Designer's Notebook

Once designers had addressed every other drag-producing aspect of the biplane, they decided to get rid of the struts and wires bracing the wings—and the switch to the monoplane was made.

Thrust-line adjustment is a powerful tool for tailoring flying qualities, but it’s complicated.

One effect of a rotating propellor: It acts as a gyroscope. What does this mean for the pilot?

When unexpected drag is an issue, the cause could be gaps in the skin of your airplane. A simple seal might solve the problem.

Reducing drag is the best way improve the performance of an airplane.

To find the speed, lose the drag.

Trailing edges are more than afterthoughts.

There's a large body of knowledge of good engineering practice for aircraft. Most of this knowledge was gained the hard way, and it should not be ignored lightly.

The structure of an airplane and its systems are only as strong and reliable as the joints holding its components together.

Advice—the good, the bad, and the ugly.