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At least 181 records · Page 10

Qualitative comparison of calculated turbulence responses with wind-tunnel measurements for a DC-10 derivative wing with an active control system

This paper presents comparisons of analytically-predicted and experimental turbulence responses of a wind-tunnel model of a DC-10 derivative wing equipped with an active control system. The active control system was designed for the purpose of flutter suppression, but it had the additional benefit of alleviating gust loads (wing bending moment) by about 25 percent. Comparisons of various wing responses are presented for variations in active-control-system parameters and tunnel speed. The analytical turbulence responses were obtained using DYLOFLEX, a computer program for dynamic loads analyses of flexible airplanes with active controls. In general, the analytical predictions agreed reasonably well with the experimental data.

Perry, B., III↗

A theory for lateral wing-tip blowing

The concept of lateral blowing consists in utilizing thin jets of air, which are ejected in the spanwise direction from slots at the tips of straight and swept wings, or along the leading edges of delta wings, to generate aerodynamic forces without the assistance of deflecting solid surfaces. For weak intensities of blowing the so-generated forces could be used for roll and lateral control of aircraft. In this work a theory for this concept as applied to straight wings is presented, revealing the analytical relationship between blowing and aerodynamic forces. The approach is based on perturbing the span of an elliptically loaded wing. Scaling laws involving blowing intensity, aspect ratio, and angle of attack are derived and compared with experiments. It is concluded that this concept has potential as a novel roll and lateral control device.

Tavella, D.↗

A Study of Wing Flutter

Part I describes vibration tests, in a wind tunnel, of simple airfoils and of the tail plane of an M0-1 airplane model; it also describes the air flow about this model. From these tests are drawn inferences as to the cause and cure of aerodynamic wing vibrations. Part II derives stability criteria for wing vibrations in pitch and roll, and gives design rules to obviate instability. Part III shows how to design spars to flex equally under a given wing loading and thereby economically minimize the twisting in pitch that permits cumulative flutter. Resonant flutter is not likely to ensue from turbulence of air flow along past wings and tail planes in usual flying conditions. To be flutterproof a wing must be void of reversible autorotation and not have its centroid far aft of its pitching axis, i. e., axis of pitching motion. Danger of flutter is minimized by so proportioning the wing's torsional resisting moment to the air pitching moment at high-speed angles that the torsional flexure is always small. (author)

Zahm, A F↗

Estimate of loads during wing-vortex interactions by Munk's transverse-flow method

The inviscid, incompressible interaction of a wing with a vortex is studied by use of Munk's transverse-flow method. The method assumes that the loading on the wing is such that the local circulatory flow of the vortex is turned so that the wing and its vortex wake act as a barrier to the flow. This permits the analysis to be carried out by mapping the transverse flowfield into the flow about a circle to find the vorticity distribution in the wake. Closed-form expressions are then derived for the bound circulation in the wind and for the lift and rolling moment induced by the vortex on the encountering wing. Comparisons of the loads predicted by these relationships with those of vortex-lattice theory for a flat wing of a rectangular planform indicate that they accurately represent the various parameters when the aspect ratio of the encountering wing is less than about two. When flat rectangular wings of higher aspect ratios are considered, some sort of correction is needed. Examples are then presented to illustrate some applications of the results.

Rossow, Vernon J.↗

Initial results of a flight investigation of the wing and tail loads on an airplane equipped with a vane-controlled gust-alleviation system

Results are given of an analysis of wing and horizontal-tail spar strains measured on a twin-engine light transport airplane which was modified for the installation of a control system to alleviate airplane motions in turbulent air and thus improve passenger comfort. From a sample of the measurements obtained in flight through clear-air turbulence, normal acceleration at the airplane center of gravity was reduced 43 percent, wing main-spar bending strains were reduced, and wing-spar shear strains were increased. Horizontal-tail shear and bending strains were increased. Measurements of aerodynamic loads obtained in a pull-up with the gust-alleviation system in operation are also presented.

LOADS AND STRESSES, STRUCTURAL - DYNAMIC↗

Nonlinear Finite Element Analysis of a Composite Non-Cylindrical Pressurized Aircraft Fuselage Structure

The Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project aims to develop aircraft technologies enabling significant fuel burn and community noise reductions. Small incremental changes to the conventional metallic alloy-based 'tube and wing' configuration are not sufficient to achieve the desired metrics. One of the airframe concepts that might dramatically improve aircraft performance is a composite-based hybrid wing body configuration. Such a concept, however, presents inherent challenges stemming from, among other factors, the necessity to transfer wing loads through the entire center fuselage section which accommodates a pressurized cabin confined by flat or nearly flat panels. This paper discusses a nonlinear finite element analysis of a large-scale test article being developed to demonstrate that the Pultruded Rod Stitched Efficient Unitized Structure concept can meet these challenging demands of the next generation airframes. There are specific reasons why geometrically nonlinear analysis may be warranted for the hybrid wing body flat panel structure. In general, for sufficiently high internal pressure and/or mechanical loading, energy related to the in-plane strain may become significant relative to the bending strain energy, particularly in thin-walled areas such as the minimum gage skin extensively used in the structure under analysis. To account for this effect, a geometrically nonlinear strain-displacement relationship is needed to properly couple large out-of-plane and in-plane deformations. Depending on the loading, this nonlinear coupling mechanism manifests itself in a distinct manner in compression- and tension-dominated sections of the structure. Under significant compression, nonlinear analysis is needed to accurately predict loss of stability and postbuckled deformation. Under significant tension, the nonlinear effects account for suppression of the out-of-plane deformation due to in-plane stretching. By comparing the present results with the previously published preliminary linear analysis, it is demonstrated in the present paper that neglecting nonlinear effects for the structure and loads of interest can lead to appreciable loss in analysis fidelity.

Przekop, Adam↗

Comparative performance of several SST configurations powered by noise limited turbojet engines

A simplified study was made in which the mission performances of three Mach 2.7 airplane configurations were compared. Both wing loading and size of the unaugmented turbojet engines were varied at different levels of suppressor technology. The lowest gross weight and the best return on investment were obtained with an advanced arrow wing configuration when a mission range of 4200 nautical miles was specified. This comparison was made for the takeoff noise levels specified in F.A.R. 36 using retractable jet noise suppressors assumed to be capable of 15 PNdb of suppression with only a 7.5-percent thrust loss. With less advanced suppressor technology, a modified delta configuration is a close competitor of the arrow wing. Despite its good takeoff characteristics, a swing-wing configuration was too structurally heavy to be competitive at F.A.R. 36 noise levels. Engine performance and weight commensurate with engine definition in 1975 were postulated.

Whitlow, J. B., Jr.↗

Numerical method for design of minimum-drag supersonic wing camber with constraints on pitching moment and surface deformation

A numerical method, based on linearized theory, for designing minimum-drag supersonic wing camber surfaces of arbitrary planform for a given lift, with options for constraining the pitching moment and/or the surface deformation at the trailing edge of the root chord and for selecting any desired combination of eight specified wing-loading distributions to be employed in the optimization procedure is presented. Two examples are given to illustrate applications of the method. The results indicate that relatively small drag penalties are incurred in designing wings to be self-trimming and to have a reasonable camber surface.

Sorrells, R. B.↗

Measurements of the Buffeting Loads on the Wing and Horizontal Tail of a 1/4-scale Model of the X-1E Airplane

The buffeting loads acting on the wing and horizontal tail of a 1/4-scale model of the X-1E airplane have been measured in the Langley 16-foot transonic tunnel in the Mach number range from 0.40 to 0.90. When the buffeting loads were reduced to a nondimensional aerodynamic coefficient of buffeting intensity, it was found that the maximum buffeting intensity of the horizontal tail was about twice as large as that of the wing. Comparison of power spectra of buffeting loads acting on the horizontal tail of the airplaneand of the model indicated that the model horizontal tail, which was of conventional force-test-model design, responded in an entirely different mode than did the airplane.This result implied that if quantitative extrapolation of model data to flight conditions were desired a dynamically scaled model of the rearward portion of the fuselage and empennage would be required. A study of the sources of horizontal-tail buffeting of the model indicated that the wing wake contributed a large part of the total buffeting load. At one condition it was found that removal of the wing wake would reduce the buffeting loads on the horizontal tail to about one-third of the original value.

Rainey, A Gerald↗

A revised gust-load formula and a re-evaluation of v-g data taken on civil transport airplanes from 1933 to 1950

A revised gust-load formula with a new gust factor is derived to replace the gust-load formula and alleviation factor widely used in gust studies. The revised formula utilizes the same principles and retains the same simple form of the original formula but provides a more appropriate and acceptable basis for gust-load calculations. The gust factor is calculated on the basis of a one-minus-cosine gust shape and is presented as a function of a mass-ratio parameter in contrast to the ramp gust shape and wing loading, respectively, used for the alleviation factor. A summary of gust-velocity data from v-g records taken on civil transport airplanes from 1933 to 1950, reevaluated by the revised formula, is also presented.

Pratt, Kermit G↗

Response of the Alliance 1 Proof-of-Concept Airplane Under Gust Loads

This report presents the work performed by Lockheed Martin's Langley Program Office in support of NASA's Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) program. The primary purpose of this work was to develop and demonstrate a gust analysis method which accounts for the span-wise variation of gust velocity. This is important because these unmanned aircraft having high aspect ratios and low wing loading are very flexible, and fly at low speeds. The main focus of the work was therefore to perform a two-dimensional Power Spectrum Density (PSD) analysis of the Alliance 1 Proof-of-Concept Unmanned Aircraft, As of this writing, none of the aircraft described in this report have been constructed. They are concepts represented by analytical models. The process first involved the development of suitable structural and aeroelastic Finite Element Models (FEM). This was followed by development of a one-dimensional PSD gust analysis, and then the two-dimensional (PSD) analysis of the Alliance 1. For further validation and comparison, two additional analyses were performed. A two-dimensional PSD gust analysis was performed on a simplet MSC/NASTRAN example problem. Finally a one-dimensional discrete gust analysis was performed on Alliance 1. This report describes this process, shows the relevant comparisons between analytical methods, and discusses the physical meanings of the results.

Naser, A. S.↗

Experience with high performance V/STOL fighter projects at MBB

Flight control systems and aerodynamic aspects of experimental V/STOL aircraft are discussed. The VJ 101 C featured tilting engines for increased thrust, reheat for takeoff, simple translation, triangular decentralization of the engines for thrust modulation, and moderate ground effects. Two experimental aircraft were built, with and without reheat, capable of Mach 2 and Mach 1.04, respectively. The mechanical flight control system and tests are outlined, both for hover rig and flight configurations. Ground suction, acoustic and thermal loading, sodium silicate coatings to avoid ground corrosion, and recirculation are considered. Results of the follow-on project to the VJ 101 C, the AVS, which was developed by NASA, are reviewed, and it is noted that trends toward thrust-to-weight ratios exceeding one, in concert with low wing loading, favor the development of V/STOL aircraft.

Aulehla, F.↗

Blunt-nosed swept supercritical LFC wings without nose flaps

To simplify the design of swept supercritical (SC) Laminar Flow Control (LFC) wings and maintain satisfactory low speed characteristics, blunt-nosed swept SC LFC wings without nose flaps and lower wing loadings were studied. Their boundary layer crossflow in the leading edge area is optimally controlled (1) by compensating the boundary layer crossflow of the front acceleration zone by an opposite crossflow in a downstream pressure rise area, (2) by maintaining a neutrally stable boundary layer crossflow by suction within a narrow spanwise suction strip located close to the wing attachment line in the front acceleration zone. The required suction massflow and power are then very small, especially considering the strongly stabilizing effect of surface and streamline curvature on crossflow stability.

Pfenninger, W.↗

Preliminary Investigation of a Paraglider

A preliminary investigation of the aerodynamic and control characteristics of a flexible glider similar to a parachute in construction has been made at the Langley Research Center to evaluate its capabilities as a reentry glider. Preliminary weight estimates of the proposed vehicle indicate that such a structure can be made with extremely low wing loading. Maximum temperatures during the reentry maneuver might be held as low as about 1,500 F. The results of wind-tunnel and free-glide tests show that the glider when constructed of nonporous material performed extremely well at subsonic speeds and could be flown at angles of attack from about 200 to 900. At supersonic speeds the wing showed none of the unfavorable tendencies exhibited by conventional parachutes at these speeds, such as squidding and breathing. Several methods of packing and deploying the glider have been successfully demonstrated. The results of this study indicate that this flexible-lifting-surface concept may provide a lightweight controllable paraglider for manned space vehicles.

Rogallo, Francis M.↗

Flight Tests of an Airplane Showing Dependence of the Maximum Lift Coefficient on the Test Conditions

Data are presented to show the extent to which the maximum lift coefficient and consequently the minimum speed of an airplane, determined by flight tests, may vary with test conditions. The data show that cl-max may vary as much as 14 percent, depending on the altitude and wing loading at which the tests were made, the position or motion of the propeller, and the rate at which the angle of attack is changing when the maximum lift coefficient is obtained. The variation of the maximum lift coefficient with these factors, which are under the control of the test engineer, shows the need of standardizing the test procedure. A further variation is shown with wing conditions as affected by weathering and vibration, factors that cannot be completely controlled.

Soule, H A↗

A Theoretical Investigation of the Dynamic Lateral Stability Characteristics of the MX-838 (XB-51) Airplane

At the request of the Air Material Command, U. S. Air Force, a theoretical study has been made of the dynamic lateral stability characteristics of the MX-838 (XB-51) airplane. The calculations included the determination of the neutral-oscillatory-stability boundary (R = 0), the period and time to damp to one-half amplitude of the lateral oscillation, end the time to damp to one-half amplitude for the spiral mode. Factors varied in the investigation were lift coefficient, wing incidence, wing loading, and altitude. The results of the investigation showed that the lateral oscillation of the airplane is unstable below a lift coefficient of 1.2 with flaps . deflected 40deg but is stable over the entire speed range with flaps deflected 20deg or 0deg. The results showed that satisfactory oscillatory stability can probably be obtained for all lift coefficients with the proper variation of flap deflection and wing incidence with airspeed. Reducing the positive wing incidence improved the oscillatory stability characteristics. The airplane is spirally unstable for most conditions but the instability is mild and the Air Force requirements are easily met.

Paulson, Jon W.↗

High-Speed Longitudinal-Stability and Control Characteristics of the Consolidated Vultee Lark Missile as Predicted from Wind-Tunnel Tests (TED No. NACA 2391)

A high-speed wind-tunnel investigation of the aerodynamic characteristics of a full-scale model of the Consolidated Vultee Lark indicates that the missile possesses satisfactory longitudinal-stability and-control characteristics throughout the Mach number range from 0.2 to 0.85, but that the maximum lift coefficients developed are not high enough to insure interception of the target at high altitudes. A reduction in wing loading appears advisable. Although the static longitudinal stability at zero angle of attack changes with Mach number and with lift coefficient, satisfactory control should be possible at all times as the tails retain their relatively large effectiveness throughout the range of Mach numbers and lift coefficients tested. Minimum stability and maximum maneuverability occur around 0.80 Mach number and 0.2 lift coefficient, which corresponds to level flight conditions of the missile. The optimum ratio of tail-to-wing deflection is 0.4.

Axelson, John A.↗