Chapter 15

Aircraft Drag Analysis

Abstract

A detailed treatise on the estimation of the aerodynamic drag of aircraft is presented. Starting with a discussion about the nature of drag, what contributes to it, how it is modeled, and a number ways drag can be evaluated. Various limitations of methodologies is presented as well. Then, an introduction to the estimation of selected drag coefficients is given, including the basic drag coefficient, CD0, skin friction drag coefficient, CDf, and lift-induced drag coefficient, CDi. A step-by-step evaluation of an actual aircraft (SR22) is given, which is compared to flight test data at the end of the chapter. The next section discusses the drag characteristics of the airplane as a whole and presents methods ...

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