Product Description
A New Edition of the Most Effective Text/Reference in the Field! Aerodynamics, Aeronautics, and Flight Mechanics, Second Edition Barnes W. McCormick, Pennsylvania State University 57506-2 When the first edition of Aerodynamics, Aeronautics, and Flight Mechanics was published, it quickly became one of the most important teaching and reference tools in the field. Not only did generations of students learn from it, they continue to use it on the job-the first edition remains one of the most well-thumbed guides you'll find in an airplane company. Now this classic text/reference is available in a bold new edition. All new material and the interweaving of the computer throughout make the Second Edition even more practical and current than before! A New Edition as Complete and Applied as the First Both analytical and applied in nature, Aerodynamics, Aeronautics, and Flight Mechanics presents all necessary derivations to understand basic principles and then applies this material to specific examples. You'll find complete coverage of the full range of topics, from aerodynamics to propulsion to performance to stability and control. Plus, the new Second Edition boasts the same careful integration of concepts that was an acclaimed feature of the previous edition. For example, Chapters 9, 10, and 11 give a fully integrated presentation of static, dynamic, and automatic stability and control. These three chapters form the basis of a complete course on stability and control. New Features You'll Find in the Second Edition
* A new chapter on helicopter and V/STOL aircraft- introduces a phase of aerodynamics not covered in most current texts
* Even more material than the previous edition, including coverage of stealth airplanes and delta wings
* Extensive use of the computer throughout- each chapter now contains several computer exercises
* A computer disk with programs written by the author is available ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Not worth it
Unfortunately had to use this one for two corses. It's a paperweight and nothing more. The set up of the text is good but most of the time it felt like the guy got bored. Basically, here is a start and the rest do your own reasearch. If you have lots of spare time on your hands, this book is for you. If not, try David Anderson's books instead.

Students Be Warned
From the selections of texts I have had to read this year including: Gas Dynamics, Numerical Methods with Matlab, and Aerodynamics, this text was by far the worst. It is all talk and no example. There are maybe two or three actual examples in the whole thing. The sections are setup in a logical manner and the flow was okay. However, there is no overall view provided. Equations are dropped out as though they are they are important, when they're just intermediate steps to other equations.

Homework problems are insanely hard to do for those unfamiliar with the subject. Do not read this book expecting to learn how to build a plane. The only thing you can pick up are broad concepts. Example, Chapter 4 is on drag, most books do a really good job of giving you an idea of the big picture and how to use concepts. Rather than give a broad overview of the overall or total drag and then breaking it down from there, the author starts examining pieces of the drag problem and connects some of them together near the middle, without talking about how to incorporate the rest and ends with a talk about getting minimum drag. Horrible explanation.

Equations, explanations and concepts need to be presented in a clearer fashion examples need to be added and then it might be a decent book. Until then it's only a mediocre piece of work.

THE SECOND EDITION IS NO BETTER THAN THE FIRST
I have both editions of this book. The first one was not so good; the second is still worse. It is the first edition with some few changes and many misprints. The introduction of some computer programs does not make this book an up-to-date one.
It is still an old book with just a colorfull cover.

Not an easy read, but a good reference book;
I plead that this not be used as text for any course, as it is a lousy teaching book. It lacks continuity and contains far to many typos. Does make a good desk ref, lots of real world data, but with an under used index individuals unfamiliar with the text might have a hard time finding what they are looking for.

Could be better
As I read in another review, the quality of the book depends on what you need it for. Although it covers a breadth of topics, it is poor for learning from. There are misprints and not enough examples. It also annoyed me that the derivations weren't always worked out completely, sometimes introducing other variables without explaination. You'd have to have read and absorbed all the previous chapters to make those leaps on your own. There is a very good list of notations in the back, however, and the author is consistent with it which somewhat lessens this problem. A pet peeve from the book, however, is how the author assigns writing computer programs as problems, and then refers to those programs as derivations of other principles later in the book. For a better introduction on aeronautical principles, I recommend Anderson's text, which is an easy read and is very clear in its derivations. ... Read more

Product Description
The journey from an aeronautical engineer's design to a working aircraft is one which begins in the classroom. This textbook provides the resources students need to understand the methods and thought processes involved in designing aircraft. The book provides a working knowledge of how an aircraft is shaped and optimized to perform specific missions by countless design decisions. It seeks to provide motivation throughout a student's academic career by giving an idea of the design process and providing a foundation for more advanced studies in aeronautical and aerospace engineering. End of chapter problems give a summary of concepts and features and provide an opportunity to analyze and synthesize industry examples and their applications. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Not so good
Quite hard to follow. The organization is pretty weird and jumps all over the place. Diagram that are being refered to and are usually on the next page, so you end up fliping back and forth. Formulars are organized pretty badly. End of chapter has a summary which give the important parts, so that's a plus.

Great information source
This is a great book for students just entering the world of aeronautics.It starts with the basics and gradually moves up, at a pace comfortable for almost anyone.Highly recommended.

A great book
This is a great book to understand the principles of wings, stability and structures, I recommend for the ones who does not know a lot about aeronautics and want to know a bit about it.

Great Motivation
Dr. Brandt did really great job on this book. The way of his approach to the idea of becoming aerospace design enginners is excellent, and most of the problams and exercises he describe are also outstanding.

GO USAF Academy
I would assume the only people buying this go to the air force academy or are taking classes that they really shouldn't be at another university. ... Read more

Product Description
This is an EXACT reproduction of a book published before 1923. This IS NOT an OCR'd book with strange characters, introduced typographical errors, and jumbled words.This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. that were either part of the original artifact, or were introduced by the scanning process. We believe this work is culturally important, and despite the imperfections, have elected to bring it back into print as part of our continuing commitment to the preservation of printed works worldwide. We appreciate your understanding of the imperfections in the preservation process, and hope you enjoy this valuable book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

History of aeronautics is worth every penny you spend
I can only recommend this book to all people interested in the beginnings of aviation. It is detailed and almost complete. The only thing that could have been done better is the organization and structure of the different chapters. A chronological order would have allowed easier research of specific items.

... Read more

Product Description
From an authoritative expert whose work on modern helicopter rotor blade analysis has spanned over three decades, comes the first consistent and rigorous presentation of beam theory. Beginning with an overview of the theory developed over the last 60 years, Dr. Hodges addresses the kinematics of beam deformation, provides a simple way to characterize strain in an initially curved and twisted beam, and offers cross-sectional analysis for beams with arbitrary cross sections and composed of arbitrary materials. He goes on to present a way to accurately recover all components of cross-sectional strain and stress before providing a natural one-dimensional (1-D) theory of beams. Sample results for both cross-sectional and 1-D analysis are presented as is a parallel treatment for thin-walled beams. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Graduate Level or for the Active Researcher
This book gives a method of analysis of beams that is suitable for a wide variety of applications. Beams are defined as slender structural members and may be made of virtually any material. Beams may be very large as in components of buildings,aircraft wings, or bridges, or quite small as in shafts or turbine blades.

The theoretical foundations of this book have been inspired largely by research conducted to meet the need for accurate analysis of helicopter rotor blades made of composit materials. Rotor blades are extremely complex beams that must function under a wide variety of conditions and loads. They are also a subject that has received a lot of attention because of Government funding.

This book is based on helicoptor rotor analysis, but other beams can be analyzed using the same techniques, and probably somewhat easier because most other beams are significantly simpler in design.

This is quite an advanced book. It could be used for a graduate level course in mechanical engineering or more likely for use by a reseacher with real problems to solve. ... Read more

Product Description
This valuable volume offers a systematic approach to flight vehicle system identification and covers exhaustively the time-domain methodology. It addresses in detail the theoretical and practical aspects of various parameter estimation methods, including those in the stochastic framework and focusing on nonlinear models, cost functions, optimization methods, and residual analysis. A pragmatic and balanced account of pros and cons in each case are provided. It also presents data gathering, model validation and covers both large scale systems and high fidelity modeling. Real world problems dealing with a variety of flight vehicle applications are addressed and solutions are provided. Examples encompass such problems as estimation of aerodynamics, stability, and control derivatives from flight data, flight path reconstruction, nonlinearities in control surface effectiveness, stall hysteresis, unstable aircraft, and other critical considerations. Beginners, as well as practicing researchers, engineers, and working professionals who wish to refresh or broaden their knowledge of flight vehicle system identification will find this book highly beneficial.Based on years of experience, the book also provides recommendations for overcoming problems likely to be faced in developing complex nonlinear and high fidelity models and can help the novice negotiate the challenges of developing highly accurate mathematical models and aerodynamic databases from experimental flight data. Software that runs under MATLAB[registered] and sample flight data are provided to assist the reader in reworking the examples presented in the text. The software can also be adapted to the reader's own interests. ... Read more

Product Description
"The Lockheed Blackbirds hold a unique place in the development of aeronautics. In their day, the A-12, YF-12, M-21, D-21, and SR-71 variants outperformed all other jet airplanes in terms of altitude and speed. Now retired, they remain the only production aircraft capable of sustained Mach 3 cruise and operational altitudes above 80,000 feet. This is the first book to address the technical aspects of these incredible aircraft. The author describes the design evolution of the Blackbird, from the Archangel to the Senior Crown (the Air Forceís SR-71.) He describes in detail the construction and materials challenges faced by Lockheed, as well as the Blackbirdís performance characteristics and capabilities. A NASA historian, the author describes NASAís role in using the aircraft as a flying laboratory to collect data on materials, structures, loads, heating, aerodynamics, and performance for high-speed aircraft. The reader will benefit from the bookís discussion of the technical and programmatic lessons learned.

This volume was produced in cooperation with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Technical and easy to read - What made it go.
Suitably impressed and pleasantly surprised at the content and detail contained in this book of the blackbird. Its is easy to read and has information for all facets for those wishing to know more about blackbirds, for the novice to the really serious.It is one book I feel, anyone must have on the design and development, from a technical side, of these wonderful aircraft. The nuts and bolts of how this aircraft was developed and the specifications of how fast it climbed and flew are all held within the pages. Not a picture essay, a literary detailing of the how they did it with photos for clarity. And the DVD supporting materials - yahoooooooooooooooo - The flight and instruction manuals for all aircraft types in the Blackbird livery in PDF - Photographs, specifications, Movies - all on 3.7 gig of data on DVD. Highly recommended and a must for the library of all SR-71 fans.

good/verry poor
I rate the book very highly.
However I was disapointed, by the cost of the postage! I asked amazon UK did it come with the dvd that I'd seen on a review on amazon usa. They couldn't tell meif it did, or didn't. So I paid for it on Amazon USA. for it to be dilivered from within the UK.
Will make me think twice before I buy from this seller again.

All the technical details, and then some
This is a great little great book on the Blackbird - SR-71 or YF-12.This is not a pretty picture book on the Blackbird, like so many already out in print.Instead this book details the background on the aircraft's design, its development from a few drawings from Kelly Johnson, to the building and flying of the Blackbird.It even details the history of the D-21 Mach 3 drone, something unknown until it showed up in the bone yard in the desert.There are many line drawings detailing the design and technology in the Blackbird.But for me, an old aeronautical engineer, the most interesting section was the ten pages of discussion and drawings of the prolusion system.Here you can see some detail of how the J58 operated as a turbojet at takeoff all the way to transforming itself into a turbo-ramjet at mach 3+.But what was totally unexpected was the disk inserted into the back of the book.This CD had manuals, reports, images and several short videos of the SR-71.To go through the flight manuals of the SR-71, the YF-12and theA-12 was amazing.Granted it is more detail that most would want to know, but still extremely interesting.It is probably the most detailed technical collection of information on this unique aircraft that I have ever seen, at least all unclassified.The line drawings are interesting, with a wealth of detail, only an engineer could truly love.While this book reads like a detailed technical history, it will still interest every SR-71 enthusiast.But this book has the engineering detail for those interested in a deeper technical understanding.The manuals are just amazing with their wealth of technical details and mind-numbing at the same time, with numerous graphs, operational discussions and schematics.I would say that this is the last word on Blackbird details. ... Read more

Product Description
Higher operating efficiencies, fewer pollutant emissions, and low capital investment have made gas turbines a dominant technology for a new power generating capacity in the US and worldwide. This book offers gas turbine users and manufacturers a valuable resource to help them sort through issues associated with combustion instabilities. In the last ten years, substantial efforts have been made in the industrial, governmental, and academic communities to understand the unique issues associated with combustion instabilities in low-emission gas turbines. The objective of this book is to compile these results into a series of chapters that address the various facets of the problem. The Case Studies section speaks to specific manufacturer and user experiences with combustion instabilities in the development stage and in fielded turbine engines. The book then goes on to examine The Fundamental Mechanisms, The Combustor Modeling, and Control Approaches. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Combustion Instabilities in an expansive nutshell
Excellent review of the topic. Covers all the major approaches to the subject: modeling, empirical observations, dynamic control, diagnostics...
Highly recommended reading for researchers looking for a well-rounded grasp of the problem and current research.
R.Wainner - AE Ph.D. '99 - Combustion/Optical Diagnostics ... Read more

Product Description
Presenting research papers contributed by experts in dynamics and control, Advances in Dynamics and Control explores new ideas, reviews the latest results, and discusses emerging directions in the rapidly growing field of aviation and aerospace. The authors discuss a wide range of topics in rotorcraft dynamics, stabilization of unstable aircraft, spacecraft, satellite dynamics and control, missile auto-pilot and guidance design, hybrid systems dynamics and control, and structural and acoustic modeling. The book is a valuable reference for graduate students and scientific workers in universities and industry. ... Read more

Product Description
This is the first major publication on liquid-rocket combustion devices since 1960. A total of 26 chapters prepared by world-renowned experts in their subject areas are included. Each chapter focuses on a specific aspect of liquid-propellant combustion and thrust chamber dynamics, and is incorporated into the volume in a well-organized, cohesive manner. There are contributions from nine different countries - China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, The Netherlands, Russia, Sweden, and the United States. ... Read more

Product Description
Eichblatt has distilled his 25 years of practical experienceand wisdom into this much-needed guidebook to test and evaluation oftactical missiles. With this book in hand the reader can determine whetherthe weapon meets its requirements, how well it functions operationally,and whether or not it should continue into production.

This readable text is amply supplemented by hundreds of tables anddiagrams. Also included are useful appendices on proportional navigation,Laplace transforms, Doppler, and radome refraction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A masterpiece of the art of missile testing and evaluation
Highly recommended for all technical personnel from missile design engineers to launch site experts. This book is one of the rare technical publications which goes beyond the theory-practice-result chain and provides extremely useful direct engineering know-how at each step of the entire discussion. The editor did a truly great job in compiling different aspects of tactical missile testing effort including statistical target-hit analysis, kinematic uncertainties and in-flight data collection. Together with 'Conventional Warhead Systems Physics and Engineering Design' it should be an integral part of the library of every aerospace/weapons systems engineer who would like to gain technical insight into the design/test methodology of the airborne weapons engineering in the pre-DEPW (directed energy/pulse weapons) period. ... Read more

Product Description
In total passenger miles, air travel has never been more popular. But as any frequent flyer knows, air travel problems are growing even faster long lines, lost luggage, overbooking, flight delays, and serious safety issues. And instead of doing something about it, the traveling public seems simply to be sitting down, buckling in, and allowing itself to be treated like sheep.

But it doesn't have to be this way. There are solutions to our air travel problems, real solutions that can make real differences. And they don t require 15 years to implement.

With decades of experience in civil aviation and policy, Drs. George Donohue and Russell Shaver are well qualified to assess the problems in the system and to offer responsible, workable solutions. Dr. Donohue, the current Director of the Center for Air Transportation Systems Research and a Professor of Systems Engineering at George Mason University (GMU), has extensive high-level experience at the Federal Aviation Administration and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Dr. Shaver, formerly a senior RAND Corporation research analyst and now a visiting research fellow at GMU, served as chief scientist for policy analysis at the MITRE Center for Advanced Aviation System Development.

The stories they tell are compelling. They are high-profile horror stories passengers stranded for hours on the tarmac, flights canceled for bad weather when there s not a drop of rain anywhere near the flight path, and an overall sense of apathy and obstructionism among those responsible for managing the industry. Interestingly, these problems are not the inevitable result of the size or complexity of the U.S. system. Air transportation in Europe, with almost identical air traffic control systems and safety standards, is far better. Amsterdam moves 30% more passengers than Newark, but the average flight delay is an order of magnitude lower. In addition, a European Passenger s Bill of Rights giving distressed passengers the right to substantial and immediate compensation has been a powerful incentive for non-U.S. airlines to maintain their schedules.

The Causes

So just how did we get where we are in the U.S. system today? Donohue and Shaver cite multiple reasons for the chaos we now face. These causes include airline deregulation, multiple governmental agencies with no central oversight or responsibility, multiple corporate entities with conflicting agendas, and a technologically outdated air traffic control system. Even more importantly, there seems to be a complete absence of advocacy for the customer the passengers. The authors also explain that our air travel problems, if left unaddressed, are on a direct course to greatly impact the overall U.S. economy and harm our global competitiveness. In 2006 alone, the delays and cancellations cost U.S. travelers an estimated $3.2 billion. And in 2004 and 2005, the U.S. tourism industry is estimated to have lost $98 billion in revenue due to our air travel mess.

The Cures

Fortunately, Donohue and Shaver don t leave us in this state of chaos. Their provocative analysis not only identifies the causes and extent of the problems, but also provides us with a course heading that will put us on the path to recovery. The solutions they propose include holding the government decision-makers responsible, expanding the capacity of airports and airplanes, modernizing the air traffic control system, and implementing what the authors call the 30% solution to significantly reduce congestion.

In short, this book should be read by every airline passenger traveling in or through the United States. As a country, ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Horrible!
This book was horrible.This guy is a hack.He know nothing about Air Traffic Control.

Terminal Chaos exposes the injustices endured by the flying public
Great book describing the complacency of an industry that has not evolved over the past 30 years. Old regulations and old technology = inefficient results. The end user, the American flying public, ends up suffering through delays and cancellations, not to mention a generally inefficient and uncomfortable journey as a whole. Terminal Chaos exposes the weaknesses in the system and provides interesting alternatives to alleviate a growing problem.Great book to read especially if you're a frequent flyer.

Interesting
The book was of interest to me as an aviation writer. I found many of the points to be valid and well supported. However, the focus was far to narrow and was limited to infrastructure shortcomings. There was little attention paid to the failures of management and lack of vision. It tells part, but not all, of the story.

Donohue Says the System is Broken (and He Should Know)
A critique of the current crisis in airline travel and America's air traffic control system -- as told by one of the architects of the current mess (and his ghost-writer).Donohue throughout demonstrates more than adequately that he has no understanding of airline economics or of the technical issues he was supposedly responsible for.Donohue should not be peddling books; Donohue should be on trial for professional malfeasance.

Great book.
The author really understand the complex issues that are crippling our nation's air traffic system. Very evident that he wants to spark change through this book. We can only hope that things will get better before they get worse! ... Read more

Product Description
The fifth edition of this best-selling title has three new chapters on important topics related to improving missile guidance performance and several important new concepts in the Appendix. The first new chapter presents several alternative ways of developing guidance laws numerically. These techniques can be used to derive more advanced guidance laws when the missile guidance system dynamics become very complex. An example is presented showing the advantages of a new advanced guidance law over more conventional guidance laws. Previous editions of the text have shown that intentional or unintentional spiraling maneuvers on the part of a tactical ballistic missile can also make it particularly difficult for a pursuing missile to hit. Estimating the target weave frequency is a critical component in advanced guidance laws that can be used to counter these spiraling threats. The second new chapter presents a linear Kalman filter bank approach, originally introduced in the 1960's, for accurately estimating the target weave frequency and improving missile guidance system performance.So far, all of the engagement simulations presented in this text have either been in one or two dimensions. This was done to make it easier for the reader to more easily understand all of the concepts presented in the text. The third new chapter provides several examples on how to convert previous engagement simulation code to three dimensions in both the tactical and strategic worlds. A simplified mapping database is included with the text in order to demonstrate how geographical context can be provided in three dimensional strategic engagement simulations. An example of one of the new concepts presented in the Appendix is the use of the discrete Fourier Transform for calculating the miss due to weaving targets. Together with numerous new examples and easy-to-understand graphs and explanations, readers with varied learning styles will find "Tactical and Strategic Missile Guidance" a staple for any aerospace engineer's library. Companion software, in both Macintosh and IBM-compatible versions, contains source code listings in FORTRAN, C, and MATLAB[registered] languages.A detailed set of appendices not only serves as a user's guide but also explains how the text's FORTRAN source can easily be converted to either C or MATLAB. The conversion technique plus detailed source code examples will be tools of interest to all engineers, regardless of whether you specialize in missile guidance or other aerospace-related fields. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Comments from author on 5th edition
The fifth edition has three new chapters on important topics related to improving missile guidance performance and several important new concepts in the Appendix. The first new chapter presents several alternative ways of developing guidance laws numerically. These techniques can be used to derive more advanced guidance laws when the missile guidance system dynamics become very complex. An example is presented showing the advantages of a new advanced guidance law over more conventional guidance laws. Previous editions of the text have shown that intentional or unintentional spiraling maneuvers on the part of a tactical ballistic missile can also make it particularly difficult for a pursuing missile to hit.Estimating the target weave frequency is a critical component in advanced guidance laws that can be used to counter these spiraling threats. The second new chapter presents a linear Kalman filter bank approach, originally introduced in the 1960's, for accurately estimating the target weave frequency and improving missile guidance system performance. So far, all of the engagement simulations presented in this text have either been in one or two dimensions.This was done to make it easier for the reader to more easily understand all of the concepts presented in the text.The third new chapter provides several examples on how to convert previous engagement simulation code to three dimensions in both the tactical and strategic worlds. A simplified mapping database is included with the text in order to demonstrate how geographical context can be provided in three dimensional strategic engagement simulations.An example of one of the new concepts presented in the Appendix is the use of the discrete Fourier Transform for calculating the miss due to weaving targets. The new topics are treated from both an analytical and simulation point of view so that readers with different backgrounds and learning styles can benefit from the new material.
On a personal note, it has still been very gratifying for me to learn that many people working with or having to learn about missile guidance have found Tactical and Strategic Missile Guidance useful.Over the years many readers have contacted me and have asked questions when the book's material was not clear to them.Material in the existing chapters has been clarified so that all will benefit from my interaction with the readers.It is still my hope that this fifth edition will be of value not only to new readers, but will also be worthwhile to those who have already read the previous editions.

Tactical and Strategic Missile Guidance, Fourth Edition
Ordering was easy and product arrived quickly.

Some problems
The matlab scripts do not follow the matlab programming style,and many of the buildin functions of matlab should be used for simplicity and efficiency,such as ode45.

There is a possible error in the 2nd chapter .
On page 13.The closing velocity is defined as

Vc = -d(Rtm)/dt

The author says that" In other words,from calculus we know that the closing velocity will be zero when Rtm is a minimum(i.e.the function is either minimum or maximum when its derivative is zero)."

But the function must be contineous and *differentiable*.
Just think a case with target and missile both on x axis,and missile fly with a constant speed.You will see that the Rtm function is not differentiable at x=0.

Outstanding text for learning about missile guidance

Professor Zarchan's text is an outstanding
treatment of missile guidance and control.
The derivation of proportional navigation and
other missile control laws provides insight
and the additions for ballistic missiles are
particularly relevant for today's missile
specialists. The computer programs provide a
quick reference, and enhance the derivations.
A must have for developers, testers, or
anyone with an interest in missile guidance
and control. ... Read more

Product Description
Risk management is an important project management and systems engineering skill that can be applied to a wide variety of projects. This is particularly important in an era of downsizing, consolidation, shrinking budgets, increasing technological sophistication, and shorter development times.

The text describes practices that can be used by both project management and technical practitioners including those who are unfamiliar with risk management. The reader will learn to perform risk planning, identify and analyze risks, develop and implement risk handling plans, and monitor progress in reducing risks to an acceptable level. The book will help the reader to develop and implement a suitable risk management process and to evaluate an existing risk management process, identify shortfalls, and develop and implement needed enhancements.

The second edition presents more than 700 risk management tips to succeed and traps to avoid, including numerous lessons learned derived from work performed on Air Force, Army, Navy, DoD, NASA, commercial, and other programs that feature hardware-intensive and software-intensive projects. The second edition includes a "roadmap" guide and expanded table of contents and index to enhance access to key information. A new appendix written by renowned risk management consultant and author Dr. Robert N. Charette addresses whether or not the definition of risk should include opportunity. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Practical insteal of theoretical
This book is for risk management professionals, or those who work with risk management (project managers, IT security and business continuity professionals and engineers) who want or need to master advanced risk management techniques based on real world issues and factors. Although the book is focused on risk management from a DoD contracting perspective, the material is applicable to commercial organizations as well. The author provides an appendix that compare DoD contracting and commercial environments to ensure that this book has a wide appeal (A Comparison of Risk Management for Commercial and Defense Programs).Obviously if you work in the DoD contracting industry this book is going to be more applicable.

The book begins with an introduction that discusses risk management, why it's needed and what it is.I felt that this material was too basic for an advanced book, but the subsequent chapters quickly got to the heart of the subject by providing the details for an implementation life cycle of an effective risk management process that consists of:
(1) Implementation
(2) Planning
(3) Identification
(4) Analysis
(5) Managing risks
(6) Monitoring

What makes this book valuable for real world practitioners are the pragmatic advice for developing a risk management process that is based on the lessons learned by the author and best practices.In fact, there are over 250 such lessons learned. These alone make the book worthwhile for even the most experienced practitioner because there are sure to be many that you may not have considered.In addition to the best practices, the author provides pitfalls common to risk management and how to avoid them.

Another aspect of this book that adds value is the use of readily available tools, such as Microsoft Excel, and popular simulation software (CrystalBall) to reinforce the techniques that are described in the book.Overall this is one of the best books on risk management that I own because it goes into deep detail and coves advanced topics. It also is practical instead of theoretical, which sets it apart from most risk management books. ... Read more

Product Description
With more than 4800 copies of the previous edition in use, this best-selling, comprehensive text documents the fundamental theoretical developments in astrodynamics and space navigation that led to Man's ventures into space. It includes the essential elements of celestial mechanics, spacecraft trajectories, and space navigation, as well as the history of the underlying mathematical developments.

The material presented in the text represents a 25-year evolution in course material developed by Dr. Battin. Former students who benefited from this material include three of the astronauts who walked on the moon.

The text format offers flexibility for the user. Chapters are largely independent of each other and may be read or taught in any order, offering the opportunity to organize an undergraduate or graduate course that meets the needs of students having various levels of background and preparation. Further, the book covers more subject matter than is covered in a single course of instruction, thereby motivating students to stray from the beaten path of the classroom. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Things about Apollo you didn't know ...
Although "Astrodynamics" is a discipline only about 50 years old - the name is attributed to the late Samuel Herrick - it has a distinguished history.For one thing, it is a branch of celestial mechanics, whose history can be traced all the way back to Ptolemy's "Almagest."Along the way are found many venerable masterpieces, including Copernicus's "De revolutionibus orbium coelestium," Kepler's "Harmonices Mundi," Newton's "Principia," and Laplace's "Mecanique Celeste."
Only time will tell exactly where Richard Battin's book fits into this pantheon, but there is no question it is an outstanding book. Actually, the book may be considered to be three books: a) a history of Apollo navigation; b) an exposition of classical celestial mechanics/astrodynamics; and c) a book on applied mathematics covering hypergeometric functions, continued fractions, and elliptic functions.
The material on Apollo navigation is fascinating, and perhaps nowhere else so easily accessible. Prior to reading Battin's "Astrodynamics [for short]"I was somewhat familiar with this topic (I started my career with Apollo), but I discovered much that was new and fascinating. For example, I knew that optical navigation was a backup to radio navigation on Apollo, but I did not fully appreciate why. It turns out that NASA was afraid the Soviet Union would try to disrupt radio navigation in an attempt to make Apollo fail. Optical navigation would then be the backup safety-net to complete the mission. Fortunately, these fears were not realized, and Apollo was a huge success.
The material on celestial mechanics is very thorough and well done. Battin includes all the obligatory material, but includes much addition material such as quaternions, Lagrange's perturbation equations, F and G series, universal variables, and much more. He spends considerable space - some would say too much space (see below) -- to solving Kepler's equation by various means.He leaves much material to the proverbial "student exercises" -- and these are often hard!
It is almost irresistible to compare this book with the similar book by Samuel Herrick, "Astrodynamics". Harrick's book is generally on a more elementary level. Also, Herrick avoids vector and matrix notation. This may make Herrick easier to read for beginners, but in general, it gives Herrick's book a much more "old fashioned" feel.
My own favorite part of Battin's book is the "applied math" part - hypergeometric, continued fractions, etc.But why did the author decide to include this material? I suspect, if asked, he might say he included this material because of the importance of elliptic functions to an understanding of certain classical solution, and that continued fractions are best for evaluating elliptic functions. I heartily agree with the first, but have reservations about the second. It is true that elliptic functions enter into many classical solutions, and a deep understanding of these requires a fair knowledge of elliptic function. It is also true that continued fractions may provide an efficient means of evaluating elliptic functions. However, almost no one uses "home brew" code to evaluate functions anymore - one gets a commercial math package. So, my belief is, in the final analysis, Battin added this material because: a) he loves this subject; b) he fears that knowledge of continued fractions is slowly being lost; and c) he wants to reverse this trend. I for one am glad he included continued fractions, for I love the topic and it IS REALLY DIFFICULT to find first class material on it.
Perhaps what would serve best is to take the applied math material and add additional chapters covering: a) the two-fixed-centers-of-force solution; b) selected n-body-problem material; c) almost periodic functions; and d) chaos theory; then turn this material into a separate book.
Hmmm ... now there's an idea ... would anyone care to collaborate on such a project?

From a Student of Astrodynamics
The following comments refer to 1987 edition. Some of these comments were communicated to Professor Battin, who, very kindly, acknowledged them.

The book by Richard H. Battin, Adjunct Professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, covers essential mathematical background needed to work with astrodynamical problems. Topics covered include hypergeometric functions, elliptic integrals, continued fractions, coördinate transformations as well as essentials of two-body-central-force motion.

The author's way of discussing these topics with historical introduction and personal narrative makes the book interesting to read. There are minimal typographical errors, probably, because the book was, personally, typeset by the author. However, there are a few omissions and oversights. For example, on page 172 captions are given for Fig. 4.15 and Fig. 4.16, whereas the actual figures are missing (The author has rectified this omission in the 1999 edition). In addition:

a) On page 7, it is stated:

(DELTA)r[VECTOR] = v[VECTOR](SUB)g x s(SUB)g/v(SUB)g

where

s(SUB)g = (INTEGRAL)v[VECTOR](SUB)g dt

In this equation, a scalar on the left-hand side is equated to a vector on the right-hand side. The equation should be modified as:

s(SUB)g = MOD[(INTEGRAL)v[VECTOR](SUB)g dt]

b) On pages 10-11 it is stated: "If you want to drive a vector to zero, it is sufficient to align the time rate of change of the vector with the vector itself." This is not true, in general, but only if time rate of change is negative.

c) On page 13 the author tries to show that constant in the equation:

[(DEL) x v(SUB)c]/(RHO) = constant

vanishes by the following argument. "The demonstration concludes with an argument that the fluid is converging on the target point r(SUB)T so that the density in the vicinity r(SUB)T of is becoming infinite. Hence, the constant is zero." There are 2 problems in this line of argument: (i) The statement, "Hence, the constant is zero" is true, only if the numerator is finite. B = infinity, implies A/B = 0, only if A is not equal to infinity. Otherwise, one has to apply l'Hospital rule; (ii) even if the constant is supposed to be zero, this does not imply that the curl is everywhere zero. A/B = 0, where B = infinity does not imply that A = 0. In fact, a could have any finite value.

d) On page 109 equation of motion in a frame of reference moving with acceleration -a(SUB)1 is written as:

m(SUB)2[a(SUB)2 - a(SUB)1] = ...

Since the frame is noninertial (accelerated) Newton's second law, F = ma, is not applicable in his frame.

e) On page 223 it is stated: "When we compare Eqns. (5.57) and (5.58), it is clear that we must have

sinE = SQRT[6(E - sinE)/sinE]."

This is not the only choice for sinE, whichreduces (5.58) to (5.57) in the limit E tends to 0. The word "must" is inappropriately used here.

I would recommend this book very strongly to anyone seriosly interested in learning astrodynamics. ... Read more

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From the first American orbiting satellite, to Neil Armstrong, and Buzz Aldrin's historical walk on the Moon, virtually every major achievement in American Space history was made possible by a Rocketdyne engine. And, that record has stood true for over forty years, as today the Space Shuttle program continues to rely on engines designed and built by Rocketdyne. This book is the story behind that unprecedented accomplishment. It is the chronicle of success of one team of rocket pioneers who propelled the American space program from trailing the Soviet Union in the 1950s and early 1960s into today's position of leadership in space. It is a story of heroes and even a few villains, but mostly it is a story of triumphant success in the human venture into space. For the early history of rocketry up through the work of Dr Robert Goddard in the early 1940s, Kraemer referenced the history books of T A Heppenheimer and Frank Winter.The rest of the book is a chronicle of both the author's own memories and experiences as a member of the Rocketdyne team, as well as those of other key members of this elite group, including: Bill Brennan, George Sutton, Bill Cecka, Doug Hege, Bill Ezell, Tom Myers, John Tormey, Paul Castenholz, Sam Iacobellis, Ed Monteath, Steve Domokos, Stan Gunn, Willy Wilhelm, Bob Biggs, Ted Benham, and Vince Wheelcok. This book is a true testament to the human spirit - and to a dedicated and determined team of aerospace engineers who launched a nation into Space. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Rocketdyne: Powering Humans into Space by Sara Howard, an Apollo Engineer on the Saturn V.
Oh, my! I love Rocketdyne. They made our F-1 engines on the first stage of the Saturn V. Folks, this is great history. The remarks about the paper while valid, are not the important thing in this book. It is the information and our history. While AIAA is a great organization, they are not in the business of publishing books.

I was privileged to work on the SI-C Stage of the Saturn V during Apollo at the Michoud facility. We saw those engines every day. I am just one of two women who worked as aerospace engineers on the Saturn V.
Many, many people have read this book and urged me to buy it, too. This book has wonderful detail about the trials and triumphs of building these engines. It doesn't stop there. Rocketdyne made many kinds of engines.
A member of AIAA called me as he was reading this book and said, "You guys are National Treasures".
These engines were made with good engineering and very little technology.
The entire Apollo program was made like that. Why do you think our Astronauts returned home safely?

Sara Howard, Author of "Something Funny Happened on the Way to the Moon" and "The Greatest Explosions in the Universe."

Rocketdyne: Powering Humans Into Space
I am hungry for liquid rocket engine information, this book helped satisfy that hunger, I loved the authors writing style and found the book easy to read and informative,it was a joy to read about the people involved and the troubles they had to overcome to create these masterpieces of engineering and power, I have already read it a second time, I enjoyed it so much. I have only one criticism of the book and this is a blanket criticism of all of the books that I have bought from AIAA, they should have used a better quality paper, the illustrations were muddy, some of the photos were too small or too dark, like they were not edited for contrast, etc., and a better quality paper would have made all of them clearer, when I look at rocket engine photos I'm looking for details and sometimes the details were unintelligible, BUT, there was a wealth of photos, it's loaded, and a lot of effort was expended by the authors to get them into the book. I feel this a very important book and am glad that it's now part of my library.

Rocketdyne: Powering Humans into Space
I think that it was a very good review of the booster engine programs at Rocketdyne. I was disappointed that more wasn't said about all the spacecraft engine programs that Rocketdyne contributed to space programs. I think those people that worked on small engines should have been recognized more for thier work. ... Read more

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Details the political and external forces affecting the engine industry and explains how GE avoided some of the problems posed by environmental politics.Softcover. DLC: GE Aircraft Engines (Firm)--History. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A Great Story
Ralph Schwegman writes:"Your book is great - I enjoyed it from start to finish.I'll set it aside for a few days, then read it again."He adds, "Another great book would be your autobiaography - you must have had a fabulous life."

Much More than a History of GE Aircraft Engines
The book's title does it less than justice:it is much more than an account of how GE got into the civil aero-engine business; partly because of the inter-relationship between the civil and military sectors of thebusiness, and partly because it stems from notes for a US government coursefor Russian aerospace managers on 'conversion' from their state-runenvironment to life in the global aerospace market.While inevitablyseeing things through GE eyes and displaying justifiable pride in thefirm's accomplishments, the author acknowledges the capabilities andcontributions of GE's major competitors, Pratt&Whitney and Rolls-Royce. The merits of this book lie in its overall perspective and discussion ofbusiness issues, and on this basis can be recommended not only to theengine community but more widely to those involved with aerospacegenerally.Unfortunately it also contains a number of factualinaccuracies, mostly of a fairly minor nature, and some debatableinterpretations of the stances adopted by other firms and governments.However, these do not detract significantly from the value of itsdiscussion of business issues.The book provides a thought-provokingperspective to new industry entrants and MBA students; it should certainlybe read by civil servants and politicians with responsibility foraeronautics.

Well-written and full of historically important information.
It's a very good book, well-written and full of information and good insights.I really enjoyed it.It reveals GE as a quintessentially American company - quality, integrity, service - and assertiveness.Iunderstand why he says it was a blast working there.Thanks very much forwriting it. ... Read more

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Boundary Layer Analysis is a revision of the 1993 Prentice-Hall edition. Spanning the entire range of viscous fluid flows of engineering interest--from low-speed to hypersonic flows--this volume introduces and analyzes laminar, transitional, and turbulent flows; the physics of turbulent shear flows; and turbulence models. It offers concurrent treatment of momentum, heat, and mass transfer, and covers new analytical methods that are widely used in preliminary design, especially for design optimization studies. The major revisions feature new worked examples and homework problems employing user-friendly JAVA Applets for boundary layer calculations including modern numerical methods. For mechanical, aerospace, and civil engineers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

It is not good enough
I bought this book like a new but it was not. Overall it is ok. ... Read more

Product Description
Spatial disorientation has been blamed for 20% of all fatal mishaps in military aviation and has been named as a factor in many high-profile civilian accidents, such as the death of John F. Kennedy Jr. and his wife, Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. It occurs when a pilots’ sensory systems, such as their vestibular or balance system, cause them to misinterpret their position in flight relative to Earth or other aircraft. Often, pilots do not know they are disoriented until it is too late.

This book is unique because it is the first to cover the entire spectrum of spatial disorientation in flight. This text draws on the knowledge of expert authors from a broad background, several of whom have worked with the AFRL Human Effectiveness Directorate (AFRF/HE) at Wright Patterson AFB, OH and Brooks City-Base, TX.

The book examines the long history of spatial disorientation in flight, describes the movements of aircraft in mathematical detail, and explains how these movements can conspire to fool human sensory systems that evolved for life on the ground. The book examines the structure and functions of the vestibular organs of the inner ear and their limitations under low-visibility flight situations.

The book also examines the visual mechanisms that contribute to perceptions of self motion and describes the contribution of psychological factors to spatial disorientation. The book defines the types of visual and nonvisual illusions pilots experience in flight.

Those chapters set the stage for a highly detailed examination of countermeasures, including ground-based training methodologies, in-flight sorties, instrument training, and display design.

Much of the book is technical, but it is also rich in real-world statistics and anecdotes about accidents and close calls that have been attributed to spatial disorientation. ... Read more

Product Description
This text presents a comprehensive treatise on the dynamicsof atmospheric re-entry. All mathematical concepts are fully explained inthe text, so that there is no need for any additional reference materials.The first half of the text deals with the fundamental concepts andpractical applications of the atmospheric model, Earth's gravitationalfield and form, axis transformations, force and moment equations,Keplerian motion, and re-entry mechanics. The second half includes specialtopics such as re-entry decoys, maneuvering re-entry vehicles, angularmotion, flow fields around re-entering bodies, error analysis, andinertial guidance. ... Read more