Aircraft Basic Science, Eighth Edition, 8th Edition

Science Fundamentals

2

INTRODUCTION

During the twentieth century, more progress has been made in technology and science than was made in all the previous centuries since the beginning of time. The space shuttle program has established the reality of civilians traveling in space (see Figure 2-1). Interplanetary communication and exploration has been accomplished. Although less spectacular than space travel, great advances have been made in air transportation and the automatic control of aircraft. Widebody, multideck, and regional transport aircraft have brought air travel throughout the world to millions of people who could not have had this advantage a few years ago (see Figure 2-2). All these accomplishments are the result of the application ...