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Energy-maneuverability Theory




It relates the Thrust , weight, Drag , wing area, and other flight characteristics of an aircraft into a quantitative model. This allows combat capabilities of various aircraft or prospective design trade-offs to be predicted and compared.

::P_s = [ rac{T - D} W] V

Specific power equals thrust minus drag, divided by the aircraft's weight, times the current velocity. Power is a force times a velocity; any parameter termed "specfic" is normalized to either the mass or weight, hence the "s" subscript.

Boyd, a skilled US jet fighter pilot in the Korean War , went on to pioneer the use of computer modeling to predict aircraft performance. His work at Eglin Air Force Base in the early 1960's, charting the Performance Envelope s of US and Soviet aircraft, produced conclusions that were unwelcome but ultimately undeniable. Boyd's theories, coupled with his persistence, brought about crucial design improvements in the F-15 and F-16 jet fighters.


REFERENCES

  • Hammond, Grant T. ''The Mind of War: John Boyd and American Security''. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 2001. ISBN 1-56098-941-6 and ISBN 1-58834-178-X. An explanation of Boyd's ideas.


  • Coram, Robert. ''Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War''. New York: Back Bay Books, 2002. ISBN 0-316-88146-5 and ISBN 0-316-79688-3. A biography.