"The story of aerodynamics is itself dynamic, replete with smashing successes, abject failures, and intense human competitions that have had major social, economic, and political consequences. It is a story of human beings, some exceptional and some average, some admirable and some not so. Above all, it is the story of an intellectual quest to understand those laws of nature that have allowed the continuing development of aircraft that can fly faster, higher, and more efficiently than their predecessors."