Course detail
Aerodynamics I
FSI-OA1-A Acad. year: 2025/2026 Winter semester
Fundamentals of fluid mechanics – Atmosphere and its properties, fluid properties, fundamental laws of fluid mechanics (recapitulate) – kinematics, dynamics of flow field, viscous effects (state equation, conservation of mass – eq. of continuity, Bernoulli’s eq., Euler’s eq., Navier-Stokes eq.). Airfoil and its aerodynamic properties – origination of aerodynamic forces – physical principle, aerodynamic forces acting on body in moving fluid and their mathematical model, force and moments coefficients, similarity numbers,  – theorem, aircraft wing section. Wing and its aerodynamic properties – wing section – development of airfoils, their marking and classification, structural, operational and technology requirements. High-lift devices. Lift distribution along wingspan, induced drag, total lift, drag and moments of finite span wing. Aerodynamic properties of aircraft – Stability requirements, aerodynamic forces equilibrium. Wing-body combination effects, lift, drag and moment of aircraft, drag polar in detail. Propulsion and its influence. Aerodynamic design and analysis of aircraft.
Language of instruction
English
Number of ECTS credits
6
Supervisor
Department
Entry knowledge
Mathematics (differentiation and integral calculus, differential equations). Basic knowledge of physics, statics and dynamics. Knowledge of thermomechanics and hydromechanics.
Rules for evaluation and completion of the course
Participation at seminars and laboratory exercises is obligatory. Participation at lectures is voluntary. Course-unit credits will be awarded only if: – participation at practical exercises is greater than 11 of 14, – homework assignments are correctly elaborated and submitted, – report of laboratory measurement is submitted, – all problems presented at exercises are correctly finished.. Examination comprises written and oral parts. The written one consists of 2 problem solving (60 min). In the oral part students answer to 2 questions they have randomly chosen.. Final evaluation is the average value of all 4 partial results unless one of them was failed. If one result of 4 is failed, the final evaluation is also failed.
Student have to solve all problems presented at exercises. If presence at exercises is less then 50 % student has to compensate missed exercises individually.
Aims
Students at the end of the course will acquire the knowledge of basic laws of incompressible and compressible fluid flow. Applications for solving simple technical problems in branch of aircraft airfoils and wings are explained.
Students will acquire the knowledge of aircraft aerodynamics. Students will be able to solve problems of flow around bodies-outer aerodynamics and problems of flow inside bodies-inner aerodynamics.
The study programmes with the given course
Programme N-AST-A: Aerospace Technology, Master's, compulsory
Programme N-LKT-P: Aerospace Technology , Master's
specialization STL: Aircraft Design, compulsory
Programme N-LKT-P: Aerospace Technology , Master's
specialization TLT: Airtransport and Airport Technology, compulsory
Type of course unit
Lecture
52 hours, optionally
Syllabus
1. Fundamentals of fluid mechanics
1.1 Atmosphere and its properties
1.2 Fluid properties
1.3 Fundamental laws of fluid mechanics (recapitulate)
- fluid kinematics, dynamics, viscosity effects
2. Airfoil and its aerodynamic properties
2.1 Origination of aerodynamic forces – physical principle
2.2Aerodynamic forces and moments acting on body in moving fluid – mathematical model
2.3 Aircraft wing section in particular.
3. Finite wing and its aerodynamic properties
3.1 Wing section
3.2 Development of airfoil, marking and classification
3.3 Airfoil requirements
3.3.1 Aerodynamic properties
3.3.2 Operation and technology
3.3.3 Structural requirements
3.4 Finite wing
3.4.1 Lift distribution
3.4.2 Induced drag
3.4.3 Lift, drag and moment
4. Aerodynamic characteristics of complete aircraft
4.1 Stability requirements, aerodynamic forces equilibrium
4.2 Wing-body effects on lift and other aerodynamic properties
4.3 Lift, drag and moment of aircraft, drag polar in detail
4.4 Propulsion unit and its effect on aerodynamic properties of aircraft
4.4 Aerodynamic design and analysis of aircraft
Laboratory exercise
2 hours, compulsory
Syllabus
1. Measurement of pressure distribution along airfoil surface in wind tunnel
2. Determination of lift coefficient value from pressure coefficent distribution
Exercise
11 hours, compulsory
Syllabus
1. Aerodynamic coefficients, recalculation of results of measurement on aeroplane
2. International Standard Atmosphere
3. Incompressible fluid flow along stream line, measurement of flow velocity
4. Compressible 1D flow. Rocket motor, gas flow in nozzles
5. Joukowski's transformation and airfoils
6. Velocity and pressure distribution in potential vortex
7. Approximate methods of flow solution around airfoils
8. Boundary layer depths at flat plate
9. Recalculation of incompressible fluid flow at airfoil to subsonic speeds
10. Finite span wing, basic and additional lift distribution along span
11. Panel methods 2D und 3D