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At least 379 records · Page 21
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1990

Hot gas ingestion test results of a two-poster vectored thrust concept with flow visualization in the NASA Lewis 9- x 15-foot low speed wind tunnel

A 9.2 percent scale Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing (STOVL) hot gas ingestion model was designed and built by McDonnell Douglas Corporation (MCAIR) and tested in the Lewis Research Center 9 x 15 foot Low Speed Wind Tunnel (LSWT). Hot gas ingestion, the entrainment of heated engine exhaust into the inlet flow field, is a key development issure for advanced short takeoff and vertical landing aircraft. Flow visualization from the Phase 1 test program, which evaluated the hot ingestion phenomena and control techniques, is covered. The Phase 2 test program evaluated the hot gas ingestion phenomena at higher temperatures and used a laser sheet to investigate the flow field. Hot gas ingestion levels were measured for the several forward nozzle splay configurations and with flow control/life improvement devices (LIDs) which reduced the hot gas ingestion. The model support system had four degrees of freedom - pitch, roll, yaw, and vertical height variation. The model support system also provided heated high-pressure air for nozzle flow and a suction system exhaust for inlet flow. The test was conducted at full scale nozzle pressure ratios and inlet Mach numbers. Test and data analysis results from Phase 2 and flow visualization from both Phase 1 and 2 are documented. A description of the model and facility modifications is also provided. Headwind velocity was varied from 10 to 23 kn. Results are presented over a range of nozzle pressure ratios at a 10 kn headwind velocity. The Phase 2 program was conducted at exhaust nozzle temperatures up to 1460 R and utilized a sheet laser system for flow visualization of the model flow field in and out of ground effects. The results reported are for nozzle exhaust temperatures up to 1160 R. These results will contain the compressor face pressure and temperature distortions, the total pressure recovery, the inlet temperature rise, and the environmental effects of the hot gas. The environmental effects include the ground plane contours, the model airframe heating, and the location of the ground flow separation.

Johns, Albert L.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Hot gas ingestion characteristics and flow visualization of a vectored thrust STOVL concept

A 9.2 percent scale short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) hot gas ingestion model was designed and built by McDonnell Douglas Corporation (MCAIR) and tested in the NASA Lewis Research Center 9- by 15-Foot Low Speed Wind Tunnel (LSWT). Hot gas ingestion, the entrainment of heated engine exhaust into the inlet flow field, is a key development issue for advanced short takeoff and vertical landing aircraft. The Phase 1 test program, conducted by NASA Lewis and McDonnell Douglas Corporation, evaluated the hot ingestion phenomena and control techniques and Phase 2 test program which was conducted by NASA Lewis are both reported. The Phase 2 program was conducted at exhaust nozzles temperatures up to 1460 R and utilized a sheet laser system for flow visualization of the model flow field in and out of ground effects. Hot gas ingestion levels were measured for the several forward nozzle splay configurations and with flow control/lift improvement devices which reduced the hot gas ingestion. The model support system had four degrees of freedom, heated high pressure air for nozzle flow, and a suction system exhaust for inlet flow. The headwind (freestream) velocity for Phase 1 was varied from 8 to 90 kn, with primary data taken in the 8 to 23 kn headwind velocity range. Phase 2 headwind velocity varied from 10 to 23 kn. Results of both Phase 1 and 2 are presented. A description of the model, facility, a new model support system, and a sheet laser illumination system are also provided. Results are presented over a range of main landing gear height (model height) above the ground plane at a 10 kn headwind velocity. The results contain the compressor face pressure and temperature distortions, total pressure recovery, compressor face temperature rise, and the environmental effects of the hot gas. The environmental effects include the ground plane temperature and pressure distributions, model airframe heating, and the location of the ground flow separation. Results from the sheet laser flow visualization test are also shown.

Johns, Albert L.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Summary of Lift and Lift/Cruise Fan Powered Lift Concept Technology

A summary is presented of some of the lift and lift/cruise fan technology including fan performance, fan stall, ground effects, ingestion and thrust loss, design tradeoffs and integration, control effectiveness and several other areas related to vertical short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) aircraft conceptual design. The various subjects addressed, while not necessarily pertinent to specific short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) supersonic designs being considered, are of interest to the general field of lift and lift/cruise fan aircraft designs and may be of importance in the future. The various wind tunnel and static tests reviewed are: (1) the Doak VZ-4 ducted fan, (2) the 0.57 scale model of the Bell X-22 ducted fan aircraft, (3) the Avrocar, (4) the General Electric lift/cruise fan, (5) the vertical short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) lift engine configurations related to ingestion and consequent thrust loss, (6) the XV-5 and other fan-in-wing stall consideration, (7) hybrid configurations such as lift fan and lift/cruise fan or engines, and (8) the various conceptual design studies by air-frame contractors. Other design integration problems related to small and large V/STOL transport aircraft are summarized including lessons learned during more recent conceptual design studies related to a small executive V/STOL transport aircraft.

Cook, Woodrow L.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Supersonic STOVL fighter concepts featuring the hybrid tandem-fan propulsion system

Current research on vertical- or short-takeoff-and-landing (V/STOL) aircraft is concentrating on developing a multirole-capable fighter. Several V/STOL concepts being studied show a capability performing for short-takeoff and vertical-landing (STOVL) missions. This paper is concerned with a propulsion concept which promises added flexibility in mission performance: the hybrid-tandem fan. This propulsion concept is combined with four aircraft planforms and the performance of each is evaluated on a representative mission. The four aircraft planforms used in the study are a conventional wing-tail, a forward-swept wing and canard, a delta-wing and canard, and an oblique wing and tail. The mission was chosen so that the four aircraft all had approximately the same gross takeoff weight. The four designs are compared at various phases of the mission.

Gelhausen, P. A.↗
NASA NTRS1985

A parametric evaluation of supersonic STOVL

This paper describes the results of a study to evaluate parametric variations to a single engine short-takeoff vertical-landing fighter/attack aircraft design. The variables considered involved thrust vectoring, thrust degradation, maximum lift, and other changes to determine the impact on short-takeoff performance, but subject to a vertical-landing capability. The results indicate that there are certain parameters that have a significant effect on short-field performance. Also, the optimal control strategies for transitions from a short-takeoff to forward flight and from forward flight to hover are determined. The results have applicability beyond the configuration evaluated.

Kidwell, G. H.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Aircraft automatic digital flight control system with inversion of the model in the feed-forward path

A full-flight-envelope automatic trajectory control system concept is being investigated at Ames Research Center. This concept was developed for advanced aircraft configurations with severe nonlinear characteristics. A feature of the system is an inverse of the complete nonlinear aircraft model as part of the feed-forward control path. Simulation and flight tests have been reported at previous Digital Avionics Systems conferences. A new method for the continuous real-time inversion of the aircraft model using a Newton-Raphson trim algorithm instead of the original inverse table look-up procedure has been developed. The results of a simulation study of a vertical attitude takeoff and landing aircraft using the new inversion technique are presented. Maneuvers were successfully carried out in all directions in the vertical-attitude hover mode. Transition runs from conventional flight through the region of lift-curve-slope reversal at an angle of attack of about 32 deg and to hover at zero speed in the vertical attitude showed satisfactory transient response. Simulations were also conducted in conventional flight at high subsonic speed in steep climb and with turns up to 4 g. Successful flight tests of the system with the new model-inversion technique in a UH-1H helicopter have recently been carried out.

Smith, G. A.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A parametric approach to hover balance analysis of two STOVL fighter concepts

Successful development of an aircraft with vertical landing capability must address the critical problem of balancing the aircraft for hover. In this paper a parametric method for balancing short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft in hover is described and applied to the analysis of two conceptual STOVL fighters. One uses a remote augmented lift system and the other a thrust-vectoring hybrid tandem-fan engine.

Samuels, Jeffrey J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

STOL and STOVL hot gas ingestion and airframe heating tests in the NASA Lewis 9- by 15-foot low-speed wind tunnel

Short takeoff and landing (STOL) and advanced short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft are being pursued for deployment near the end of this century. These concepts offer unique capabilities not seen in conventional aircraft: for example, shorter takeoff distances and the ability to operate from damaged runways and remote sites. However, special technology is critical to the development of this unique class of aircraft. Some of the real issues that are associated with these concepts are hot gas ingestion and airframe heating while in ground effects. Over the past nine years, NASA Lewis Research Center has been involved in several cooperative programs in the 9- by 15 Foot Low-Speed Wind Tunnel (LSWT) to establish a database for hot gas ingestion and airframe heating. The modifications are presented that were made in the 9- by 15-Foot LSWT, including the evolution of the ground plane, model support system, and tunnel sidewalls; and flow visualization techniques, instrumentation, test procedures, and test results. The 9- by 15-Foot LSWT tests were conducted at full scale exhaust nozzle pressure ratios. The headwind velocities varied from 8 to 120 kn depending on the concept (STOL or STOVL). Typical compressor-face distortions (pressure and temperature), ground plane contours, and model surface temperature profiles are presented.

Johns, Albert L.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Jet-induced ground effects on a parametric flat-plate model in hover

The jet-induced forces generated on short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft when in close proximity to the ground can have a significant effect on aircraft performance. Therefore, accurate predictions of these aerodynamic characteristics are highly desirable. Empirical procedures for estimating jet-induced forces during the vertical/short takeoff and landing (V/STOL) portions of the flight envelope are currently limited in accuracy. The jet-induced force data presented significantly add to the current STOVL configurations data base. Further development of empirical prediction methods for jet-induced forces, to provide more configuration diversity and improved overall accuracy, depends on the viability of this STOVL data base. The data base may also be used to validate computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis codes. The hover data obtained at the NASA Ames Jet Calibration and Hover Test (JCAHT) facility for a parametric flat-plate model is presented. The model tested was designed to allow variations in the planform aspect ratio, number of jets, nozzle shape, and jet location. There were 31 different planform/nozzle configurations tested. Each configuration had numerous pressure taps installed to measure the pressures on the undersurface of the model. All pressure data along with the balance jet-induced lift and pitching-moment increments are tabulated. For selected runs, pressure data are presented in the form of contour plots that show lines of constant pressure coefficient on the model undersurface. Nozzle-thrust calibrations and jet flow-pressure survey information are also provided.

Wardwell, Douglas A.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Ski jump takeoff performance predictions for a mixed-flow, remote-lift STOVL aircraft

A ski jump model was developed to predict ski jump takeoff performance for a short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft. The objective was to verify the model with results from a piloted simulation of a mixed flow, remote lift STOVL aircraft. The prediction model is discussed. The predicted results are compared with the piloted simulation results. The ski jump model can be utilized for basic research of other thrust vectoring STOVL aircraft performing a ski jump takeoff.

Birckelbaw, Lourdes G.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Application of empirical and linear methods to VSTOL powered-lift aerodynamics

Available prediction methods applied to problems of aero/propulsion interactions for short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft are critically reviewed and an assessment of their strengths and weaknesses provided. The first two problems deal with aerodynamic performance effects during hover: (1) out-of-ground effect, and (2) in-ground effect. The first can be evaluated for some multijet cases; however, the second problem is very difficult to evaluate for multijets. The ground-environment effects due to wall jets and fountain flows directly affect hover performance. In a related problem: (3) hot-gas ingestion affects the engine operation. Both of these problems as well as jet noise affect the ability of people to work near the aircraft and the ability of the aircraft to operate near the ground. Additional problems are: (4) the power-augmented lift due to jet-flap effects (both in- and out-of-ground effects), and (5) the direct jet-lift effects during short takeoff and landing (STOL) operations. The final problem: (6) is the aerodynamic/propulsion interactions in transition between hover and wing-borne flight. Areas where modern CFD methods can provide improvements to current computational capabilities are identified.

Margason, Richard↗
NASA NTRS1988

Application of empirical and linear methods to VSTOL powered-lift aerodynamics

Available prediction methods applied to problems of aero/propulsion interactions for short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft are critically reviewed and an assessment of their strengths and weaknesses provided. The first two problems deal with aerodynamic performance effects during hover: (1) out-of-ground effect, and (2) in-ground effect. The first can be evaluated for some multijet cases; however, the second problem is very difficult to evaluate for multijets. The ground-environment effects due to wall jets and fountain flows directly affect hover performance. In a related problem: (3) hot-gas ingestion affects the engine operation. Both of these problems as well as jet noise affect the ability of people to work near the aircraft and the ability of the aircraft to operate near the ground. Additional problems are: (4) the power-augmented lift due to jet-flap effects (both in- and out-of-ground effects), and (5) the direct jet-lift effects during short takeoff and landing (STOL) operations. The final problem: (6) is the aerodynamic/propulsion interactions in transition between hover and wing-borne flight. Areas where modern CFD methods can provide improvements to current computational capabilities are identified.

Margason, Richard↗
NASA NTRS1977

V/STOL Conference, Palo Alto, Calif., June 6-8, 1977, Technical Papers

Papers are presented on practical aspects of commercial STOL operations, a Vertical Attitude Takeoff and Landing (VATOL) program, powered-lift STOL ground effects, conceptual design studies of Navy Type A V/STOL aircraft, and a V/STOL shaft propulsion system analytical performance model. Also considered are the management of swirling flows with application to wind tunnel design and V/STOL testing, flight control testing of the VAK-191B, and surface fluctuating pressure measurements on a 1/4-scale YC-14 boilerplate model.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1978

Study of aerodynamic technology for VSTOL fighter attack aircraft

Vertical short takeoff aircraft capability, supersonic dash capability, and transonic agility were investigated for the development of Fighter/attack aircraft to be accommodated on ships smaller than present aircraft carriers. Topics covered include: (1) description of viable V/STOL fighter/attack configuration (a high wing, close-coupled canard, twin-engine, control configured aircraft) which meets or exceeds specified levels of vehicle performance; (2) estimates of vehicle aerodynamic characteristics and the methodology utilized to generate them; (3) description of propulsion system characteristics and vehicle mass properties; (4) identification of areas of aerodynamic uncertainty; and (5) a test program to investigate the areas of aerodynamic uncertainty in the conventional flight mode.

Burhans, W., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Study of aerodynamic technology for VSTOL fighter/attack aircraft, phase 1

A conceptual design study was performed of a vertical attitude takeoff and landing (VATOL) fighter/attack aircraft. The configuration has a close-coupled canard-delta wing, side two-dimensional ramp inlets, and two augmented turbofan engines with thrust vectoring capability. Performance and sensitivities to objective requirements were calculated. Aerodynamic characteristics were estimated based on contractor and NASA wind tunnel data. Computer simulations of VATOL transitions were performed. Successful transitions can be made, even with series post-stall instabilities, if reaction controls are properly phased. Principal aerodynamic uncertainties identified were post-stall aerodynamics, transonic aerodynamics with thrust vectoring and inlet performance in VATOL transition. A wind tunnel research program was recommended to resolve the aerodynamic uncertainties.

Driggers, H. H.↗