Presentation: September 2018

This month's AE presenter: James Aubuchon
Date of presentation: 17-Sept-2018 (not 100% certain of exact date)
Subject: The source of subsonic lift
Description: Guest presenter James "Jim" Aubuchon delivered the September 2018 presentation on aerodynamics, explaining how the source of subsonic lift is Van der Waals Forces, and not the Bernoulli Effect as commonly believed.

The Bernoulli Effect is a valid observation made on liquids and published in 1738.  In some circumstances, it applies to gases.  However, it is an observed effect and not a fundamental cause.  Similarly, Newton’s Laws are statements of observed behavior and are not fundamental causes.  The fundamental forces of flight are gravity, which must be overcome, and the electromagnetic force, which provides lift.  In subsonic flight, the electromagnetic force is applied to the aircraft via Van der Waals forces.  The popular explanation of lift in terms of different airflow transit times above and below the wing is wrong.

The most intuitive way to visualize lift is in terms of Newton’s Laws.  The wing directs airflow downward behind the wing, hence the air exerts an upward force on the wing.  For a Cessna 182, air within about 5 meters above the wing is directed downward.  Downwash and Van der Waals forces cause lift, not Newton’s Laws or the Bernoulli Effect.  The Bernoulli Effect is useful in aircraft design to calculate the pressure distribution on aircraft surfaces, but, again, is not the proximal cause of lift.

Presentation: May 2015

This month's AE presenter: Jeff
Date of presentation: 18-May-2015
Subject: Aerospace Game (Jeopardy-like Quiz)
Description: For May, Jeff wanted to try something a bit different, so he created a Jeopardy-like game show and got the squadron involved in playing.  The game consisted of questions in four Aerospace-related categories: General Aviation History, Aerodynamics, Aviation Safety, and Aeromedical.  Team 2 (the left side of the room) won by a substantial margin.

The game can be found at this URL to play, or this URL to edit (password required).

Presentation: May 2013

This month's AE presenter: David
Date of presentation: 20-May-2013
Subject: An Introduction to Delta Aircraft
Description: This presentation provides an introduction to the concepts and history
of delta-winged aircraft.  Its goals are to:

• Discuss the aerodynamics of a delta wing;
• List some advantages and disadvantages;
• Identify some different types of delta wings;
• Provide a brief history of delta aircraft.

Download zipped PDF files (15.8MB)