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At least 523 records · Page 29

Future experimental needs in low-speed aerodynamics

This paper presents a review of future experimental needs in low-speed aerodynamic research. Emphasis is on fixed wind aircraft and the review uses the anticipated technical needs of subsonic transport aircraft and supersonic transport aircraft to establish and prioritize future low-speed experimental needs and directions. These technical needs, combined with a continuing improvement in computational capability, suggest changes in the experimental capabilities and adjustments in the use of existing capabilities. Three factors emerge that will have a major influence on the future directions for low-speed aerodynamic research: a recognition of the significance of three-dimensional high-lift aerodynamics, the increasing importance of aeroacoustics, and additional emphasis on the importance of propulsion/airframe integration. These analyses are combined with a review of the status of experimental capabilities in low-speed aerodynamic research to suggest future directions in the development and utilization of advanced instrumentation, test techniques, and test capabilities.

Olson, Lawrence E.↗

Aircraft systems design studies employing advanced transport technologies

System and design integration studies are presented to define and assess the application of the advanced technology most likely to result in a superior next generation, high subsonic/sonic conventional takeoff and landing transport aircraft system. It is concluded that the new technologies can be directed toward the achievement of improved economy and performance. These benefits may be used to compensate for the penalties associated with reduced noise requirements anticipated to make future aircraft ecologically acceptable.

Downie, B.↗

A comparison of communication modes for delivery of air traffic control clearance amendments in transport category aircraft

A user centered evaluation is performed on the use of flight deck automation for display and control of aircraft horizontal flight path. A survey was distributed to pilots with a wide range of experience with the use of flight management computers in transport category aircraft to determine the acceptability and use patterns as reflected by the need for information displayed on the electronic horizontal situation indicator. A summary of survey results and planned part-task simulation to compare three communication modes (verbal, alphanumeric, graphic) are presented.

Chandra, D.↗

Certification of lightning protection for a full-authority digital engine control

FADEC systems present many challenges to the lightning protection engineer. Verification of the protection-design adequacy for certification purposes presents additional challenges. The basic requirements of the certification plan of a FADEC is to demonstrate compliance with Federal Airworthiness Regulations (FAR) 25.1309 and 25.581. These FARs are intended for transport aircraft, but there are equivalent sections for general aviation aircraft, normal and transport rotorcraft. Military aircraft may have additional requirements. The criteria for demonstration of adequate lightning protection for a FADEC systems include the procedures outlined in FAA Advisory Circular (AC) 20-136, Protection of aircraft electrical/electronic systems against the indirect effects of lightning. As FADEC systems, including the interconnecting wiring, are generally not susceptible to direct attachment of lightning currents, the verification of protection against indirect effects is primarily described.

Dargi, M.↗

NASA Electric Aircraft Testbed (NEAT) Single-Aisle Transport Air Vehicle Hybrid Electric Tail-Cone Thruster Powertrain Configuration and Test Results

A key technical challenge is to establish a viable concept for a MW-class hybrid gas-electric propulsion system for a commercial transport aircraft. This includes developing aircraft propulsion system conceptual designs, integrating sub-systems, high efficiency/power density electric machines, flight-weight power system and electronics, and enabling materials in high voltage insulation, high frequency soft magnetics, and conductors. The primary benefit of this research is to diversify the current turbofan propulsion options to include hybrid electric propulsion elements that reduce energy usage, emissions, and noise. A reconfigurable powertrain testbed at NASA Glenn Research Center is described including test results from the initial 500 kW powertrain configuration.

Dyson, Rodger W.↗

Study of quiet turbofan STOL aircraft for short-haul transportation. Volume 2: Aircraft

A study of the quiet turbofan STOL aircraft for short haul transportation was conducted. The objectives of the study were as follows: (1) to determine the relationships between STOL characteristics and economic and social viability of short haul air transportation, (2) to identify critical technology problems involving introduction of STOL short haul systems, (3) to define representative aircraft configurations, characteristics, and costs, and (4) to identify high payoff technology areas to improve STOL systems. The analyses of the aircraft designs which were generated to fulfill the objectives are summarized. The baseline aircraft characteristics are documented and significant trade studies are presented.

Source record↗

Sensitivity of Runway Occupancy Time (ROT) to Various Rollout and Turnoff (ROTO) Factors: Complete Set of Plotted Data - Volume 2

The Terminal Area Productivity (TAP) research program was initiated by NASA to increase the airport capacity for transport aircraft operations. One element of the research program is called Low Visibility Landing and Surface Operations (LVLASO). A goal of the LVLASO research is to develop transport aircraft technologies which reduce Runway Occupancy Time (ROT) so that it does not become the limiting factor in the terminal area operations that determine the capacity of a runway. Under LVLASO, the objective of this study was to determine the sensitivity of ROT to various factors associated with the Rollout and Turnoff (ROTO) operation for transport aircraft. The following operational factors were studied and are listed in the order of decreasing ROT sensitivity: ice/flood runway surface condition, exit entrance ground speed, number of exits, high-speed exit locations and spacing, aircraft type, touchdown ground speed standard deviation, reverse thrust and braking method, accurate exit prediction capability, maximum reverse thrust availability, spiral-arc vs. circle-arc exit geometry, dry/slush/wet/snow runway surface condition, maximum allowed deceleration, auto asymmetric braking on exit, do not stow reverse thrust before the exit, touchdown longitudinal location standard deviation, flap setting, anti-skid efficiency, crosswind conditions, stopping on the exit and touchdown lateral offset.

Goldthorpe, S. H.↗

Sensitivity of Runway Occupancy Time (ROT) to Various Rollout and Turnoff (ROTO) Factors

The Terminal Area Productivity (TAP) research program was initiated by NASA to increase the airport capacity for transport aircraft operations. One element of the research program is called Low Visibility Landing and Surface Operations (LVLASO). A goal of the LVLASO research is to develop transport aircraft technologies which reduce Runway Occupancy Time (ROT) so that it does not become the limiting factor in the terminal area operations that determine the capacity of a runway. Under LVLASO, the objective of this study was to determine the sensitivity of ROT to various factors associated with the Rollout and Turnoff (ROTO) operation for transport aircraft. The following operational factors were studied and are listed in the order of decreasing ROT sensitivity: ice/flood runway surface condition, exit entrance ground speed, number of exits, high-speed exit locations and spacing, aircraft type, touchdown ground speed standard deviation, reverse thrust and braking method, accurate exit prediction capability, maximum reverse thrust availability, spiral-arc vs. circle-arc exit geometry, dry/slush/wet/snow runway surface condition, maximum allowed deceleration, auto asymmetric braking on exit, do not stow reverse thrust before the exit, touchdown longitudinal location standard deviation, flap setting, anti-skid efficiency, crosswind conditions, stopping on the exit and touchdown lateral offset.

Goldthorpe, S. H.↗

Feasibility Study of an All-Electric 150 Passenger Aircraft

Among the potential future technologies for low-carbon transport aircraft, all-electric concepts stand out environmentally, yet their feasibility and cost-effectiveness at scale remain uncertain. This paper examines the conceptual design of an all-electric 150-passenger aircraft with a range of 840 NM based on assumed future battery cell-level specific energy of1620Wh/kg. The tube and wing design is propelled by open rotors driven by four electric motors per nacelle and utilizes advanced structural materials for weight reduction. Powertrain technology gaps are identified. The conceptual design shows that all-electric aviation could supplant about 30% of current fossil fuel use by transport aircraft and potentially more with air-traffic-control modifications.

electric aircraft↗

Using Global Market Demand Analysis to Guide Conceptual Design of Low-Boom Supersonic Transports

This paper uses a mathematical framework to identify the interdependencies of key variables in supersonic transportation demand analysis. The existing quantitative models for supersonic transportation demand analysis are compared for consistency in modeling the interdependencies. Unlike other quantitative models, the Low-Boom Systems Analysis Model (LBSAM2) can propagate important design characteristics of a supersonic transport aircraft concept to the level of economic metrics (such as the number of future supersonic passengers), with a consistent coupling of the market demand analysis, detailed mission analysis, and low-boom constraint. This allows the use of the detailed demand analysis results from LBSAM2 to maximize the economic viability of a supersonic transport aircraft by finding favorable system-level trades between weight, range, fuel burn, and assumed sonic boom ground noise limit for supersonic overland flight. In this paper, LBSAM2 is integrated with conceptual low-boom design to improve the economic viability of low-boom supersonic transport aircraft. A brief discussion of uncertainties in the LBSAM2 analysis is also included, focusing on their impacts on the relative economic advantages between low-boom concepts.

Consistent coupling of disciplinary analyses↗

Using Global Market Demand Analysis to Guide Conceptual Design of Low-Boom Supersonic Transports

This paper uses a mathematical framework to identify the interdependencies of key variables in supersonic transportation demand analysis. The existing quantitative models for supersonic transportation demand analysis are compared for consistency in modeling the interdependencies. Unlike other quantitative models, the Low-Boom Systems Analysis Model (LBSAM2) can propagate important design characteristics of a supersonic transport aircraft concept to the level of economic metrics (such as the number of future supersonic passengers), with a consistent coupling of the market demand analysis, detailed mission analysis, and low-boom constraint. This allows the use of the detailed demand analysis results from LBSAM2 to maximize the economic viability of a supersonic transport aircraft by finding favorable system-level trades between weight, range, fuel burn, and assumed sonic boom ground noise limit for supersonic overland flight. In this paper, LBSAM2 is integrated with conceptual low-boom design to improve the economic viability of low-boom supersonic transport aircraft. A brief discussion of uncertainties in the LBSAM2 analysis is also included, focusing on their impacts on the relative economic advantages between low-boom concepts.

Equilibrium state of supersonic market↗

Study of aircraft in intraurban transportation systems, San Francisco Bay area

The nine-county San Francisco Bay area is examined in two time periods (1975-1980 and 1985-1990) as a scenario for analyzing the characteristics of an intraurban, commuter-oriented aircraft transportation system. Aircraft have dominated the long-haul passenger market for some time, but efforts to penetrate the very-short-haul intraurban market have met with only token success. Yet, the characteristics of an aircraft transportation system, speed and flexibility, are very much needed to solve the transportation ills of our major urban areas. The aircraft intraurban system is a technically feasible alternative to ground transportation systems. Although requiring some subsidy, it becomes socially viable where substantial commuter traffic exists at ranges of 10 to 15 mi or more and where topographic features constrain ground travel. The general problem areas of community noise, air traffic congestion, ground transportation interface, pollution, and safety appear to have workable solutions.

Source record↗

Study of aircraft in intraurban transportation systems, San Francisco Bay area

The nine-county San Francisco Bay area is examined in two time periods (1975-1980 and 1985-1990) as a scenario for analyzing the characteristics of an intraurban, commuter-oriented aircraft transportation system. Aircraft have dominated the long-haul passenger market for some time, but efforts to penetrate the very-short-haul intraurban market have met with only token success. Yet, the characteristics of an aircraft transportation system-speed and flexibility-are very much needed to solve the transportation ills of our major urban areas. This study attempts to determine if the aircraft can contribute toward solving the transportation problems of major metropolitan areas and be economically viable in such an environment.

Source record↗

Program plan to develop airworthiness standards for STOL aircraft

A program plan to develop criteria for airworthiness standards for STOL transport aircraft is presented. Initially, three different STOL concepts are to be examined with a goal to arrive at a generalized set of standards. The Breguet 941 deflected-slipstream STOL has been initially evaluated on a piloted motion simulator and in flight. Confidence in establishing criteria for airworthiness standards for STOL transport aircraft has been obtained from these studies.

Cayot, J. E.↗

Subsonic-Transport Core/Combustor Noise

The presentation is an overview of the propulsion-noise contributions from sources associated with the combustor for subsonic-transport aircraft. Sections of the talk cover: the impact of future compact high-efficiency core design trends on airport-community noise, the physical source mechanisms responsible for direct and indirect combustor noise, and combustor-noise prediction and measurement. The noise issues discussed are important to future gas-turbine propulsors, to envisioned hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion systems, and represent key challenges in the strategy to develop novel propulsion systems for ultra-efficient transport aircraft. The Advanced Air Transport Technology Project supports this effort.

Aeroacoustics, Combustor Noise, Turbomachinery Noi↗

Refined Predictions Compared with the Propulsion Airframe Aeroacoustics and Aircraft System Noise Flight Research Test Data

In a collaboration between NASA and The Boeing Company, the Propulsion Airframe Aeroacoustics and Aircraft System Noise Flight Research Test was executed by the Boeing ecoDemonstrator Program in 2020 with an Etihad Airways Boeing 787-10 aircraft. This ambitious flight research successfully accomplished many objectives and constitutes the most comprehensive and highest quality acoustic flight data available to NASA for a modern commercial subsonic transport aircraft. One purpose of these data is to be the measure of accuracy for the aircraft system noise prediction capabilities of NASA. This research reviews the impact of the major improvements in prediction methods implemented up to this point and tested in the Research version of the NASA Aircraft Noise Prediction Program. The improvements have been to the prediction of jet source and jet-flap interaction, to both fan broadband and tone source prediction, and to the prediction of propulsion airframe aeroacoustic scattering effects. In general, over the engine power range, comparisons between prediction and flight data are within 2 EPNdB including for the intentional sideline-to-sideline asymmetries as implemented in the flight test by flying the aircraft with only one engine at power. Considerable progress has been shown here in the continuing effort to advance the fidelity of NASA aircraft noise prediction capabilities for subsonic aircraft flight acoustics, modern transport aircraft and future aircraft concepts.

aircraft system noise prediction↗

Aerodynamic Analysis of the Truss-Braced Wing Aircraft Using Vortex-Lattice Superposition Approach

The SUGAR Truss-BracedWing (TBW) aircraft concept is a Boeing-developed N+3 aircraft configuration funded by NASA ARMD FixedWing Project. This future generation transport aircraft concept is designed to be aerodynamically efficient by employing a high aspect ratio wing design. The aspect ratio of the TBW is on the order of 14 which is significantly greater than those of current generation transport aircraft. This paper presents a recent aerodynamic analysis of the TBW aircraft using a conceptual vortex-lattice aerodynamic tool VORLAX and an aerodynamic superposition approach. Based on the underlying linear potential flow theory, the principle of aerodynamic superposition is leveraged to deal with the complex aerodynamic configuration of the TBW. By decomposing the full configuration of the TBW into individual aerodynamic lifting components, the total aerodynamic characteristics of the full configuration can be estimated from the contributions of the individual components. The aerodynamic superposition approach shows excellent agreement with CFD results computed by FUN3D, USM3D, and STAR-CCM+.

vortex lattice method↗