-$13.16 DESCRIPTORS Aerospace Industry; *AerospaceTechnology; *Curriculum Guides; Illustrations;*Industrial Education; Instructional Materials;*Occupational Guidance; *Textbooks IDENTIFIERS *Aeronatics ABSTRACT This curriculum guide is based on a year oflectures and projects of a contemporary special-interestExplorer program intended to provide career guidance and motivationfor promising students interested in aerospace engineering and scientific professions. The adult-oriented program avoidstechnicality and rigorous mathematics and stresses real life involvementthrough project activity and teamwork. Teachers in high schoolsand colleges will find this a useful curriculum resource, w!th manytopics in various disciplines which can supplement regular courses.Curriculum committees, textbook writers and hobbyists will also findit relevant. The materials may be used at college level forintroductory courses, or modified for use withvocationally oriented high school student groups. Seventeen chapters are supplementedwith photographs, charts, and line drawings. A related document isavailable as VT 014 596. (CD) SCOPE OF INTEREST NOTICE The ERIC Facility has assigned this document for processing to tri In our judgement, thisdocument is also of interest to the clearing- houses noted to the right. Index- ing should reflect their special points of view. 4.* EXPLORING IN AERONAUTICS an introduction to Aeronautical Sciencesdeveloped at the NASA Lewis Research Center, Cleveland, Ohio. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH. EDUCATION & WELFARE OFFICE OF EDUCATION THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN REPRO. DUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIG. INATING IT. POINTS OF VIEW OR OPIN. IONS STATED DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDU- CATION POSITION OR POLICY. National Aeronautics and Space AdministrAon, Washington,D.C. 20546 1971 Forsale by theSuperintendent ofDocuments, U.S. Government PrintingOffice Washington. D.C. 20402 - Price $3.60 Stock Number 3300-0396 PREFACE "Exploring in Aeronautics" is the second publication resulting from the NASA- Lewis Aerospace Explorer program; the first is titled "Exploring in Aerospace Rock- etry" (NASA EP-88). Both publications are based on the lectures and projects of a con- temporary, special-interest Evlorer program sponsored by the NASA-Lewis Research Center. The principal objective of this program is to provide promising students from local schools with an opportunity for meaningful career guidance and motivation over a wide spectrum of aerospace engineering and scientific professions.Each year, candi- dates (ages 15 to 19 years) for the program are selected by school officials on the basis of their demonstrated interest and proficiency in mathematics and science. In this adult- oriented program,we attempt to provide the young people with a meaningful career exposure through adult associations in a professional environment. Instead of merely lecturing to them, we try to involve the youths directly in the aero- space technology and to stress attendant projectactivity and teamwork. Fundamental scientific principles are explained through lectures and demonstrations.Technical so- phistication and rigorous mathematical developments are generally avoided.The youths are committed to a realistic simulation of the"research-and-development" environment. Project activities are assigned, planned, implemented, analyzed, and reported on insig- nificant detail.In effect, the youths are taken behind the scenes for a full view of the real engineering world. Throughout the program, emphasis is placed on communication. The art ofeffective communication, of course; is vital to almost any career. To generate a highlevel of in- terest, to ensure clarity and understanding in the presentations,and to achieve a rapport with the lecturers, the participants are encouraged to raise questions.Explorer "pro- ject engineers" are periodically required to report to the membership oncurrent project status and progress. Each year, the culmination of the program is aresearch symposi- um, in which the youths report theresults of their researches to an audience of parents, teachers, and Lewis management officials. NASA-Lewis employee participation in the program is considerable. Many employ- ees enthusiastically and sincerely guidethe young people in their scientific endeavors. Thus, the youths are exposed to a wide range of aerospace-oriented personnel -technicians, engineers, scientists, and administrators. The time donated to the programby these NASA employees is their personal contribution to the fi,*are well-being and success of our youth and our nation.In a very real sense, this effort goes hand in hand with the aca- demic programs to focus and developtheinterests and skills of our young men and women. III Lewis management believes that this work with young people is clearly in keeping with the spirit of the NASA Charter, wherein NASA is commissioned "to contribute ma- terially to. the expansion of human knowledge of phenomena in the atmosphere and space. " NASA is also charged with the "widest practicable . .dissemination of infor- mation concerning its activities and the results thereof. " This publication is intended not only to provide a basic explanation of some of the fundamentals of aerodynamics but also to stimulate other government agencies, educa- tional institutions, private industry, and business to establish career-motivation pro- grams within their own special fields of knowledge. The basis of this publication was just one year of the Lewis Explorer program. The various NASA-Lewis employees who lectured to the Explorers, and also served as asso- ciate advisers, during that year are identified as authors of the chapters of this publica- tion.Other employees who donated their time and talents to the program included Dr. Abe Silverstein (Explorer Post sponsor); Billy R. Harrison, William J. Masica, Roy A. Maurer, Edward T. Meleason, Brent A. Miller, Larry E. Smith, and Calvin W. Weiss (all associate advisers for wind-tunnel projects); John F. Staggs and Michael C. Thompson (associate advisers for flight projects); Harold D. Wharton (institutional rep- resentative); Joseph F. Hobzek, Jr.,(Chairman, Explorer Post Committee); William A. Brahms, Charles E. Kelsey, Donald A. Kelsey, Clair R. King, and Horace C. Moore, Jr.,(all members of Explorer Post Committee); and Clifford W. Brooks (photographer for the program and associate adviser for flight projects). James F. Connors Director of Technical Services (Adviser, Lewis Aerospace Explorer Post) INTRODUCTION The history of the airplane is much better known than the history of rockets and sat- ellites.Aircraft flying overhead are a common sight in all technologically advanced countries.It is quite appropriate, therefore, that an educational publication on the prin- ciples of aeronautics should be made available by NASA. An important use of this book could be as a curriculum resource for teachers in high schools and colleges.It might also be helpful to curriculum committees and textbook writers.It discusses many topics which teachers in various disciplines can use to sup- plement their regular courses.The comprehensive history of aviation given in the first chapter could enrich courses in general or physical science or the history of science. The chapter on weather safety and navigation in severe storms would be useful in Earth science courses. Many examples of applications of mathematics are found in the book. But the discipline which would find the most usefulness in the book is physics.Even a cursory glance through the book impresses one with the factthat the design and operation of aircraft would be impossible without an understanding of complex physical concepts. A course in aeronautics for college-capable students in high school could be built around the book, especially if the teacher refers to related literature for problem mate- rial to reinforce the concepts presented. At the college level it could provide appropri- ate material for introductory courses in the science of aeronautics.With some modifi- cation, it could be used with vocationally oriented student groups in high school.Student and adult hobbyists in aeronautics will find much of the book relevant to their interests. It is hoped that one outcome of the uee of this book, and of the companion volume, "Exploring in Aerospace Rocketry" (NASA EP-88), will be to stimulate the interest and imagination of capable students so that many of them will be interested in following de- velopments in the rapidly changing aerospace field. WC) C ONT ENT S Chapter Page PREFACE ill INTRODUCTION 1 1 AERONAUTICS IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE James F. Connors Evolution of the airplane.Milestones of aeronautical achievement. Tech- nological environments.Effects of military and commercial aircraft design requirements on technological prjgress. Brief chronology of someof the highlights of aeronautical history. 2 FLUID PROPERTIES PERTAINING TO AERODYNAMICS . Robert W. Graham Properties of the Earth's atmosphere.Static temperature.Static pres- sure.Density. Characteristics of fluids. Continuum property. Com- pressibility.Acoustic