Second Edition, Princeton University Press, November 2022
Flight Dynamics takes a new approach to the science and mathematics of aircraft flight, unifying principles of aeronautics with contemporary systems analysis. It is a text and reference book for upper-level undergraduates and first-year graduate students as well as practicing engineers. While the book presents traditional material that is critical to understanding aircraft motions, it does so in the context of modern computational tools and multivariable methods. Particular attention is given to models and techniques that are appropriate for analysis, simulation, evaluation of flying qualities, and control system design. Bridges to classical analysis and results are established, and new territory is explored. The book is intended for readers with a broad background and interest in engineering and science. It introduces basic principles of trigonometry, calculus, linear algebra, and dynamics, and it continues with advanced topics, algorithms, and applications.
Dynamic analysis has changed dramatically during recent decades, with the introduction of powerful personal computers and scientific programming languages. The book presents the principles, derivations, and equations of flight dynamics with frequent reference to computed examples, and it includes MATLAB® code for six-degree-of-freedom simulation and linear system analysis.
By using common notation and not assuming a strong background in aeronautics, Flight Dynamics is accessible to a wide variety of readers. Introductions to aerodynamics, propulsion, structures, and the atmospheric and gravitational environment precede the development of the aircraft's dynamic equations. Systeme International (SI) units are used for the majority of the text. These units take better advantage of decimal arithmetic than U.S. Customary Units, the majority of world industry and academe uses them, and virtually all high school and college students learn physics, chemistry, and mathematics with SI units.
The first edition's chapter structure is retained. More examples and illustrations are included, and supporting material is arranged in text boxes. There is additional information on conventional and electric propulsion. While the emphasis is on fixed-wing flight within the atmosphere, an example of flight into space and reentry into the atmosphere is given. The discussion of piloting actions and flying qualities criteria is integrated within a new section. A new chapter on flight control design gives comprehensive coverage to techniques that apply for a wide range of linear and nonlinear dynamic models with analog or digital systems. Appendix E, which formerly was a bibliography of NASA reports, now presents exercises for each section of the book.
Flight Dynamics is organized in eight chapters and an epilogue.
- Introduction (Chapter 1) presents a summary of the important elements of the aircraft and its systems; examples of about a dozen aircraft ranging from an uninhabited air vehicle, through general aviation and transport aircraft, to combat aircraft, trans/supersonic aircraft, and lifting entry vehicles; and an overview of the mechanics of flight.
- Exploring the Flight Envelope (Chapter 2) describes the atmospheric environment, kinematic equations, aerodynamic forces and moments, static aerodynamic coefficients, aircraft propulsion, and flight performance.
- The Dynamics of Aircraft Motion (Chapter 3) provides comprehensive coverage of the nonlinear equations of motion, expressed in various coordinate systems and with alternative angular measures (direction cosines and quaternions).
- Methods of Analysis and Design (Chapter 4) addresses the fundamental equations used for both classical and modern analysis of aircraft stability and control, including stochastic methods, and it presents introductions to aeroelasticity, flying qualities criteria, and flight control system design.
- Longitudinal Motions (Chapter 5) presents motions in the vertical plane in a novel fashion, building insight with reduced-order linear models derived from the complete set.
- Lateral-Directional Motions (Chapter 6) parallels the previous chapter, describing rolling and yawing motion with increasingly complex models, and subjecting each to a series of analyses.
- Coupled Longitudinal and Lateral-Directional Motions (Chapter 7) goes into considerable detail about the ways in which motions interact, using bifurcation analysis, linear analysis, and nonlinear simulation, and it introduces several approaches to nonlinear control system design that are essential for high-angle-of-attack flight.
- Flight Control Design (Chapter 8) provides several methods for designing closely integrated multivariable flight control systems. Topics include command response, optimal feedback control and state estimation, parameter identification, stability margins, control system robustness, gain scheduling, neural network control, nonlinear dynamic inversion, adaptive control via machine learning, failure detection, identification, and reconfiguration.
- The Epilogue briefly discusses the implications of the book.
- Table of Contents
- Errata
Princeton University Press Listing
MATLAB Code for Analysis and Simulation
Flight Dynamics, Second Edition is accompanied by a nonlinear, six-degree-of-freedom simulation program FLIGHTv2.m and mathematical models of a business jet and an advanced jet trainer. There are two models for each aircraft: a low-angle-of-attack, Mach-number dependent model and a Mach-number-independent model for angles of attack up to 90 deg. The MATLAB simulation script can be used to demonstrate motions across the spectrum of flight, including effects of compressibility, stalling, spinning, and control nonlinearity. The jet trainer model is formulated with the program, ModelBuild.m, which uses the methods of Chapters 4 and 5 of Flight Dynamics to describe mass, inertial, and aerodynamic properties of the configuration.
Nonlinear Six-Degree-of-Freedom Aircraft Simulation [FLIGHTv2.m]
FLIGHTv2.m also can generate linear, time-invariant (LTI) dynamic models at arbitrary flight conditions. The LTI models can be subjected to various linear analyses in the MATLAB program SURVEY.m, including model-order reduction through truncation or residualization, transient response, equilibrium response, controllability and observability, Bode, Nyquist, and Nichols plots, and root locus analysis. Longitudinal and lateral-directional motions can be analyzed separately or under fully coupled flight conditions. The FLIGHTv2.m and SURVEY.m programs are heavily commented for ease of understanding.
Linear System Survey [SURVEY.m]
The MATLAB code that generates paper airplane flight paths for the book's Example 1.5-1 is presented in Paper Airplane Simulation [PaperPlane.m]
A First Course in Aircraft Flight Dynamics
While covering all the material in the book typically would require a two-semester course, a one-term undergraduate course can be based upon portions of the book, leaving the more advanced topics for independent reading. Flight Dynamics is written with a physics-based evolution of topics; a more flexible organization of material may be preferred for lectures and assignments. With this in mind, guidelines for first and second courses on flight dynamics and control are given in the book. Lecture slides, assignments, and internet links for a third/fourth-year undergraduate course can be found online below.
Aircraft Flight Dynamics introduces students to the performance, stability, and control of aircraft ranging from micro-uninhabited air vehicles through general aviation, jet transport, and fighter aircraft to Mars planes and re-entry vehicles. Particular attention is given to mathematical models and techniques for analysis, simulation, and evaluation of flying qualities, with brief discussion of guidance, navigation, and control. Topics include equations of motion, configuration aerodynamics, analysis of linear systems, and longitudinal/lateral/directional motions.
While the course focuses on the Science and Mathematics of flight dynamics, historical antecedents are presented as Case Studies in aircraft performance, stability, and control. The case studies were initially motivated by Airplane Stability and Control: A History of the Technologies that Made Aviation Possible (2005), M. J. Abzug and E. E. Larrabee, and they are enhanced by reference to current web-based content. A compilation of bookmarks for web pages describing important elements of flight dynamics can be found at
First Edition, Princeton University Press, 2004
Endorsements, Reviews, and Errata for First Edition
"A monumental piece of work. Its comprehensive treatment of flight dynamics makes it the broadest in its class and constitutes a major contribution to the aerospace community. Destined for students' shelves as well as mine, it will also be valuable as the methodological companion to the aircraft designer, flight test engineer, and pilot."-- Eric Feron, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (currently, KAUST)
"This book is definitely a significant contribution to the field. It is more comprehensive than any other work on flight dynamics I have seen; it includes newer concepts, such as neural nets and wind shear effects, some of these reflecting the author's own research; and it gives a very broad view of flight dynamics. Not only is it a fine textbook on flight dynamics, but it is so thorough and so well written that it will undoubtedly catch the attention of practicing engineers and airplane enthusiasts."-- Haim Baruh, Rutgers University
Reviews
Review by Michael Cook, Cranfield University, for The Aeronautical Journal
Review by John Hodgkinson, AeroArts LLC, for the AIAA Journal
Review by Eric Feron, Georgia Institute of Technology, for the IEEE Control Systems Magazine
Review by John Valasek, Texas A&M University, for the Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics
Online comments:
"Originally bought this book for a Flight Dynamics course in college, but these days I'm working in the aerospace industry and it has proven an invaluable reference again and again. Superb development and explanation of a fundamental aircraft dynamics model, followed by in-depth analysis of the revealed modes of motion; this book is a tremendous resource for anyone interested or involved with aircraft." -- Anon., Amazon
"This is an excellent book that any flight controls or aviation engineer will find more than just useful. It provides a pretty complete treatment of the state variable approach and should serve as an excellent starting point for those wanting to design actual controllers for aircraft." -- Anon., Amazon
"This is an excellent book, I remembered it from university days and recently re-purchased it for work (flight simulator engineer). It covers almost every aspect of fixed wing aircraft dynamics you might want, and of course a fair amount reads across to rotary wing vehicles. The appendices summarizing the MATLAB models provided and relevant NASA papers are useful. The book language and notation doesn't assume too much prior specific aeronautics experience so it can be shared with colleagues from a different background." -- Anon, Amazon
Errata, 1st Edition
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Robert F. Stengel is Professor Emeritus and former Associate Dean of Engineering and Applied Science at Princeton University. He is the author of Optimal Control and Estimation (Dover, 1994). He was principal designer of the Apollo Lunar Module manual attitude control logic.
