Commercial Aviation in the Jet Era and the Systems that Make it Possible

This book discusses the multiple systems that make commercial jet travel safe and convenient. The author starts by tracing the evolution of commercial jets from the Boeing 707 to the double decker Airbus A380. The next 7 chapters discuss flight controls, along with the high lift surfaces (flaps and slats) that are essential to allow high speed, low drag aircraft to take-off and land. The other systems include Engines/Nacelles, Cabin Pressurization and Air Conditioning systems, Landing Gear and brakes, Fuel Systems, Instruments/Sensors, and finally Deicing systems for the wings, nacelles and external air speed sensors. Case studies describe a significant accident that arose from a failure in the various systems described. The final chapter summarizes the past 60 years of jet travel and describe how these systems have created a cheaper, safer mode of travel than any other.