One of the books that provides a comprehensive introduction to the theory and practice of flight stability and automatic control is Flight Stability and Automatic Control by Robert C. Nelson. This book, first published in 1989, is intended for a flight stability and controls course at the undergraduate or graduate level. It covers the basic elements of aircraft stability, flight control, and autopilot design using standard terminology and notation, classical control theory, modern control theory, and extensive examples and problems. The book also includes historical notes that highlight the development and achievements of flight stability and control.
The book is organized into three parts: static stability and control, aircraft equations of motion, and automatic flight control systems. The first part introduces the concepts of static stability and control, such as the aerodynamic forces and moments acting on an aircraft, the stability derivatives, the trim condition, the static margin, and the effect of control deflections. The second part derives the linearized equations of motion for an aircraft in both longitudinal and lateral-directional modes, and analyzes the dynamic stability and response characteristics of each mode using eigenvalues, eigenvectors, root locus plots, frequency response plots, and time response plots. The third part discusses the design of automatic flight control systems, such as stability augmentation systems, autopilots, and flight director systems, using both classical and modern control techniques, such as PID controllers, lead-lag compensators, state feedback, pole placement, optimal control, and robust control.
The book also provides a solution manual that contains detailed solutions to selected problems from each chapter. The solution manual uses a state-space approach to model the flight dynamics and control systems of an aircraft. The state-space approach is a mathematical framework that represents the behavior of a dynamic system using a set of state variables and a set of differential equations. The solution manual also uses MATLAB, a popular software tool for numerical computation and visualization, to implement and simulate the state-space models and control systems.
In summary, Flight Stability and Automatic Control by Robert C. Nelson is a valuable resource for students, instructors, researchers, and practitioners who are interested in learning about the principles and applications of flight stability and automatic control. The book offers a balanced treatment of both theory and practice, with an emphasis on physical insight, historical perspective, and practical examples. The book also provides a solution manual that uses a state-space approach and MATLAB to solve selected problems from the book.
References:
Nelson, R.C., (1989). Flight Stability and Automatic Control. McGraw-Hill Education.
Nelson, R.C., (1998). Flight Stability And Automatic Control Solution Manual. McGraw-Hill Education.
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