11 End Note
Most textbooks come to an abrupt ending. This seems strange considering most papers and reports end with a conclusions section. Here we need to finish with a few brief comments. This text covers just the tip of the iceberg of configuration aerodynamics. I’ve included lots of citations to references that can lead your further studies in the field. And of course the papers keep coming, so stay up to date by following the literature.
Be curious.
As new concepts and theories are proposed, think about why they might be good ideas. What physics are exploited? How can you connect new requirements and technological advances? Consider examples such as UAVs and various proposed autonomous vehicles. When do they make sense? When don’t they make sense?
Be skeptical.
Similarly, all the results presented in papers and textbooks aren’t necessarily correct. Be skeptical, and be prepared to do some calculations for yourself to look further into the assertions. You will be rewarded with a deeper understanding of the work.
Most of all, be creative.
Use your understanding of aerodynamics to invent new configurations. You have the tools. You’ve seen the physics supporting Whitcomb’s Area Rule, Supercritical Airfoil, and Winglets. You saw why R. T. Jones’s Oblique Wing Concept should continue to be considered. And you saw the basis for Werner Pfenninger’s High Aspect Ratio Truss-Braced Wing Concept, Rudy Meyer’s Supercritical Conical Camber, and Glenn Spacht’s Forward-Swept Wing Concept. These are just a few of the innovative ideas arising from an understanding of aerodynamics.
Use these notes as a basis to keep exploring. As technology changes, concepts that were ridiculous may become practical! Talk to anyone who has been through the process. There are fewer and fewer of these people around. I always tried to talk to experienced configuration aerodynamicists. I was lucky to be able to chat with many of the famous aerodynamicists. This exposed me to so much information, since a lot of the key issues were never written down in the literature.
