Automotive Aerodynamics

Reviews of automotive aerodynamics books and useful data; Automotive Aerodynamics Handbook 10th Ed. (2006) excerpts (see archive link at bottom)

Technical books offered for sale

Book Reviews

The Automotive Aerodynamics Handbook, 10th Edition (2006) by Henry C. Landa,  FICOA, 294 pp., 330 illustrations, 29 cm./ 11.5 in., softcover. The standard work in the field; a reference and self-teaching text clearly and concisely written; includes a Practical Problems Workbook with answers and solutions.   Exceptionally favorable BOOK REVIEW prepared by the Engineering Societies Library for Automotive Engineering Magazine (S.A.E.);   

Note: This book may be ordered directly from the publisher (FICOA; phone 414-258-6492; ficoa@milwpc.com; 5928 W. Michigan St., Wauwatosa, WI 53213).

Softcover version, ISBN 0-931974-18-6. list price is $43.20 postpaid in the U.S. 

Hardcover Library binding, ISBN 0-931974-26-7, list price $68.70 postpaid in the U.S.A.

a review:

 "The sections cover Theory; Practice and engineering applications, General and miscellaneous topics; and Economics. The Handbook includes examples of calculations and applications so that the non-engineer and non-mathematician can apply the theory with reasonable assurance of accuracy and success. The book is designed for use as a classroom text and/or for self-study. Therefore, it is somewhat more elaborate and explanatory than the typical handbook or textbook. The intent is to draw together recent theory, a practical approach to applications and compilation of useful technical data.

               -   BOOK REVIEW prepared by the staff of the COMBINED ENGINEERING SOCIETIES LIBRARY (for the various publications of the engineering societies that jointly sponsor the library.); - as carried in AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERING MAGAZINE (the official publication of the Society of Automotive Engineers ... the S.A.E.)

 

Note: The earlier versions of the AAHB were used by various automobile manufacturers as data sources. The Ford Motor Company used the book in the late 1970's as the formal classroom text to teach auto aerodynamics to designers and engineers over a span of three years. Each class had about 30 students and was offered thrice to Ford employees in the design area. Ford and its employees purchased over 100 books during that class period.

 

another, more recent review:

[Of the 10th edition]

"Written by mechanical engineering graduate Douglas Cox Landa [Univ. of Wis., '96] and registered professional engineer Henry C. Landa [Univ. of Wis., '58, '63, '65], the tenth edition of The Automotive Aerodynamics Handbook is the latest updated version of a highly technical and practical reference manual written especially for engineers and scientists, or advanced college and graduate studies students. Suitable for use as a curriculum guide or a self-teaching text, The Automotive Aerodynamics Handbook distinguishes itself from others addressing the complex engineering nuances of air and fluid flow, drag, force, power, shapes, lift, stability, and airflow about wheels and cylinders by offering hard data in addition to mathematical derivations and abstract theory. Numerous black-and-white diagrams illustrate examples with the data "plugged in" to precisely explicate physical processes step by step. Divided into sections discussing theory, practice and engineering applications, miscellany, downforce, economics (in particular the problem of keeping costs down), The Automotive Aerodynamics Handbook is a "must-have" for experts and aspiring experts in the field striving to keep their knowledge up-to-date and who need immediate access to a thorough and detailed reference to a complex and technical subject."

       - James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief, THE INTERNET BOOK WATCH of The Midwest Book Review (December 2006)

Excerpt: Table of Contents of the AAHB - VIII (above)

Introduction (I 1-3):     How to use this handbook;     Why streamline?- a justification;       Random Remarks

Theory (T 1-11):       Air - its characteristics;      Vectors;       Fluid flow;       Drag: the resistance to motion & Friction;      Force;      Power;       Shapes;       Lift;       Stability;       Wheels and Cylinders;     The Particle Personality Theory - an Amusing but Useful Bit of Logic

Practice and Engineering Applications ( P 1-8):  Highway Trucks;       Analysis Techniques - General & Theoretical;       Models, Modeling - Physical & Mathematical;       Experimental Techniques;       Empirical Techniques;      Deceleration via coast-down on level grade - a road test technique to determine the drag coefficient - Cn;       Estimation;      Parameters and Measurement

General and Miscellaneous Topics (G 1-5):      Drafting; Color and Safety;      Glossary of Symbols;     Glossary of Terms;      Sound Generation and Efficiency

Downforce (D - 11):     Introduction to Downforce;     Statics: the Balance of Forces in a Constant State;     Moments and Torque;     Center of Gravity;     Center of Pressure;     Wings & Airfoils;     Tuning;     Body Shape as related to Downforce;     Application and Examples of Downforce and Weight Calculations;     Lofting an Airfoil

Economics (E 1-8):       a brief introduction to basic concepts;       Economic Alternatives;       Economic Measurement;       Economic Life;       Long Range Machine Concept;       Total Economic Cost;       Fuel Consumption / Gas Mileage;       Simple Economic Analysis - Procedure and Example

Readings,     Appendix

Workbook (Problems),     Workbook Answers,      Workbook Solutions,         Index 

Aerodynamics of Road Vehicles; edited by Wolf-Heinrich Hucho (1990), Butterworth-Heinemann, London, Boston, 566 pp., 25 cm./10 in., hardcover. 

 "This is a collection of technical papers  by eleven contributors that will be useful to the serious designer. Topics include fluid mechanics fundamentals, performance of cars and light vans, aerodynamic drag of passenger cars, driving stability in side winds, operation/safety/comfort, high-performance vehicles (i.e. race and experimental types), commercial vehicles, engine cooling system, heating/ventilating/ air conditioning of motor vehicles, wind tunnels, measurement and test technique, and numerical methods for computation of flow around road vehicles. Profusely illustrated with photos, line drawings, diagrams, and charts. A worthwhile addition to the technical library. 3.7#"  - hcl

Race Car Aerodynamics - Designing for Speed by Joseph Katz (1995) Robert Bentley, Inc./Automotive Publishers, Cambridge, MA, 271 pp., 27.5 cm./10.8 in., paperback. $34.95  

 " ... an excellent value and the title states the content exactly; it's all about race cars (relative to aerodynamics). Plenty of illustrations and data in the form of tables and charts; some formulary, but no hard calculation examples or engineering hard data. What can be drawn from this work is the general principles and proper attention to detail and the fine points ... the difference between victory and defeat or the margin required to win. A very comprehensive work for the serious designer and engineer and requiring command of the physics and mathematics needed to make the required design compromises. For the Race Car Folks: Recommended. 3.8#"  -  hcl

Road Vehicle Aerodynamics by A.J. Scibor-Rylski (1975), Pentech Press, London, 213 pp., 23.5 cm./9.3 in., hardcover, $19.95.    

  "A strong theoretical work suitable only for classroom use ... since the treatment requires an instructor to lead the students through the material. Short on practical examples and hard data, but good in touching on details of drag caused by seemingly minor items, e.g. windshield wiper arrangement, lips, handles, etc. ... conditions which add up to drag coefficients that appear to be unexplainable. A good addition to the library of the serious designer or to an engineering library. #3.0"  -  hcl

The Streamlined Decade by Donald J. Bush (1975), George Braziller, Inc., NYC, 214 pp., 27 cm./10.5 in., cloth & paperback, $ unknown        

 "A delightful work which conveys the 1930's fashion of streamlining as an industrial and commercial design trend rather than a technocratic or engineering efficiency movement. Everything from fountain pens to cream separators to buildings and actually (believe it or not) to objects that moved, e.g. ships, buses, aircraft, trucks and, of course, automobiles. Generously illustrated; hardly a page can be turned without viewing one or more photos. This book is for designers and engineers desiring to make products more pleasing to the eye and is a lot of fun. Well-written and well-organized. 3.9#"  -  hcl

 

The Streamlined Era by Robert C. Reed (1975), Golden West Books, San Marino, CA, 298 pp., 28.5 cm./11.3 in.  

 "A work comparable to the Donald J. Bush book (above) but more elaborate and larger and with a different slant. There is biographical data on the eminent industrial designers of the day, e.g. Otto Kuhler, Norman Bel Geddes, Raymond Loewy, and Paul Cret. Virtually every railroad that dabbled in streamlining their trains is covered, and in depth. Objects, which did not move as transport, such as toasters, vacuum cleaners, etc. are hardly touched upon, except in passing. A very comprehensive work on cars, trains, aircraft, ships, and even dirigibles. The streamlined era, which began in the early thirties and sprawled, as a design trend, into the fifties and then petered out as marketers discovered that fashion, as simple change, and not efficiency, sold goods. 3.9#"  - hcl  

 

Competition Car Downforce - a practical handbook  by Simon McBeath (1998), Haynes Publishing, Newbury Park, CA, 208 pp., 24.5 cm./9.8 in., hardcover, $39.95  

"This is a book that the serious race car designer should own. The title is a bit misleading since the technical, engineering, and practical data necessary for design are not present in sufficient form or amount. It simply is not a handbook.

Having said that, one must hasten to state that the book provides an excellent grounding in the theory and in provides numerous examples of downforce accessories. The book is well-illustrated with photos and, drawings, and charts. A great amount of research was done although there is a shortage of hard data on airfoils and on application calculations*. Background education in statics (engineering mechanics), aeronautics, and fluid mechanics would be desirable to obtain full understanding of what is offered here. A discussion of the balance of forces is lacking, along with calculation examples.  Overall, a pretty good piece of work as far as it goes, which is well-written and well-organized.  3.3#"  -  hcl

*The Automotive Aerodynamics Handbook, 10th Edition (listed above) does cover the calculations and data on downforce (eleven (11) new chapters covering 92 pages)..

Experimental Aerodynamics by Henry Christensen Pavian (1940), Pitman Publ. Corp., NYC, 24 cm./9.7 in., hardcover  [Dewey #629.13]    "This work is out-of-print but is worthwhile owning or referring to, particularly for designers of light and ultralight aircraft or automotive vehicles.. [Look for it in your public library and then in your local used book stores. If you feel that you must own a copy, then  go to the "rare" book dealers but, don't pay an arm & a leg; use a copy machine ... the copyright has probably expired.]  Writing with exceptional clarity, Pavian begins with definitions of terms, followed by a review of elementary aerodynamic principles, wind tunnel theory and practice with good attention to the mechanisms, instrumentation and machinery. Careful attention is placed on units, both in the abstract and practical, which makes this book unusual and much more useful than most college texts. [It is a shame that more technical authors have not followed this model.] The only complaint (by the reviewer) is a shortage of more hard number examples with real numbers so that the reader can follow the calculation iterations in detail*. The book is old but stands out due to the full explanations given ... a grave deficiency in most texts. Most authors assume that the reader knows a lot more than is the actuality. There is a nice chapter (8) on model building. The treatment is, of course, for sub-transonic velocities.  The book is old, but the fundamentals are the same, and it is a classic. 3.8#  -  hcl"

*The economics of the publishing business often frustrate the desires of authors. Speaking as an author and publisher, I am able to overcome this cost-based limitation since I have access to a private printing and binding facility (wholly controlled by me). This allows FICOA, the publisher of The Automotive Aerodynamics Handbook, 10th Edition to add as many pages as are considered necessary. That's the advantage an author-editor-publisher has over the isolated author (who is at the mercy of an editor). - Hank Landa (hcl)

Note on grades given by the reviewer: 4.0 is an "A"; 3.0 is a "B", and so forth.

"hcl" is Henry C. Landa, B.S.M.E., M.S.M.E.(I.E.), M.B.A., P.E. Landa is the author of The Automotive Aerodynamics Handbook and is, presently, adjunct faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, College of Engineering.

Quotable:

"When you've got a lot of horses in the barn, you've got to feed 'em."  - Phil Atlas, Aviator, A & P Mechanic, College Administrator Extraordinaire [Referring to the high fuel consumption of over-powered automobiles; SUV buyers, please note.]

"The accessory device which is left off of the airframe causes no parasitic drag, has no weight, has no cost, requires no maintenance, and cannot fail."  -  Igor Sikorsky [Quote furnished by Phil Atlas.]

"I think that I shall never see, A poem lovely as a tree, ... Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree into an airplane."  -  William Stout, designer of metal airplanes [Our apologies to Joyce Kilmer.]

"The more an airliner resembles a bomber, the less successful it will be."  -  Boeing designer

[At the close of World War II, both the British and American aircraft manufacturers attempted to modify wartime bombers into commercial transports. Invariably, these aircraft were uneconomical.]

Technical Books for sale:

The Automotive Aerodynamics Handbook, 10th Edition (2006) FICOA, 294 pp., 330  illustrations, 29 cm./ 11.5 in., softcover. This is the standard work in the field; a reference and self-teaching text clearly and concisely written; includes a Practical Problems Workbook with answers and solutions.   Favorable BOOK REVIEW prepared by the Engineering Societies Library for Automotive Engineering Magazine (S.A.E.); See S.A.E. review above;   

Softcover version, ISBN 0-931974-18-6. list price is $43.20 postpaid in the U.S. 

Hardcover Library binding ISBN 0-931974-26-7, list price postpaid in the U.S.A.  

Available from FICOA*, 5928 W. Michigan St., Wauwatosa, WI 53213-4248, U.S.A.

* "FICOA" is the acronym of The Film Instruction Company of America, founded in 1960 in Cleveland, Ohio and functions, solely, as a small press publisher of technical books.

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      September  08