Aircraft Gas Turbine Engine Technology, 3rd Edition
Columbus, OH: Glencoe, 2001
Category: Aerospace Engineering
Rating: 3-Stars
The first thing to remember about this book, is that it was not originally aimed at an aerospace engineering audience. As the preface to the book suggests, this book was "written and published for the aircraft technician." Although it does cover some of the basic engineering principals of jet engine technology, it does not go into any of the depth of a dedicated engineering text such as Gas Turbine Theory, or into the practicalities of the iterative design process such as Aircraft Engine Design.
I nonetheless have to recommend this book as a supplement to the engineering student that might not otherwise have a close look at the actual mechanics that go into the workings of a jet engine. Theory and mathematical principals are still important, but it is also necessary to have an appreciation for the different components that go into making up a functional jet engine: what they are, what they look like, and how they interact. Ideas which sound good on paper, may not make the same sense when contemplating their mechanical implementation. Understanding how a compressor or turbine rotor is manufactured and assembled, for example, is an essential part of turning the theories of jet engine operation into practical reality. Short of working directly for a major engine manufacturer, or having direct access to a jet engine overhaul shop, this text is as close as many engineering students can come to appreciating everything that goes into making these complex, and marvelous machines function.
With many black-and-white assembly diagrams and exploded views, this book illustrates how each of these components is constructed, installed, and operated. As such it forms a bridge between the theoretical and its practical implementation.
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