AEM 313

Aerodynamics I

Instructor: Dr. James P. Hubner

215 Hardaway Hall
348-1617
phubner@eng.ua.edu
http://phubner.eng.ua.edu/AEM313_2007

Office Hours: MTWR 9:30 – 10:30 am or by appointment

Lecture Hours: TR 8:00 – 9:15 am

112 Hardaway Hall

Requisites: MATH 227/AEM 311 (Pre), AEM 264 (Co)

Texts: Anderson, J. D., Fundamentals of Aerodynamics, 4th ed. (required)

Bertin, J. J., and Smith, M. L., Aerodynamics for Engineers
Katz, J., and Plotkin, A., Low-speed Aerodynamics

Objective: To develop an intermediate level understanding of subsonic aerodynamics. Topics in

Aero I include aerodynamic forces and moments, conservation equations, flow
kinematics, potential flow, panel methods, thin airfoil theory, lifting-line theory,
external boundary layers and subsonic compressible flow. Aero II (spring semester)
will focus on compressible aerodynamics, primarily supersonic flow. Together these
courses will provide the foundation for upper level undergraduate and first year
graduate courses such as propulsion, flight mechanics and gas dynamics.

Class Policy:

Lecture: Attendance and on-time arrival is expected. Reading assignments are to be

completed prior to class (quizzes covering reading material may be given at
instructor’s discretion). Students are responsible for all scheduling and policy
announcements made in class. No cell phones, pagers or other electronic items that
can disturb the lecture are permitted.

Homework: Weekly homework assignments (5 points each, 50 point total) will be posted each
Tuesday in lecture and on the course web page except on exam weeks. HW is due
the following Tuesday at 5:00 pm in my office. HW assignments will consist of
problems from the text and other sources. Late HW will not be accepted. HW
solutions must be neat and orderly else points will be deducted or the assignment not
accepted (see format on course eLearning web page). Discussion among students
regarding HW solution techniques is fine; copying HW is not acceptable (see Honor
Code).

Periodically, assignments encompassing a larger scope of work and requiring the use
of computer programming (eg MATLAB) will be assigned (50 points total).

Exams: Two out-of-class exams and a final will be administered during the weeks listed on
the syllabus. All exams are closed book. A formula sheet will be provided to use
during the exam. Exams will cover both text and lecture material. Exams and the

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final are 100 pts each. If advantageous for the student, the final will be counted as
150 pts and the lowest exam as 50 pts.

If you have a scheduled event which prevents you from taking any exam, contact me
during the first two weeks of the semester to resolve the conflict. Make-up exams, if
given, require instructor notification prior to the examination and supporting
documentation.

Grades: Grades will be based on 400 points total:

360 at least an A-
320 at least a B-
280 at least a C-
240 at least a D-
< 239 F

Regrade requests must be submitted in writing (with a thorough and clear

explanation of the disputed problem and a suggested amount of points to be credited)
within one week after the return of the graded tests.

Services: Students requiring disability services must follow the ODS (http://ods.ua.edu)
guidelines.

University counseling services are available at http://sa.ua.edu/counseling.

Honor Pledge: I promise or affirm that I will not at any time be involved with cheating, plagiarism,
fabrication, or misrepresentation while enrolled as a student at The University of
Alabama. I have read the Academic Honor Code, which explains disciplinary
procedures that will result from the aforementioned. I understand that violation of
this code will result in penalties as severe as indefinite suspension from the
University.

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Schedule

Date Topic Reading Assignment HW

Aug 23 Course Policies and Road Map; 4.2-4.3, 5.1
Airfoil and Wing Nomenclature/Characteristics
28 Fluid Properties, Statics & Modeling 1PB, 1.1-1.3, 1.9-1.10 1
Flow Classifications 2.3, 7.3
30 Aerodynamic Forces, Moments & Coefficients 1.4-1.6, 1.11
Similarity & Dimensional Analysis
Sep 4 Vector Relations 2PB, 2.1-2.4, 2.9 2
Reynolds Transport Thm & Continuity Equation
6 Momentum, Euler’s and Bernoulli’s Equations 2.5, 3.1-3.2
11 Viscous Effects and N-S Equations 15.1-15.4 3
13 Aerodynamic Applications & Subsonic Wind Tunnels 2.6, 3.3-3.6
18 Energy Equation 2.7, 15.5 4
20 Fluid Kinematics 2.11-2.13
25 Stream Function & Velocity Potential / Review 2.14-2.16
** Evening Exam 1
27 Laplace’s Eqn; Basic Potential Flow 3.7-3.10, 3.14
Oct 2 Basic Potential Flows: Rankine Oval, Doublet and Cylinder 3.11-3.13 5
4 Cylinder Flow 3.15-3.16, 3.18
9 Airfoil Circulation and Lift 4.4-4.6 6
Vortex Filaments and Sheets
11 FALL BREAK
16 Thin Airfoil Theory: symmetric airfoil 4.7 7
18 Thin Airfoil Theory: cambered airfoil 4.8-4.9
23 Airfoil Design 4PB, 4.11-4.13 8
25 Panel Methods 3.17, 4.10
30 Lifting Line Theory / Review 5PB, 5.1-5.2
** Evening Exam 2
Nov 1 Lifting Line Theory 5.3
6 High Angle of Attack Aerodynamics 5.6 9
8 N-S Equations and Similarity 15.6
13 Boundary Layer Equations 17.1-17.3 10
Displacement and Momentum Thickness
15 Laminar & Turbulent Boundary Layers 18.1-18.2, 19.1-19.2
20 Separation 4.13, Handout
22 THANKGIVING BREAK
27 Isentropic Relationships 7.2, 7.4-7.5, 8.5 11
29 Velocity Potential Equation 11.1-11.2
Dec 4 Prandtl-Glauert Correction 11.3-11.4
6 Review
12 Final Exam (11:30 – 2:00) (~2/3 new & ~1/3 old)

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