Model Aircraft Aerodynamics

Rating:
Summary: Really Solid and Easily Understood
Review: As a professional aerospace engineer, I am often disappointed by books and articles written for amateurs and hobbyists. This book is a rare exception in that it is accurate, understandable and well laid out. The very low Reynolds number conditions that model aircraft fly in are sufficiently different from full scale that most engineers don't really understand what is going on. This book led me through unfamiliar territory and gave me a much fuller appreciation for the aerodynamics I encountered in very-high-altitude and planetary flight.

Rating:
Summary: Great for understanding planes of all sizes
Review: Even though its focus is models, this book is a great inexpensive companion to the far more costly textbooks on full-scale airplane design. A lot of its discussion is applicable to aircraft of any scale. About 1/3 of the book is devoted to airfoils, including discussions of section shape, camber, turbulent flow, laminar flow and the impact of Reynolds number. Like the other reviewer I particular like the appendixes which cover almost 130 pages of this book. The appendixes contain most of the math in the book, including the mathematical formulas for computing lift coefficient, camber, drag, static margin, etc. Mostly, though, they contain wind tunnel test results and profile shapes for many airfoils, not just the NACA ones, but also Eppler, Wortmann and Selig profiles and a few others that I had never heard of. The NACA profiles are easy to find (like in 'Theory of Wing Sections') but its nice to see such an extensive list of the harder-to-find profiles as well.

Rating:
Summary: Highly detailed text book. Intense reading but worthwhile
Review: The book is, to me, hard to read because there is little to no "scenery" in the book. Every sentence is packed with information which results in a slow read particular for a newcomer to the field of aerodynamics like myself.
Inevitably, every page is filled with "Why didn't I think of that" - type revelations. Don't rush into the book. Take it a page at a time because the pace builds up quickly - particularly in the first few chapters. If you don't understand a chapter, you will waste your time on the next. A Book for the patient, but eager to learn.

Martin Simons is an expert in his field and in this conversational, intense, book his knowledge is shared well.
Definitely the pride of my library.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting
Review: The book is, to me, hard to read because there is little to no "scenery" in the book. Every sentence is packed with information which results in a slow read particular for a newcomer to the field of aerodynamics like myself.
Inevitably, every page is filled with "Why didn't I think of that" - type revelations. Don't rush into the book. Take it a page at a time because the pace builds up quickly - particularly in the first few chapters. If you don't understand a chapter, you will waste your time on the next. A Book for the patient, but eager to learn.

Martin Simons is an expert in his field and in this conversational, intense, book his knowledge is shared well.
Definitely the pride of my library.

Rating:
Summary: Model Aircraft Aerodynamics by Martin Simons
Review: This is an excellent book, applicable to much more than model aircraft. Most of it's material is applicable to full size sailplanes and aircraft also. The book is not heavily mathematical, and chapters start with basic fundamentals and build from there. Significant prior knowledge is not required, but helpful. I actually bought the book after reading a copy of a friend's. I was pleasantly suprized to find that the later edition that I bought had more material in the same down to earth style as the first. Great book.

Rating:
Summary: Model Aircraft Aerodynamics by Martin Simons
Review: This is an excellent book, applicable to much more than model aircraft. Most of it's material is applicable to full size sailplanes and aircraft also. The book is not heavily mathematical, and chapters start with basic fundamentals and build from there. Significant prior knowledge is not required, but helpful. I actually bought the book after reading a copy of a friend's. I was pleasantly suprized to find that the later edition that I bought had more material in the same down to earth style as the first. Great book.

Rating:
Summary: Interesting
Review: Unfortunatly, the author uses Bernoulli's principle to explain lift. Also, his use of equations is minimal. Please see John D. Anderson's book if you wish to understand aerodynamic theory. Otherwise, the other customers' reviews stand.