1st Edition

History and Evolution of Aircraft Technological Advancements in Size, Speed, Armaments, and Engines

By Ahmed F. El-Sayed Copyright 2025
    686 Pages 442 B/W Illustrations
    by CRC Press

    History and Evolution of Aircraft reviews the history of aviation from early history to the present day, including the evolution milestones of military aircraft, civil aircraft, helicopters, drones, balloons, airships, and their engines. It also provides the background and development of different types of aircraft, including manned and unmanned vehicles, aircraft carriers, fixed or rotary wings, air, sea, and amphibian flight vehicles.

    Covering current and developing applications of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the book highlights the prospects of future flying vehicles including automotives and jetpacks. It follows the transition from piston to jet engines that include shaft-based engines (turboprop, turboshaft, and propfan), turbine-based engines (turbojet and turbofan), and athodyd engines (ramjet, turbo-ramjet, and scramjet). The book explores flight vehicles’ technological advancements and evolution, including their geometrical features and performance parameters. It will also include nine appendices resembling databases for all types of aircraft.

    The book will be a useful reference for academic researchers and aviation, aerospace, and mechanical engineering students taking aerodynamics, aircraft structures, aircraft engines, and propulsion courses. Aviation history enthusiasts will be interested in the scope of the content as well.

    Instructors can utilize a Solutions Manual for their course.

    PART I History and Classifications of Aircraft  1. Flight Dream and Ancient History.  2. Pioneers of Man-Powered Flight Vehicles.  3. History and Classification of Civil Aircraft.  4. History and Classification of Military Aircraft.  5. History and Classification of Helicopters.  6. History and Classification of Balloons, Airships, and Flying Cars.  7. History and Classification of UAV.  8. History and Classification of Aircraft Engines.  PART II Evolution of Aircraft  9. Evolution of Civil Aircraft.  10. Evolution of Military Aircraft.  11. Evolution of Helicopters.  12. Evolution of UAVs (Drones).  13. Evolution of Aircraft Engines.  Appendix 1. Timeline 9000 BC–1950s AD.  Appendix 2. List of Pioneer Aircraft.  Appendix 3. List of Civil Aircraft.  Appendix 4. List of Military Fighters.  Appendix 5. List of Military Bombers.  Appendix 6. List of Military Transports.  Appendix 7. List of Turbofan Engines.  Appendix 8. List of Helicopters.  Appendix 9. List of UAV (Drones).

    Biography

    Dr. Ahmed F. El-Sayed has been a Professor of aerospace and mechanical power engineering at Zagazig University, Egypt, since 1983. He was a Senior Engineer with the Egyptian airline EgyptAir for 10 years, working in maintenance, technical inspection, and R&D departments. He has worked as a Researcher on corporate projects with Westinghouse, USA; Rolls Royce, UK; and Wind Energy Projects at VUB, Belgium. He is a member of ten international societies and institutions and the New York Academy of Science. He is listed in Marquis Who’s Who in America, Who’s Who in Science and Engineering, and Who’s Who in Education.

    Dr. El-Sayed has authored 14 textbooks, over 100 technical papers, and reports in international journals and conferences. He was a Founder and Chairman of the Aeronautical and Spacecrafts Department at Zagazig University (2015–2017) and Chairman of the Mechanical Power Engineering Department at Zagazig University (1999–2005). He was awarded the Distinguished Professor Award from Zagazig University in 2009. He was awarded the Medal of Long-Life Engineering Distinction, Egyptian Engineering Syndicate, 2017. He was also awarded the Distinction medals from the USAF Academy, USA, in 2013; MIPT, Russia, in 2015; EgyptAir Co. in 2019; Zewail City for Science and Art, Egypt, in 2020; the Chinese-Egyptian University in 2022, and the Institute of Aviation Engineering and Technology, IAET, Egypt, in 2023.