The dynamic stability problem of machines and structures is one of the important subjects for a long time. Recently, they are considered to be relatively flexible for loads as they become large-sized and light-weighted. By the way, in the conventional dynamic stability analysis, many problems of the structural analysis have been dealt with as a conservative system. However, in the problems which are acted by fluid forces such as air and water in space structures and marine structures so on, the

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... dynamics of structures are affected by the deflection of the structure. That is, the treatment of a nonconservative system such as a follower force becomes important. In addition, in the structural destruction troubles of machines and structures which have happened in the past, the dynamic instability which the follower force induced may be thought to be one of the causes although the detailed elucidations of troubles have not been done. In this paper, the stability of non-conservative system of a beam is investigated when the fluid force acting on a cantilever subjected to the axial flow is considered to be an axial force. The fundamental study is performed by using the discrete model of 2 degree of freedom systems. Moreover, this is expanded to the continuous system of a cantilever. And, the physical consistency between a discrete model and a continuous one and the effect of damping are discussed.