There are two generations of professionals in today’s aerospace and aviation industry:
- The young who grew up using the internet, and
- The old who grew up using books.
I admit I’m an oldster, and love my books, but I would not have gone as far without the internet, where we can share ideas and questions with others around the world!
A short booklist for aeronautic and aircraft engineering:
Structures:
- Bruhn, Analysis & Design of Flight Vehicle Structures http://www.jacobspublishing.com
- McCombs, A Supplement to Bruhn’s A&DFVS https://archive.org/details/BruhnSupplement/page/n1/mode/2up
- Flabel, Practical Stress Analysis http://www.psa1.com/thebook.html
- Roark & Young, Formulas for Stress and Strain https://www.alibris.com/Roarks-Formulas-for-Stress-and-Strain-Warren-C-Young/book/5780341
- Schijve, Fatigue of Structures https://www.springer.com/gp/book/9781402068072
Aerodynamics:
- Perkins & Hage, Airplane Performance, Stability, & Control https://www.wiley.com/en-ca/Airplane+Performance,+Stability+and+Control-p-9780471680468
- Abbott & Von Doenhoff, Theory of Wing Sections https://store.doverpublications.com/0486605868.html
- Hoerner, Fluid Dynamic Drag, and Fluid Dynamic Lift https://hoernerfluiddynamics.com/
- Anderson, Fundamentals Of Aerodynamics https://www.amazon.com/Fundamentals-Aerodynamics-John-Anderson-Jr/dp/1259129918
Design and Loads:
- Roskam, Design of Aircraft (series of 8 volumes) https://shop.darcorp.com/
- Bingelis, Firewall Forward https://www.aircraftspruce.com/catalog/bvpages/bingelis3.php
- Hiscocks, Design of Light Aircraft http://lightaircraftassociation.co.uk/2010/Engineering/Design/reading.html
- Niu, Airframe Stress Analysis And Sizing https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20018581-airframe-stress-analysis-and-sizing
- Niu, Airframe Structural Design https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1405249.Airframe_Structural_Design
- Lomax, Structural Loads Analysis https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/book/10.2514/4.862465
Engineering in general:
- Marks’ Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineering https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/SearchResults?bsi=0&sortby=17&tn=marks’%20standard%20handbook%20mechanical%20engineers
- Machinery’s Handbook https://books.industrialpress.com/machineryhandbook
A company named DARcorp has many rare books available (including some in this list). www.darcorp.com
When looking for reference books on aeronautical subjects, I have two main sources:
- Amazon - New and used books - www.amazon.com
- Alibris - Used books - www.alibris.com
- Abe Books - Used books - www.abebooks.com
Everyone knows about Amazon. Alibris ties together an international network of libraries and independent bookstores that have used books to sell. I have purchased a dozen books from Alibris and every one has been in fantastic condition (keep an eye out for bargains). Abe is new to me and I’m exploring it now. Thanks for the suggestion Ussuri!
There are, though, certain texts in aeronautics that are both highly valuable, and very hard to find. Some have been independently published by their authors, therefore don’t show up through the regular search pathways. Bruhn and Hoerner are both extremely valuable and cheaper to get from the authors’ descendants & families.