Aerospace engineering

Aerospace Engineering

For editors

For lecturers

For students

Suggested Structure

• General introduction

General Prerequisites

• Basic Mathematics - differentials, integrals, basic mechanics, vector algebra, matrices and matrix manipulation, total derivative (for mass and momentum equations, among others)
  • Reading - Introductory calculus on Wikibooks, Differential Equations on Wikibooks
• Thermodynamics/Heat Transfer - Zereoth, First, Second and Third Laws, Enthalpy, Entropy, Clausius Inequality and ??, Steady State Equation, Modelling Gas Turbines/Engines, Conduction, Convection, Radiation (Black Body, Grey Body)
  • Potential reading - Engineering Thermodynamics on Wikibooks
• Circuits/Electronics
• Physics - Forces, Gravity Equation
  • Reading - Gravity on Wikibooks

Statics

• Structural Analysis
• Mechanics - Friction on a surface, Rolling bodies, Stability, Pure/Damped/Forced Harmonic Motion, Orbits (reaching orbit, geostationary point, changing orbit, escape velocity)
  • Reading - Solid Mechanics on Wikibooks - a good overview for both SA and Mechanics. A litte dense for a beginner however?

Fluid mechanics

• Aerodynamics - Derivation of shear stress on a fluid, perfect gas equation, Bernoulli equation, Langrangian and Eulerian reference frames, control volumes and control surfaces, Conservation of mass up to 3-d, balance of momentum equations up to 3-d, Aerofoils, Circulation, Mach Number & Renauld's Number, Laminar and turbulent flow [1]
• Propulsion - Turbomachinery [2]

Materials Science

• Material Classes - Metals, Ceramics, Composites, Polymers, Ionic and Covalents
• Material Microstructure
• Properties of Materials - Strength, Stiffness, Young's Modulus, Elasiticity and Modulus of Elasticity, Hardness, Toughness, Electrical Properties?
• Materials Selection
• Material Processes - Annealing, Quenching, Precipitaiton Hardening, Case Hardening
• Failure - Fatigue, Creep, Fracture, Case studies (aircraft)
• Composites - matrix and fibers, explanation of directional properties, case studes (carbon fibre, kevlar, fibreglass)

Aircraft Design

• Basic Aircraft Performance - Air density at altitudes, Perfect Gas equation,
• Dynamics and Control - Control Surfaces,