Caro Engineering 
Aircraft Homebuilders Books
Homebuilt
Aerodynamics and Flight Testing
Efficient
Powerplant Installation
Building Metal
Airplanes
125 pages, 129 illustrations, by
Sonja Englert (ISBN 0-9752984-3-7)
This book is for anyone who is
fabricating metal components, although it has the most benefit for those
building a sheet metal or welded tube structure airplane. It covers materials,
measuring, basic metal working skills such as drilling, bending, forming,
cutting, welding of tube structures and riveting, but also includes
instructions on how to use a lathe and a milling machine. There are tables of
bolts, rivets and standard aircraft fittings. For those designing an airplane
or modifying an existing design, information about material properties and
strength of fasteners is listed. It is described how to design and build for
better fatigue strength, important things about corrosion protection and
bonding metal. Simple repairs of metal structures are described. An airplane
builder will have to integrate systems in his airplane, so one chapter is
dedicated to present many examples and helpful hints. This book covers how to
weld fuel tanks, how to seal integral tanks and how to make fuel or hydraulic
lines by cutting, bending and flaring tubes. For those just starting their shop
there are many descriptions of tools and equipment needed for working with
metal. All airplanes have some metal components, so this book is useful even
for those people building wood or composite airplanes.
Click on the link to view the
index: Building Metal
Airplanes Index
Click on the link to view a sample
chapter: Building Metal
Airplanes Sample Chapter
Homebuilt Aerodynamics and Flight Testing
128 pages,
over 70 illustrations, by Sonja Englert (ISBN 0-9752984-2-9)
The first
part of this book is especially of interest for airplane homebuilders and
engineers who want to know more about the basic aerodynamics of their
airplanes. Because homebuilt airplanes rarely fit into a standard template,
many different configurations are evaluated. If you are planning to build or
fly an experimental airplane, read this book first to become familiar what you
can expect in terms of flying characteristics. It covers gliders, singles and
twins with piston engines. The second part of the book deals with flight
testing the finished airplane. Even if you have no prior knowledge to flight
testing, you will find the maneuvers and procedures well explained. This book
will take you from first flight through performance and flying qualities
testing, it includes all the tests required of certified airplanes in addition
to some other tests which can help you to get to know your airplane better.
Only the normal instrumentation and some simple devices are required for the
tests. Suggestions are included to solve problems with airplane performance or
flying qualities.
Click on
the link to view the index: Aerodynamics
& Flight Testing Index
Click on the
link to view a sample chapter: Aerodynamics & Flight Testing Sample Chapter
Efficient Powerplant Installation
NEW 2. Edition More Information
113 pages, over 85 illustrations,
by Sonja Englert (ISBN 0-9752984-1-0)
This book is a must for everyone
involved in engine installations. Whether you are installing an overhauled
engine on a production airframe or design and maintain your own engine
installation for a homebuilt airplane, this book covers every component and
system firewall forward. Most kits or planes built airplanes do not include
very detailed instructions on how to handle the engine installation. This book
is intended to fill the gap. Learn about engine mounts, firewall layout, fuel
systems, engine cooling optimization for aircooled and liquid cooled engines,
cooling drag reduction, cowling design, engine controls, exhaust and induction
systems, engine instrumentation, different ignition systems, advantages and
disadvantages, propeller selection, oil systems and cabin heat, up to the first
engine run. Make sure your engine works well and runs safely from the first
start. Everything is well explained and easy to understand, whether you are an
A&P or have never touched an engine before.
Click on the link to view the
index: Powerplant Installation
Index
Click on the link to view a sample
chapter: Powerplant
Installation Sample Chapter
Composite Facts
112 pages, over 60 illustrations,
by Sonja Englert (ISBN 0-9752984-0-2)
If you consider building or
maintaining a composite airplane, or are simply interested working and
designing with composite materials, this is the book to learn about it. It is
not geared towards a specific airplane, but includes all the techniques you are
likely to encounter when building one. It takes you from the first mixing of
resin to what you need to know to build a structurally safe composite airplane.
The properties of different materials like glass, carbon, aramid and spectra
fibers are explained, and where they are best used. Become familiar with
different manufacturing techniques like wet layup and vacuum bagging, working
with foam and honeycomb cores, preparation for bonding, learn which tools are
needed, how to build simple molds, how is resin cured, what is necessary to
achieve the full strength of a part, how to recognize and repair damaged
composite components. It is explained how design proper load transfer into
composite, with many examples. You can find basic stress analysis for composite
materials and comparison with metal, what influence the direction of fibers has
on laminate strength and properties, what is fiber volume content, how can it
be determined and how does it influence the weight of an airplane. This book
was written for beginners, but it also contains a lot of useful information for
an engineer who is getting involved with composites.
Click on the link to view the
index: Composite Facts Index
Click on the link to view a sample
chapter: Composite Facts
Sample Chapter
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