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At least 631 records · Page 35

Low-speed aerodynamic characteristics of a model having a 42 deg swept low wing with a supercritical airfoil, double-slotted flaps, and a T-tail

A low speed wind tunnel test was conducted in the Langley V/STOL tunnel to determine the static longitudinal and lateral stability characteristics of a general research model which simulated an advance configuration for a commercial transport airplane with a T tail. The model had a 42 deg swept, aspect ratio 6.78 wing with a supercritical airfoil and a high lift system which consisted of a leading edge slat and a double slotted flap. Various slat and flap deflection combinations represented clean, take off, and landing configurations. Effects on the longitudinal and lateral aerodynamic characteristics were determined for two flow through, simulated engine nacelles located on the sides of the fuselage near the rear of the model.

Fournier, P. G.↗

Effects of wing height on low-speed aerodynamic characteristics of a model having a 42 deg swept wing, a supercritical airfoil, double-slotted flaps, and a low tail

A low speed investigation was conducted in the Langley V/STOL tunnel to determine the static longitudinal lateral stability characteristics of a general research model with the wing in a high position and a low position on the fuselage. The model had a wing with a quarter chord sweep of 42 deg, an aspect ratio of 6.78, a supercritical airfoil, and a high lift system which consisted of a leading edge slat and a double slotted flap. Various slat and flap deflections represented clean, take off, and landing configurations. A 45 deg swept horizontal tail located slightly below the fuselage center line was investigated with both the low and high wing configurations.

Fournier, P. G.↗

The application of parameter estimation to flight measurements to obtain lateral-directional stability derivatives of an augmented jet-flap STOL airplane

Flight experiments with an augmented jet flap STOL aircraft provided data from which the lateral directional stability and control derivatives were calculated by applying a linear regression parameter estimation procedure. The tests, which were conducted with the jet flaps set at a 65 deg deflection, covered a large range of angles of attack and engine power settings. The effect of changing the angle of the jet thrust vector was also investigated. Test results are compared with stability derivatives that had been predicted. The roll damping derived from the tests was significantly larger than had been predicted, whereas the other derivatives were generally in agreement with the predictions. Results obtained using a maximum likelihood estimation procedure are compared with those from the linear regression solutions.

Stephenson, J. D.↗

Flap effectiveness on subsonic longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics of a modified arrow wing

An investigation of the subsonic longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics of a modified arrow-wing model was conducted in the Langley 4- by 7-Meter Tunnel. This investigation addressed the effectiveness of the leading and trailing edge flap deflections of this model. The arrow wing was tested at a Mach number of 0.02 and at an angle-of-attack range from -4 deg to 24 deg. The results of the investigation showed that deflecting the leading edge and trailing edge in combination could promote an attached-flow condition at the wing leading edge. Also, the leading edge suction could be maximized over the complete lift-coefficient range by scheduling a combination of leading and trailing edge flap deflections.

Quinto, P. F.↗

Investigation of trailing-edge-flap, spanwise-blowing concepts on an advanced fighter configuration

The aerodynamic effects of spanwise blowing on the trailing edge flap of an advanced fighter aircraft configuration were determined in the 4 by 7 Meter Tunnel. A series of tests were conducted with variations in spanwise-blowing vector angle, nozzle exit area, nozzle location, thrust coefficient, and flap deflection in order to determine a superior configuration for both an underwing cascade concept and an overwing port concept. This screening phase of the testing was conducted at a nominal approach angle of attack from 12 deg to 16 deg; and then the superior configurations were tested over a more complete angle of attack range from 0 deg to 20 deg at tunnel free stream dynamic pressures from 20 to 40 lbf/sq ft at thrust coefficients from 0 to 2.

Paulson, J. W., Jr.↗

Unsteady wake measurements of an oscillating flap at transonic speeds

The steady and unsteady wake profiles of an airfoil with an oscillating flap were measured at nominal free stream Mach number of 0.8 in the NASA Ames 11 x 11-foot wind tunnel. The instantaneous wake velocity and pressure profiles at four axial locations are presented up to one chord length from the trailing edge. Both fundamental harmonic frequency and typical time history data are presented to observe the effects of airfoil incidence and flap angle. The drag coefficient obtained from the wake pressure measurements is compared with that obtained from the airfoil pressure distribution.

Bodapati, S.↗

The lateral-directional characteristics of a 74-degree Delta wing employing gothic planform vortex flaps

The low speed lateral/directional characteristics of a generic 74 degree delta wing body configuration employing the latest generation, gothic planform vortex flaps was determined. Longitudinal effects are also presented. The data are compared with theoretical estimates from VORSTAB, an extension of the Quasi vortex lattice Method of Lan which empirically accounts for vortex breakdown effects in the calculation of longitudinal and lateral/directional aerodynamic characteristics. It is indicated that leading edge deflections of 30 and 40 degrees reduce the magnitude of the wing effective dihedral relative to the baseline for a specified angle of attack or lift coefficient. For angles of attack greater than 15 degrees, these flap deflections reduce the configuration directional stability despite improved vertical tail effectiveness. It is shown that asymmetric leading edge deflections are inferior to conventional ailerons in generating rolling moments. VORSTAB calculations provide coarse lateral/directional estimates at low to moderate angles of attack. The theory does not account for vortex flow induced, vertical tail effects.

Grantz, A. C.↗

Development of the space shuttle body flap actuation subsystem

Development of the Body Flap Actuation Subsystem for Space Shuttles included alterations from the original design to mechanical stops, planet gears, control valves, and solenoid valves. The mechanical stops were redesigned to absorb stall load and rotating inertia of the hydraulic motors instead of only stall load. The institution of a quill shaft (torsion spring) was a successful solution. The planet gears in the geared rotary actuators developed cracks during testing. This failure was alleviated via modification to the gears. A motor pressurization - brake release timing technique was developed thru analysis and testing. This resulted in a control valve configuration which would not permit freewheeling of the body flap surface. Finally, several solenoid valve configurations were tested to obtain the desired performance. Conceptual redesigns and modifications were weighted against each other to optimize a solution. Tradeoffs were usually made between life, performance, failure tolerance, and reliability versus weight, envelope, and maintainability.

Boggs, C. R.↗

Leading edge flap system for aircraft control augmentation

Traditional roll control systems such as ailerons, elevons or spoilers are least effective at high angles of attack due to boundary layer separation over the wing. This invention uses independently deployed leading edge flaps on the upper surfaces of vortex stabilized wings to shift the center of lift outboard. A rolling moment is created that is used to control roll in flight at high angles of attack. The effectiveness of the rolling moment increases linearly with angle of attack. No adverse yaw effects are induced. In an alternate mode of operation, both leading edge flaps are deployed together at cruise speeds to create a very effective airbrake without appreciable modification in pitching moment. Little trim change is required.

Rao, D. M.↗

Flap-Lag-Torsion Stability in Forward Flight

An aeroelastic stability of three-degree flap-lag-torsion blade in forward flight is examined. Quasisteady aerodynamics with a dynamic inflow model is used. The nonlinear time dependent periodic blade response is calculated using an iterative procedure based on Floquet theory. The periodic perturbation equations are solved for stability using Floquet transition matrix theory as well as constant coefficient approximation in the fixed reference frame. Results are presented for both stiff-inplane and soft-inplane blade configurations. The effects of several parameters on blade stability are examined, including structural coupling, pitch-flap and pitch-lag coupling, torsion stiffness, steady inflow distribution, dynamic inflow, blade response solution and constant coefficient approximation.

Panda, B.↗

An experimental and analytical investigation of isolated rotor flap-lag stability in forward flight

For flap-lag stability of isolated rotors, experimental and analytical investigations are conducted in hover and forward flight on the adequacy of a linear quasisteady aerodynamics theory with dynamic inflow. Forward flight effects on lag regressing mode are emphasized. A soft inplane hingeless rotor with three blades is tested at advance ratios as high as 0.55 and at shaft angles as high as 20 degrees. In combination with lag natural frequencies, collective pitch settings and flap-lag coupling parameters, the data base comprises nearly 1200 test points (damping and frequency) in forward flight and 200 test points in hover. By computerized symbolic manipulations, an analytic model is developed in substall to predict stability margins with mode identification. It also predicts substall and stall regions to help explain the correlation between theory and data.

Gaonkar, G. H.↗

A comparison of experimental and numerical results for delta wings with vortex flaps

Computational and experimental results are presented for delta wings with vortex flaps. The wings have an undeflected leading-edge sweep of 75 deg. Flap angles of 5 deg and 10 deg, measured in the streamwise direction, are considered. The nominal angle of attack alpha is varied from 4 deg to 12 deg. Results for freestream Mach numbers of 1.7 and 2.4 are shown. Surface pressure, tuft patterns and vapor screens are given for the experimental data. Surface pressure, tuft patterns, cross-flow velocities, total pressure loss and cross-flow Mach number are given for the numerical data. C(l)-vs-alpha curves are shown for experimental and computational results. The flows are shown to be very sensitive to angle of attack, and the agreement between experimental and theoretical results is improved if the calculations are made at angles of attack slightly larger than the experimental angles of attack. The computational model correctly predicts the topology of the flow in each of the cases considered. The lift is predicted well at the higher angles of attack, but slightly overpredicted at the lower angles of attack.

Powell, K. G.↗

Toward comparing experiment and theory for corroborative research on hingeless rotor stability in forward flight (an experimental and analytical investigation of isolated rotor-flap-lag stability in forward flight)

For flap-lag stability of isolated rotors, experimental and analytical investigations are conducted in hover and forward flight on the adequacy of a linear quasisteady aerodynamics theory with dynamic inflow. Forward flight effects on lag regressing mode are emphasized. Accordingly, a soft inplane hingeless rotor with three blades is tested at advance ratios as high as 0.55 and at shaft angles as high as 20 degrees. The 1.62 m model rotor is untrimmed with an essentially unrestricted tilt of the tip path plane. In combination with lag natural frequencies, collective pitch settings and flap-lag coupling parameters, the data base comprises nearly 1200 test points (damping and frequency) in forward flight and 200 test points in hover. By computerized symbolic manipulation, a linear analytical model is developed in substall to predict stability margins with mode identificaton. To help explain the correlation between theory and data it also predicts substall and stall regions of the rotor disk from equilibrium values. The correlation shows both the strengthts and weaknesses of the theory in substall.

Gaonkar, G.↗

Low-speed aerodynamic characteristics of a wing-canard configuration with underwing spanwise blowing on the trailing-edge flap system

An investigation of the effects of spanwise blowing applied to the lower surface of a trailing-edge flap system on a wing-canard configuration has been conducted in the Langley 4- by 7-Meter Tunnel. The investigation studied spanwise-blowing angles of 30 deg., 45 deg., and 60 deg. measured from a perpendicular to the body center-line. The test conditions covered a range of free-stream dynamic pressures up to 50 psf for thrust coefficients up to 2.1 over a range of angles of attack from -2 deg. to 26 deg. Model height above the wind tunnel floor was varied from a height-to-span ratio of 1.70 down to 0.20 (a representative wheel touchdown height). The results indicate that blowing angles of 30 deg. and 45 deg. increase the induced-lift increment produced by spanwise blowing on the lower surface of a trailing-edge flap system. Increasing the blowing angle to 60 deg., in general, produces little further improvement.

Banks, Daniel W.↗

Subsonic wind-tunnel measurements of a slender wing-body configuration employing a vortex flap

A wind tunnel study at Mach 0.4 was conducted for a slender wing-body configuration with a leading edge vortex flap of curved planform that is deflectable about a 74 degree swept hinge line. The basic data consist of a unique combination of longitudinal aerodynamic, surface pressure, and vortex flap hinge-moment measurements on a common model. The longitudinal aerodynamic, pressure and hinge-moment data are presented without analysis in tabular format. Plots of the tabulated pressure data are also given.

Frink, Neal T.↗

Piloted-simulation study of effects of vortex flaps on low-speed handling qualities of a Delta-wing airplane

A piloted-simulation study was conducted to investigate the effects of vortex flaps on low-speed handling qualities of a delta-wing airplane. The simulation math model was developed from wind tunnel tests of a 0.15 scale model of the F-106B airplane. Pilot evaluations were conducted using a six-degree-of-freedom motion base simulator. The results of the investigation showed that the reduced static longitudinal stability caused by the vortex flaps significantly degraded handling qualities in the approach-to-landing task. Acceptable handling qualities could be achieved by limiting the aft center-of-gravity location, consequently reducing the operational envelope of the airplane. Further improvement were possible by modifying the flight control force-feel system to reduce pitch-control sensitivity.

Brandon, Jay M.↗

Flap-lag equations of motion of rigid, articulated rotor blades with three hinge sequences

A derivation of coupled flap-lag equations of motion for a rigid articulated rotor with hinge springs and viscous dampers is reported. Three different flapping-lag-pitch hinge sequences are considered and the Lagrange method is used to derive the equations. The effects of the complete six degrees-of-freedom aircraft motions are included and all the inertia dynamic terms are retained; no small-angle assumptions are used in the development. Comparisons of the results with those available in the literature are made. Sources of terms missing in previous analyses, especially those of the inertia dynamics, are identified.

Chen, Robert T. N.↗

Validation of a computer code for analysis of subsonic aerodynamic performance of wings with flaps in combination with a canard or horizontal tail and an application to optimization

Extensive correlations of computer code results with experimental data are employed to illustrate the use of a linearized theory, attached flow method for the estimation and optimization of the longitudinal aerodynamic performance of wing-canard and wing-horizontal tail configurations which may employ simple hinged flap systems. Use of an attached flow method is based on the premise that high levels of aerodynamic efficiency require a flow that is as nearly attached as circumstances permit. The results indicate that linearized theory, attached flow, computer code methods (modified to include estimated attainable leading-edge thrust and an approximate representation of vortex forces) provide a rational basis for the estimation and optimization of aerodynamic performance at subsonic speeds below the drag rise Mach number. Generally, good prediction of aerodynamic performance, as measured by the suction parameter, can be expected for near optimum combinations of canard or horizontal tail incidence and leading- and trailing-edge flap deflections at a given lift coefficient (conditions which tend to produce a predominantly attached flow).

Carlson, Harry W.↗