Stability and control characteristics of STOL and V/STOL airplanes
Stability, control, and handling quality characteristics of STOL and V/STOL airplanes
Chambers, J. R.↗
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A simulation study of emergency lunar escape to orbit using several simplified manual guidance and control techniques
A fixed-base piloted simulator investigation has been made of the feasibility of using any of several manual guidance and control techniques for emergency lunar escape to orbit with very simplified, lightweight vehicle systems. The escape-to-orbit vehicles accommodate two men, but one man performs all of the guidance and control functions. Three basic attitude-control modes and four manually executed trajectory-guidance schemes were used successfully during approximately 125 simulated flights under a variety of conditions. These conditions included thrust misalinement, uneven propellant drain, and a vehicle moment-of-inertia range of 250 to 12,000 slugs per square foot. Two types of results are presented - orbit characteristics and pilot ratings of vehicle handling qualities.
Middleton, D. B.↗
A flight evaluation of a vectored thrust jet V/STOL airplane during simulated instrument approaches using the Kestrel (XV-6A) airplane
An in-flight investigation was made to determine the terminal-area operating problems of a vectored-thrust-jet vertical and short take-off landing (V/STOL) airplane under simulated instrument conditions. Handling-qualities data pertinent to the terminal-area approach and landing task are presented in the text, and additional documentation is included in the appendixes. Problems dealing with the cruise letdown to localizer capture, conversion to powered-lift flight, precise control of the glide slope, approach velocity or deceleration schedule, hover, and landing are discussed.
Morello, S. A.↗
Design evaluation criteria for commercial STOL transports
Handling qualities criteria and operational performance margins have been determined for the landing phase of commercial short-takeoff-and-landing airplanes. The requirements are the result of a literature survey, analysis of areas found to be inadequately covered by current criteria, and a subsequent piloted simulator investigation of critical criteria requiring substantiation. Three complete simulator models were used, each describing the characteristics of a different high-lift system, the externally blown flap, the augmentor flap, and the internally blown flap. The proposed criteria are presented with substantiating discussions from currently available data or directly from the results of this simulation work where it is applicable.
Allison, R. L.↗
A progress report on the development of an augmentor wing jet STOL research aircraft.
The development of the aircraft has progressed to the point where the design of the modifications to the de Havilland C-8A Buffalo is complete and the engines are being tested. The predicted performance shows that the aircraft will be able to take off and land in less than 1500 ft. Simulation studies indicate that the handling qualities of the aircraft, with stability augmentation, will be acceptable for STOL research missions. Special techniques were required, however, for flight path control and transition from cruise to landing configuration .
Quigley, H. C.↗
Considerations for stability and control of V/STOL aircraft: A review of AGARD report 577
Revisions which have been made to previous V/STOL handling qualities requirments based on criteria are discussed. A discussion of the pilot's desire for a particular characteristic is given. In addition, data and reference material are provided to back up the proposed criteria to permit the user to understand the limitations of the data on which the criteria are based. A review is included of several controversial areas including pitch control sensitivity, static longitudinal stability, roll control power, roll-yaw cross coupling, and vertical flight path control.
Anderson, S. B.↗
Vertical motion requirements for landing simulation
Tests were conducted to determine the significance of vertical acceleration cues in the simulation of the visual approach and landing maneuver. Landing performance measures were obtained for four subject pilots operating a visual landing simulation device which provides up to plus or minus 40 feet of vertical motion. Test results indicate that vertical motion cues are utilized in the landing task, and that they are particularly important in the simulation of aircraft with marginal longitudinal handling qualities. To assure vertical motion cues of the desired fidelity in the landing tasks, it appears that a simulator must have excursion capabilities of at least plus or minus 20 feet.
Bray, R. S.↗
V/STOL tilt rotor aircraft study mathematical model for a real time simulation of a tilt rotor aircraft (Boeing Vertol Model 222), volume 8
This report documents the development of a real time mathematical model of a tilt rotor aircraft. This mathematical model is to be used in conjunction with the NASA Flight Simulator for Advanced Aircraft (FSAA) at Ames Research Center for evaluation of aircraft performance and handling qualities. In addition to developing the mathematical model, a parallel programming effort was conducted utilizing Boeing-Vertol's Hybrid Simulation Laboratory for the purpose of developing and evaluating model simplification. The mathematical model is an eleven degree of freedom total force model. This model includes the basic six degree of freedom rigid body .outer loop equations written about the instantaneous center of gravity with the inertial and aerodynamic terms included. The rotor is treated as a point source of forces and moments with appropriate response time lags and actuator dynamics. The wing has one vertical bending and one wing torsion degree of freedom. These structural degrees of freedom are treated on a "quasistatic" basis; i.e., the natural frequencies of vibration of the structure are much higher than the· frequencies of the rigid body motion, and the coupling is in the aerodynamic terms. Each nacelle has an independent pitch degree of freedom about the wing pivot. The aerodynamics of the wing, tail, rotors, landing gear and fuselage are included. Wing and tail mutual interference effects and turbine engine performance and dynamic responses' are represented.
H Rosenstein↗
Takeoff and landing performance and noise measurements of a deflected slipstream STOL airplane with interconnected propellers and rotating cylinder flaps
A YOV-10A aircraft was modified to incorporate rotating cylinder flaps and interconnected propellers with Lycoming T-53-L11 engines. Flight tests were made to evaluate the low speed handling qualities and performance characteristics. The flight test results indicated that landings could be made with approach speeds of 55 to 65 knots (CL = 4.5) and descent angles of 6 deg to 8 deg for total flap angles of 60 deg to 75 deg. At higher flap angles, deterioration of stability and control characteristics precluded attempts at landing. The noise level on the ground under an 8 deg landing approach path was below 86 PNdB at distances beyond 1 nautical mile from touchdown. Takeoffs were made with 30 deg to 45 deg flaps at lift off speeds of 75 to 80 knots and climb angles of 4 deg to 8 deg. Noise levels were below 83 PNdB at 3.5 nautical miles from the start of ground roll.
Weiberg, J. A.↗
Preliminary results of flight tests of vortex attenuating splines
Flight tests have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of a wingtip vortex attenuating device, referred to as a spline. Vortex penetrations were made with a PA-28 behind a C-54 aircraft with and without wingtip splines attached and the resultant rolling acceleration was measured and related to the roll acceleration capability of the PA-28. Tests were conducted over a range of separation distances from about 5 nautical miles (n. mi.) to less than 1 n. mi. Preliminary results indicate that, with the splines installed, there was a significant reduction in the vortex induced roll acceleration experienced by the PA-28 probe aircraft, and the distance at which the PA-28 roll control became ineffective was reduced from 2.5 n. mi. to 0.6 n. mi., or less. There was a slight increase in approach noise (approximately 4 db) with the splines installed due primarily to the higher engine power used during approach. Although splines significantly reduced the C-54 rate of climb, the rates available with four engines were acceptable for this test program. Splines did not introduce any noticeable change in the handling qualities of the C-54.
Hastings, E. C., Jr.↗
Free-flight investigation of the stability and control characteristics of a STOL model with an externally blown jet flap
The stability and control characteristics of a four-engine turbofan STOL transport model having an externally blown jet flap have been investigated by means of the flying-model technique in the Langley full-scale tunnel. The flight characteristics of the model were investigated under conditions of symmetric and asymmetric (one engine inoperative) thrust at lift coefficients up to 9.5 and 5.5, respectively. Static characteristics were studied by conventional power-on force tests over the flight-test angle-of-attack range including the stall. In addition to these tests, dynamic longitudinal and lateral stability calculations were performed for comparison with the flight-test results and for use in correlating the model results with STOL handling-qualities criteria.
Parlett, L. P.↗
Flight-path and airspeed control during landing approach for powered-lift aircraft
Manual control of flight path and airspeed during landing approach has been investigated for powered-lift transport aircraft. An analysis was conducted to identify the behavior of the aircraft which would be potentially significant to the pilot controlling flight path and airspeed during the approach. The response characteristics found to describe the aircraft behavior were (1) the initial flight-path response and flight-path overshoot for a step change in thrust, (2) the steady-state coupling of flight path and airspeed for a step change in thrust, and (3) the sensitivity of airspeed to changes in pitch attitude. The significance of these response characteristics was evaluated by pilots on a large-motion, ground-based simulator at Ames Research Center. Coupling between flight path and airspeed was considered by the pilot to be the dominant influence on handling qualities for the approach task. Results are compared with data obtained from flight tests of three existing powered-lift V/STOL aircraft.
Franklin, J. A.↗
Evaluation of a stall-flutter spring-damper pushrod in the rotating control system of a CH-54B helicopter
Results of a design and flight test program conducted to define the effect of rotating pushrod damping on stall-flutter induced control loads are presented. The CH-54B helicopter was chosen as the test aircraft because it exhibited stall induced control loads. Damping was introduced into the CH-54B control system by replacing the standard pushrod with spring-damper assemblies. Design features of the spring-damper are described and the results of a dynamic analysis are shown which define the pushrod stiffness and damping requirements. Flight test measurements taken at 47,000 lb gross weight with and without the damper are presented. The results indicate that the spring-damper pushrods reduced high frequency, stall-induced rotating control loads by almost 50%. Fixed system control loads were reduced by 40%. Handling qualities in stall were unchanged, as expected.
Nettles, W. E.↗
A study of vertical motion requirements for landing simulation
Tests were conducted to determine the significance of vertical acceleration cues in the simulation of the visual approach and landing maneuver. Landing performance measures were obtained for four subject pilots operating a visual landing simulation mechanized in the Ames Height Control Test Apparatus, a device that provides up to plus or minus 40 ft of vertical motion. Test results indicate that vertical motion cues are utilized in the landing task, and that they are particularly important in the simulation of aircraft with marginal longitudinal-handling qualities. To assure vertical motion cues of the desired fidelity in the landing task, it appears, that a simulator must have excursion capabilities of at least 20 ft in either direction.
Bray, R. S.↗
Digital adaptive model following flight control
Simple mechanical linkages are often unable to cope with the many control problems associated with high performance aircraft maneuvering over a wide flight envelope. One procedure for retaining uniform handling qualities over such an envelope is to implement a digital adaptive controller. Towards such an implementation an explicit adaptive controller, which makes direct use of online parameter identification, has been developed and applied to the linearized equations of motion for a typical fighter aircraft. The system is composed of an online weighted least squares identifier, a Kalman state filter, and a single stage real model following control law. The corresponding control gains are readily adjustable in accordance with parameter changes to ensure asymptotic stability if the conditions for perfect model following are satisfied and stability in the sense of boundedness otherwise.
Alag, G. S.↗
Pitch paper pilot revisited
Two methods are described for predicting the handling qualities of an aircraft in pitch. Both methods are based on minimizing a pilot rating expression with respect to free pilot parameters. In one case the pilot rating expression was developed from a set of moving base simulation data. In the other case, the pilot rating expression was developed from a set of fixed base simulation data. In both cases pilot rating is primarily a function of pitch attitude and pitch rate; however, in the moving base case, the pilot rating is more sensitive to pitch rate than in the fixed base case. For each method, predicted pilot ratings and performance measures agree well with the measured data corresponding to that case. Both methods are used to predict pilot ratings for a set of flight test configurations and the results of the two methods agree to within one half a rating unit. The predicted ratings in both cases correlate well with the actual pilot ratings from the flight tests.
Arnold, J. D.↗
The effects of display variables and secondary loading on the dual axis critical task performance
The effects of scanning displays for separated instruments, separated versus combined displays, and the effects of secondary loading are investigated. An operator rating scale for handling qualities is established analogous to the Cooper Harper Scale.
Swisher, G. M.↗
Conceptual design study of 1985 commercial tilt rotor transports. Volume 1: VTOL design summary
Aircraft were synthesized in the 21-, 45-, and 100- passenger categories. Technological factors were considered and the 45-passenger point design, designated the D312, was selected. Variants of the D312 having sideline noise levels in hover of + or - 5 PNdB were also studied. All three 45-passenger aircraft were analyzed for performance, weights, economics, handling qualities, noise footprints, aeroelastic stability and ride comfort. Results are presented.
Detore, J. A.↗