Aerospace Engineering Reading Material for a Newbie

AI Thread Summary
Aerospace engineering enthusiasts are seeking foundational books to prepare for university courses, with recommendations including Anderson's "Introduction to Flight," "Fundamentals of Aerodynamics," and Mattingly's texts on propulsion and aircraft design. Online courses and lecture videos are also being explored for additional learning resources. Some participants suggest that reading aviation magazines can provide practical insights into flight mechanics. Introductory flight lessons are recommended for a hands-on understanding of aviation principles. Overall, a mix of textbooks and practical experience is emphasized for those interested in aerospace engineering.
PraAnan
Messages
77
Reaction score
1
In the future I would really like to enroll in an aerospace engineering course and I was wondering if there are any good books out there which cover the important parts of this discipline?

I came across the following page which contains some of the topics that will be taught in university (at least at this particular one) http://www.herts.ac.uk/courses/Aerospace-Engineering-BEng_structure.cfm
Are there books which cover the whole range? I don't need them to go into full detail.

I'd like to buy a maximum of 3 books so advice is welcome.

There also seems to be a lot of new online courses as well as lecture videos, so are there any good aerospace ones available?
 
Physics news on Phys.org
Anderson's Introduction to Flight is a common text used for introductory aerospace engineering courses, and give a brief overview of the major disciplines.
 
jhae2.718 said:
Anderson's Introduction to Flight is a common text used for introductory aerospace engineering courses, and give a brief overview of the major disciplines.

Thanks for letting me know about this book, a lot of people give it good reviews. I'll definitely be buying this.
 
Fundamentals of Aerodynamics - Anderson
Elements of Propulsion; Gas Turbines and Rockets - Mattingly
Aircraft Engine Design - Mattingly, Heiser, Pratt
Aircraft Performance and Design - Anderson
Aircraft Structures for Engineering Students - Megson
 
This might sound a little odd. I'm writing from the perspective of a (now grounded) pilot with no formal education. Reading a lot of "Private Pilot", "Plane and Pilot" or similar magazines might help because it will give you a user's-eye view of how things work. If you can afford it, even take a couple of introductory flight lessons. That's how I started: $5.00 and a coupon from the magazine got me my first half hour lesson.
Learning to fly involves a lot of the details of what keeps an iron bird in the air.
 
Danger said:
This might sound a little odd. I'm writing from the perspective of a (now grounded) pilot with no formal education. Reading a lot of "Private Pilot", "Plane and Pilot" or similar magazines might help because it will give you a user's-eye view of how things work. If you can afford it, even take a couple of introductory flight lessons. That's how I started: $5.00 and a coupon from the magazine got me my first half hour lesson.
Learning to fly involves a lot of the details of what keeps an iron bird in the air.

"Stick goes forward, houses get bigger. Stick goes back, houses get smaller."?
 
jhae2.718 said:
"Stick goes forward, houses get bigger. Stick goes back, houses get smaller."?

Well it's actually more of "stick controls speed; throttle controls altitude".
Unless back with the Sopwiths, when it was "pull the stick back to go up; pull it back some more to come down."
 
Danger said:
Well it's actually more of "stick controls speed; throttle controls altitude".
Unless back with the Sopwiths, when it was "pull the stick back to go up; pull it back some more to come down."

I've always wanted to know, what tastes better: Brontosaurus flank steak or Woolly Mammoth baby back ribs?
 
  • #10
AIR&SPACE said:
I've always wanted to know, what tastes better: Brontosaurus flank steak or Woolly Mammoth baby back ribs?

The flank steak, for sure; tastes like chicken. On the other hand, the ribs come with built-in dental floss.
 
Back
Top