Living in the Future - Dan Raymer autobiography

[overscan]

About the Book

Dan Raymer, noted aircraft designer and author of the industry standard textbook Aircraft Design: A Conceptual Approach, has written a non-technical book that will be treasured by everyone who loves airplanes, wonders how they get designed, and wants to know how somebody becomes an aircraft designer.

Half the book is Raymer’s warm and personal memoir of growing up in the 50’s and 60’s as the son of a Navy Test Pilot, discovering his own love of aviation, and entering the rarefied club of those who stare at a blank sheet of paper and turn it into a new aircraft or spacecraft design. The other half covers Raymer’s early involvement in the projects that became the B-2, F-22, T-45, F-35, and many more.

The book is an “easy” read, quick-paced, funny, and aimed at a general audience. Raymer includes his mistakes, disappointments, and downright stupid decisions. It’s not all airplanes either – read about Raymer’s aborted musical career, his misadventures in exotic destinations like Belarus, Turkey, and Bulgaria, how he got on the Internet early enough to grab www.aircraftdesign.com, and how he came to write his design textbook.

The book is in paperback and is due out this fall from Design Dimension Press (Los Angeles, CA).

http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/10349.htm

Interesting! That looks like a Rockwell ATF model he's holding.

[AeroFranz]

I was told this would be tentatively done in the same style as Jan Roskam's "War stories", another very interesting book, which lists anecdotes of his lifelong involvement in aircraft design.
http://www.amazon.com/Roskams-Airplane-War-Stories-Professional/dp/1884885578/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252947515&sr=1-1

[martinbayer]

On his website http://www.aircraftdesign.com/acpix.html, Raymer states that the original Rockwell ATF baseline was his design.

Martin

[shockonlip]

>Interesting! That looks like a Rockwell ATF model he's holding.

Yes, a black and white version of the same photo is also in the latest edition of his design book.

[Orionblamblam]

I got a copy today. Long-form review in a few days, short form review below:



(See? Bipartisanship. "I'm meeting you halfway, you stupid hippies!")

[Orionblamblam]

OK, it's been more than a few days, but I've posted by full review here:

http://up-ship.com/blog/?p=5322

The short form: if you are at all interested in designing aircraft, the design of aircraft, the wacky hijinks that go on when people design aircraft, or just a good read... *buy* *it.*

[flateric]

ordered my copy on Dec.28...still waiting...

[flateric]

it has arrived! whoa! many new stuff, many old mysteries are solved and puzzles got their clues
you will be sorry if you not get your copy

[pometablava]

I'm going to order tonight

[sferrin]

Very good and interesting book.  Just about done with it.  So. . .I wonder what Rockwell's final ATF entry looked like. 

[overscan]

Got my copy today. Great read so far.

[NERVA]

A very good book.

[pometablava]

I'm reading it from chapters 12 to 27 and I found a it fascinating book. Highly recommended for serious aerospace amateur. You can know from the designer itself how an aircraft born from idea to hardware with real examples from Mr Raymer work at Rockwell. The manufacturer receives an order and there is a process to offer the best solution to fulfill the customer's needs, often in competence with other manufacturers. I've learnt that powerful simulation software is used even to simulate war scenarios to choose the optimal design. Working on warplanes sometimes you also depend on parallel developments from other companies (weapons, sensors...) to make your design succesful. I love the book.

I found very interesting when Dan Raymer describes some examples of designer expectations for their designs that later proved to be wrong. That made me think about the Luft 46 hysteria. As much as I learn about aerospace I find Luft 46 mania still more funny.

Thanks a lot Mr Raymer for that great book.

[overscan]

Don't forget the first chapters as well. Worth a read.