Science of Aviation, The: A History (11 Parts)

Synopsis

Part 1 (1983): An introduction to the series. Aristotle’s view of air motion over bodies. The work of Leonardo da Vinci and Galileo. Newton’s mechanics and his application of the momentum principle to fluid flow. Newton’s idea of internal resistance in fluids and its modern extension, viscous friction.
Part 2 (1983): The modern concept of viscous friction acting mainly in the boundary layer. The historical development of ideas for flows having no viscous friction. The work of Daniel and Johann Bernoulli, D’Alembert and Euler.
Part 3 (1983): The experimental confirmation of Newton’s fluid resistance rules. This concentrates on the work of Robins and Smeaton and their development of the whirling arm. The adaptation of their techniques to aeronautical experiments by Cayley. Cayley’s 1799 concept of the fixed-wing aircraft.
Part 4 (1983): The fixed-wing gliders produced by Cayley. His ideas on the stability and control of aeroplanes are discussed and contrasted with the modern view. The aeroplanes of Henson and Stringfellow.
Part 5 (1983): The emergence in the 19th century of the understanding of viscous friction as the cause of drag. The ideas of Stokes, Reynolds, Lord Rayleigh and Prandtl. Prandtl’s boundary layer concept and its explanation of the drag on streamlined and blunt bodies.
Part 6 (1983): The development of the vortex theory of lift in the late 19th century and early 20th centuries. The work of Magnus, Lord Rayleigh, Kutta and Zhukovskii. Why the viscous boundary layer is vital to the explanation of lift.
Part 7 (1983): Attempts at powered flight between the 1850s and 1900. The aeroplanes of Wenham, Phillips, Du Temple, Pénaud, Ader, Maxim and Langley.
Part 8 (1983): The early gliding experiments of Le Bris and Lilienthal. The experimental investigations by Lilienthal into wing performance.
Part 9 (1984): The gliders of Lilienthal’s disciple, Percy Pilcher. The shift of interest in gliding experience from Europe to the United States is illustrated by the work of Octave Chanute and his gliding experiments. The Wright brothers and their early ideas on aerodynamic control.
Part 10 (1984): The first two gliding seasons at Kitty Hawk by the Wright brothers. Why these led to the Wrights’ extensive programme of wind tunnel testing. Some of the key wind tunnel results.
Part 11 (1984): The third season of the Wrights at Kitty Hawk. The subsequent development of the early powered Wright aeroplanes, their control and the successful powered flights at Kitty Hawk and Dayton, Ohio.

Language

English

Country

Great Britain

Medium

Video; Videocassette. Standard formats. col. 23, 27, 23, 28, 26, 26, 29, 32, 30, 37, 35 min.

Year of production

1983-4

Availability

Sale

Notes

Introductory/discussion material for 1st-year courses in aeronautical, civil and mechanical engineering. 1st/2nd-year industrial design/transportation course (BA). Courses which include historical aspects of aviation and transport. Selected sequences could be used with A-level students.*

Subjects

Engineering

Keywords

aviation; fluid mechanics; history of science; history of technology

Credits

Director

Ken Wrench

Producer

Ken Wrench

Writer

J Ackroyd

Contributor

J Preston; R Mulligan

Cast

J Ackroyd

Sections

Title

Newton’s pebble

Synopsis

Part 1 (1983): An introduction to the series. Aristotle's view of air motion over bodies. The work of Leonardo da Vinci and Galileo. Newton's mechanics and his application of the momentum principle to fluid flow. Newton's idea of internal resistance in fl

Title

Early ideas in fluid mechanics

Synopsis

Part 2 (1983): The modern concept of viscous friction acting mainly in the boundary layer. The historical development of ideas for flows having no viscous friction. The work of Daniel and Johann Bernoulli, D'Alembert and Euler.

Title

Invention of the aeroplane, The

Synopsis

Part 3 (1983): The experimental confirmation of Newton's fluid resistance rules. This concentrates on the work of Robins and Smeaton and their development of the whirling arm. The adaptation of their techniques to aeronautical experiments by Cayley. Cayle

Title

Cayley’s aeroplanes

Synopsis

Part 4 (1983): The fixed-wing gliders produced by Cayley. His ideas on the stability and control of aeroplanes are discussed and contrasted with the modern view. The aeroplanes of Henson and Stringfellow.

Title

Drag story, The

Synopsis

Part 5 (1983): The emergence in the 19th century of the understanding of viscous friction as the cause of drag. The ideas of Stokes, Reynolds, Lord Rayleigh and Prandtl. Prandtl's boundary layer concept and its explanation of the drag on streamlined and b

Title

Lift story, The

Synopsis

Part 6 (1983): The development of the vortex theory of lift in the late 19th century and early 20th centuries. The work of Magnus, Lord Rayleigh, Kutta and Zhukovskii. Why the viscous boundary layer is vital to the explanation of lift.

Title

Attempts at powered flight

Synopsis

Part 7 (1983): Attempts at powered flight between the 1850s and 1900. The aeroplanes of Wenham, Phillips, Du Temple, Pénaud, Ader, Maxim and Langley.

Title

Gliding pioneers, The

Synopsis

Part 8 (1983): The early gliding experiments of Le Bris and Lilienthal. The experimental investigations by Lilienthal into wing performance.

Title

American dream, An

Synopsis

Part 9 (1984): The gliders of Lilienthal's disciple, Percy Pilcher. The shift of interest in gliding experience from Europe to the United States is illustrated by the work of Octave Chanute and his gliding experiments. The Wright brothers and their early

Title

Wright brothers, The

Synopsis

Part 10 (1984): The first two gliding seasons at Kitty Hawk by the Wright brothers. Why these led to the Wrights' extensive programme of wind tunnel testing. Some of the key wind tunnel results.

Title

Powered flight

Synopsis

Part 11 (1984): The third season of the Wrights at Kitty Hawk. The subsequent development of the early powered Wright aeroplanes, their control and the successful powered flights at Kitty Hawk and Dayton, Ohio.

Production Company

Name

MUTV

Sponsor

Name

University of Manchester, Department of Mechanics of Fluids

Distributor

Name

MUTV, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, Tel 0161-275 2535, Fax 0161-275 2529

Notes

MUTV is the production unit of the University of Manchester Audio Visual Service