Microwave-powered, unmanned, high-altitude airplanes
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Morris, C. E. K., Jr.↗
Engineering topics
Morris, C. E. K., Jr.
Publications and source records attributed to Morris, C. E. K., Jr..
Design considerations for remotely piloted, high-altitude airplanes powered by microwave energy
Several types of systems have been considered in a design study of unmanned, microwave-powered, long-endurance, high-altitude airplanes. The study includes vehicles that use power from a continuously transmitted beam and other aircraft that receive intermittent power during cycles of boost-glide flight. Simple design algorithms are presented. Examples of sizing and performance analyses are used to suggest design-procedure guidelines.
Morris, C. E. K., Jr.↗
Design study for remotely piloted, high-altitude airplanes powered by microwave energy
A design study has been conducted for unmanned, microwave-powered airplanes that must fly with long endurance at high altitude. They are proposed to conduct communications-relay, observation, or various scientific missions above approximately 55,000 feet altitude. The special characteristics of the microwave-power system and high-altitude, low-speed vehicle are reviewed. Examples of both sizing and performance analysis are used to suggest design procedure guidelines.
Morris, C. E. K., Jr.↗
Performance of high-altitude, long-endurance, turboprop airplanes using conventional or cryogenic fuels
An analytical study has been conducted to evaluate the potential endurance of remotely piloted, low speed, high altitude, long endurance airplanes designed with 1990 technology. The baseline configuration was a propeller driven, sailplane like airplane powered by turbine engines that used JP-7, liquid methane, or liquid hydrogen as fuel. Endurance was measured as the time spent between 60,000 feet and an engine limited maximum altitude of 70,000 feet. Performance was calculated for a baseline vehicle and for configurations derived by varying aerodynamic, structural or propulsion parameters. Endurance is maximized by reducing wing loading and engine size. The level of maximum endurance for a given wing loading is virtually the same for all three fuels. Constraints due to winds aloft and propulsion system scaling produce maximum endurance values of 71 hours for JP-7 fuel, 70 hours for liquid methane, and 65 hours for liquid hydrogen. Endurance is shown to be strongly effected by structural weight fraction, specific fuel consumption, and fuel load. Listings of the computer program used in this study and sample cases are included in the report.
Liu, G. C.↗
A flight investigation of blade-section aerodynamics for a helicopter main rotor having RC-SC2 airfoil sections
Pressure data at 90 percent blade radius for a helicopter main rotor with RC-SC2 blade sections was obtained. Concurrent measurements were made of vehicle flight state, performance and some rotor loads. The test envelope included hover, level flight from about 65 to 144 knots, climb and descent, and collective fixed maneuvers. Airfoil pressure distributions obtained in flight agree with those theoretical calculations for two dimensional, steady flow.
Morris, C. E. K., Jr.↗
Parametric study of microwave-powered high-altitude airplane platforms designed for linear flight
The performance of a class of remotely piloted, microwave powered, high altitude airplane platforms is studied. The first part of each cycle of the flight profile consists of climb while the vehicle is tracked and powered by a microwave beam; this is followed by gliding flight back to a minimum altitude above a microwave station and initiation of another cycle. Parametric variations were used to define the effects of changes in the characteristics of the airplane aerodynamics, the energy transmission systems, the propulsion system, and winds. Results show that wind effects limit the reduction of wing loading and the increase of lift coefficient, two effective ways to obtain longer range and endurance for each flight cycle. Calculated climb performance showed strong sensitivity to some power and propulsion parameters. A simplified method of computing gliding endurance was developed.
Morris, C. E. K., Jr.↗
A flight investigation of blade-section aerodynamics for a helicopter main rotor having 10-64C airfoil sections
Pressure data at 90 percent blade radius were obtained for a helicopter main rotor with 10-64C blade sections during flight. Concurrent measurements ere made of vehicle flight state, performance and some rotor loads. The test envelope included hover, level flight from about 65 to 162 knots, climb and descent, and collective fixed maneuvers. Good agreement is shown between some sets of airfoil pressure distributions obtained in flight and those from two-dimensional wind-tunnel tests or theoretical calculations.
Morris, C. E. K., Jr.↗
Analytical study of the cruise performance of a class of remotely piloted, microwave-powered, high-altitude airplane platforms
Each cycle of the flight profile consists of climb while the vehicle is tracked and powered by a microwave beam, followed by gliding flight back to a minimum altitude. Parameter variations were used to define the effects of changes in the characteristics of the airplane aerodynamics, the power transmission systems, the propulsion system, and winds. Results show that wind effects limit the reduction of wing loading and increase the lift coefficient, two effective ways to obtain longer range and endurance for each flight cycle. Calculated climb performance showed strong sensitivity to some power and propulsion parameters. A simplified method of computing gliding endurance was developed.
Morris, C. E. K., Jr.↗
A flight investigation of performance and loads for a helicopter with RC-SC2 main-rotor blade sections
The test envelope included hover, forward-flight speed sweeps from 33 to 74 m/sec (65 to 144 knots), and collective-fixed maneuvers at about 0.25 tip-speed ratio. The data set for each test point describes vehicle flight states, control positions, rotor loads, power requirements and blade motions. Rotor loads were reviewed primarily in terms of peak-to-peak and harmonic content. Lower frequency components predominated for most loads and generally increased with increased airspeed, but not necessarily with increased maneuver load factor.
Morris, C. E. K., Jr.↗
A flight investigation of blade section aerodynamics for a helicopter main rotor having NLR-1T airfoil sections
A flight investigation was conducted using a teetering-rotor AH-1G helicopter to obtain data on the aerodynamic behavior of main-rotor blades with the NLR-1T blade section. The data system recorded blade-section aerodynamic pressures at 90 percent rotor radius as well as vehicle flight state, performance, and loads. The test envelope included hover, forward flight, and collective-fixed maneuvers. Data were obtained on apparent blade-vortex interactions, negative lift on the advancing blade in high-speed flight and wake interactions in hover. In many cases, good agreement was achieved between chordwise pressure distributions predicted by airfoil theory and flight data with no apparent indications of blade-vortex interactions.
Morris, C. E. K., Jr.↗
A flight investigation of performance and loads for a helicopter with NLR-1T main-rotor blade sections
Data on performance and rotor loads for a teetering-rotor, AH-1G helicopter flown with a main rotor that had the NLR-1T airfoil as the blade-section contour are presented. The test envelope included hover, forward-flight speed sweeps from 35 to 85 m/sec, and collective-fixed maneuvers at about 0.25 tip-speed ratio. The data set for each test point described vehicle flight state, control positions, rotor loads, power requirements, and blade motions. Rotor loads are reviewed primarily in terms of peak-to-peak and harmonic content. Lower frequency components predominated for most loads and generally increased with increased airspeed, but not necessarily with increased maneuver load factor.
Morris, C. E. K., Jr.↗
A flight investigation of basic performance characteristics of a teetering-rotor attack helicopter
Flight data were obtained with an instrumented AH-16 helicopter having uninstrumented, standard main-rotor blades. The data are presented to facilitate the analysis of data taken when the same vehicle was flown with instrumented main-rotor blades built with new airfoils. Test results include data on performance, flight-state parameters, pitch-link loads and blade angles for level flight, descending turns and pull-ups. Flight test procedures and the effects of both trim variations and transient phenomena on the data are discussed.
Morris, C. E. K., Jr.↗
An evaluation of linear acoustic theory for a hovering rotor
Linear acoustic calculations are compared with previously reported data for a small-scale hovering rotor operated at high tip Mach numbers. A detailed calculated description of the distributions of blade surface pressure and shear stress due to skin friction is presented. The noise due to skin friction and loading, in the rotor disk plane, is small compared to thickness noise. The basic conclusions of Boxwell et al about the importance of nonlinear effects are upheld. Some approximations involved in the current theories for the inclusion of nonlinear effects are discussed. Using a model nonlinear problem, it is shown that to use the acoustic analogy, good knowledge of the flowfield is required.
Morris, C. E. K., Jr.↗
A comparison of linear acoustic theory with experimental noise data for a small-scale hovering rotor
Linear acoustic calculations based on full aerodynamic data as input are presented and compared with measured cases reported by Boxwell et al. (1978). The full aerodynamic data are obtained using three programs giving radial loading, chordwise loading, and chordwise position of transition. It is shown that in the theoretical results the most significant noise source mechanism is due to blade thickness. Thus the conclusions of Boxwell et al. as to the importance of nonlinearities around the blades are upheld. These conclusions concern the width, shape and the level of the acoustic pressure calculated from linear acoustic theory. Some of the approximations involved in the application of acoustic analogy using quadrupole sources are discussed. It is necessary that the near- and far-field problems of rotating blades be treated together as shown for the case of an oscillating sphere.
Farassat, F.↗
Theoretical analysis of aerodynamic characteristics of two helicopter rotor airfoils
An analytical study was conducted to predict the aerodynamic characteristics of two helicopter rotor airfoils. Documentation of the predictive process covers the development of empirical factors used in conjunction with computer programs for airfoil analysis. Tables of lift, drag, and pitching-moment coefficient for each airfoil were prepared for two dimensional, steady flow conditions at Mach numbers from 0.3 to 0.9 and Reynolds numbers of 7,700,000 to 23,000,000, respectively.
Morris, C. E. K., Jr.↗
Rotor-airfoil flight investigation - Preliminary results
A flight investigation has been conducted to study the behavior of three advanced-technology airfoils in the three-dimensional, unsteady-flow environment of the helicopter main rotor. Three sets of instrumented main-rotor blades were flown on an AH-1G helicopter. Each set employed one of three airfoils developed with significantly different design technologies. Data are given on performance, rotor loads, and the measurements of chordwise pressure distribution at 90 percent blade radius. The pressure data are compared with theoretical distributions calculated for two-dimensional, steady flow.
Morris, C. E. K., Jr.↗
A wind tunnel investigation of helicopter directional control in rearward flight in ground effect
Wind tunnel investigation of helicopter directional control in rearward flight in ground effect
Huston, R. J.↗
Analysis of some helicopter operating problems
Systems analysis of directional control, rotary wing vibratory loads, lift sharing, and fuselage vibration and damping during helicopter maneuvers
Jenkins, J. L., Jr.↗