This open access book is an introduction for the lay reader to understand the basics of flight.
The exposure is to the mysteries of lift generation by wings and the basic function of the jet
propulsion engine. The text relies on simple descriptions of the physics of air flow without
unduly involving mathematics. The text is richly illustrated with sketches and photographs to
enrich verbal descriptions. The book takes the viewpoint that a reader does not have a
background in the engineering of airplane components but is interested in the subject. The
description is in terms of easy-to-understand terminology occasional use of humor references
to everyday experiences and occasionally to an algebraic relationship when that is
unavoidable. This book would serve a student aspiring to be an engineer to begin grappling with
the phenomena involved and the techniques used to analyze these phenomena. The practitioner as
well as the beginner in the art of flying an airplane is well served with the knowledge
exposed here. The text makes no apology for technical complexity. Its introduction is rigorous
and provides a sound footing for further study.
