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Quest for Performance: The Evolution
of Modern Aircraft
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- Part I: THE AGE OF
PROPELLERS
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- Chapter 6: Design Maturity,
1945-80
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- Background
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- [137] In the years
since the end of World War II, turbojet- and turbofan-powered
aircraft have come to dominate an increasingly large segment of
aeronautical activity. The propeller-driven aircraft, however,
remains an important part of aviation, both in this country and in
various other parts of the world. The new propeller-driven
aircraft that have appeared since 1945 differ little in
configuration from those seen in the years immediately before and
during World War II, nor has the level of aerodynamic refinement
exceeded that of the earlier aircraft. The turboprop propulsion
system is probably the most significant technical advancement to
be incorporated in propeller-driven aircraft. In the realm of
reciprocating engines, the supercharger has come into widespread
use, both in commercial transport aircraft and in contemporary
general aviation aircraft. The supercharger, together with the
advent of cabin pressurization, has resulted in highly efficient
cruising flight at high altitudes. High-altitude operation also
offers the passengers freedom from the discomfort of rough air to
a degree that was not possible in unpressurized aircraft.
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- A few examples of propeller-driven
transports of the post-World War II period are described and
discussed here, as are a number of contemporary general aviation
aircraft.
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