Page 7 - Aeronautical Engineer Data Book

Preface

The objective of this Aeronautical Engineer’s
Data book is to provide a concise and useful
source of up-to-date information for the
student or practising aeronautical engineer.
Despite the proliferation of specialized infor­
mation sources, there is still a need for basic
data on established engineering rules, conver­
sions, modern aircraft and engines to be avail­
able in an easily assimilated format.
An aeronautical engineer cannot afford to
ignore the importance of engineering data and
rules. Basic theoretical principles underlie the
design of all the hardware of aeronautics. The
practical processes of fluid mechanics, aircraft
design, material choice, and basic engineering
design form the foundation of the subject.
Technical standards, directives and regulations
are also important – they represent accumu­
lated knowledge and form invaluable guide­
lines for the industry.
The purpose of the book is to provide a
basic set of technical data that you will find
useful. It is divided into 13 sections, each
containing specific ‘discipline’ information.
Units and conversions are covered in Section
2; a mixture of metric and imperial units are
still in use in the aeronautical industry. Infor­
mation on FAA regulations is summarized in
Section 1 – these develop rapidly and affect us
all. The book contains cross-references to
other standards systems and data sources. You
will find these essential if you need to find
more detailed information on a particular
subject. There is always a limit to the amount