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At least 649 records · Page 36

An analytical study and wind tunnel tests of an aeromechanical gust-alleviation system for a light airplane

The results of an analytical study of a system using stability derivatives determined in static wind tunnel tests of a 1/6 scale model of a popular, high wing, light airplane equipped with the gust alleviation system are reported. The longitudinal short period mode dynamics of the system are analyzed, and include the following: (1) root loci, (2) airplane frequency responses to vertical gusts, (3) power spectra of the airplane responses in a gust spectrum, (4) time history responses to vertical gusts, and (5) handling characteristics. The system reduces the airplane's normal acceleration response to vertical gusts while simultaneously increasing the pitching response and reducing the damping of the longitudinal short period mode. The normal acceleration response can be minimized by using the proper amount of static alleviation and a fast response system with a moderate amount of damping. The addition of a flap elevator interconnect or a pitch damper system further increases the alleviation while moderating the simultaneous increase in pitching response. The system provides direct lift control and may reduce the stick fixed longitudinal static stability.

Stewart, E. C.↗

Data analysis and noise prediction for the QF-1B experimental fan stage

The results of a fan noise data analysis and prediction effort using experimental data obtained from tests on the QF-1B research fan are described. Surface pressure measurements were made with flush mounted sensors installed on selected rotor blades and stator vanes and noise measurements were made by microphones located at the far field. Power spectral density analysis, time history studies, and calculation of coherence functions were made. The emphasis of these studies was on the characteristics of tones in the spectra. The amplitude behavior of spectral tones was found to have a large, often predominant, random component, suggesting that turbulent processes play an important role in the generation of tonal as well as broadband noise. Inputs from the data analysis were used in a prediction method which assumes that acoustic dipoles, produced by unsteady blade and van forces, are the important source of fan noise.

Bliss, D. B.↗

Analytical study of inside-out Gimbal dynamics. Volume 2: Appendix

Stability data, eigenvalue data, and instrument pointing system earth point tracking time histories at various orbital altitudes are presented. These data apply to the inside-out Gimbal system configuration and the coincident Gimbal system configuration.

Rybak, S. C.↗

Digital control of high-intensity acoustic testing

Three systems for the control of acoustic testing are compared: a hybrid digital/analog system, a digital vibration system, and the same digital vibration system modified by a software change. The hybrid system was constructed to control the 1/3-octaves from 50 to 1000 Hz. The vibration system was equipped with programs for sine and random vibration tests, shock analysis and synthesis, and signal analysis. For the modified vibration system, the random-vibration control program of the unmodified unit was changed so that acoustic tests could be performed. The performance of the three systems is compared by conducting probability-density and time-history analyses of the proposed test spectrum for the Mariner Jupiter/Saturn 1977 program. The results of the analyses show that the hybrid and modified vibration systems perform almost equally, but the modified vibration system is easier to use and produces better test documentation.

Slusser, R. A.↗

Flow-establishment times for blunt bodies in an expansion tube

Flow establishment results are presented as obtained from shock standoff distance, pressure, and heat transfer measurements in the Langley expansion tube. The models tested were flat-faced cylinders with varying radius and a sphere with a constant radius, and they were positioned at the acceleration section exit and tested in the open jet at zero angle of attack. The experimental results were obtained as spinoff from various studies using helium, air, and CO2 test gases at freestream velocities in the range 5-7 km/sec. Time histories of shock detachment distance illustrate that the shock formation about the smaller-radii flat-faced cylinders and the sphere is symmetrical, whereas a complex, asymmetric formation is observed for the larger-radii cylinders. Flow is shown to establish more readily about the sphere than a flat-faced cylinder of the same diameter. A quasi-steady flow exists about relatively large blunt models during two-thirds of the approximate 250-microsec expansion tube test period.

Miller, C. G.↗

Coronal changes associated with a disappearing filament

Skylab/ATM observations of a disappearing filament near the center of the solar disk are described using XUV and H-alpha spectroheliograms, X-ray filterheliograms, and photospheric magnetograms. The temperature of the coronal plasma as the filament disappeared is estimated to have been in excess of 6 million K, and it is noted that the time history of the soft X-ray and microwave fluxes displayed the gradual-rise-and-fall (GRF) signature, suggesting that the present event may have properties that are characteristic of a wide class of long-duration X-ray and radio events. A comparison with other spatially resolved long-duration X-ray events indicates that all such long-lived bursts involve transients in the outer corona and that some two-thirds of them involve either the eruption or the major activation of a prominence. It is also found that long-lived events are characterized by the appearance of new emission loops in the lower corona during the declining phase of the X-ray emission and that these loops sometimes disappear after the X-ray events and sometimes remain indefinitely.

Sheeley, N. R., Jr.↗

Surface-pressure fluctuations associated with aerodynamic noise on the space shuttle launch configuration at transonic and supersonic speeds

A 0.035-scale space shuttle model was recently tested at Ames Research Center to define the fluctuating surface pressures during the launch phase of the full-scale vehicle. A 120-channel data acquisition and reduction system was employed to obtain fluctuating pressure measurements from 240 pressure transducers in two separate data passes. Time histories from all transducers were recorded on four 32-track FM tape recorders. A minicomputer was used to compute and record on-line rms values, the fluctuating pressure coefficient, and full-scale dB levels. The minicomputer also partially controlled the test conditions and fully controlled all data acquisition sequences, thus greatly improving the efficiency of test operations. This paper presents details of the tests and illustrates the fluctuating pressures that will occur on the space shuttle and launch vehicle.

Hanly, R. D.↗

Uniformity of Ludwieg tube flows

Pressure and speed of sound measurements are used to obtain averaged gas properties in a Ludwieg combustion tube in which the gas is burned just prior to use. Absorption of a laser beam in the exit flow is used to check the predicted temperature uniformity. The burning process and the heat transfer to the cold walls are modeled. Interferograms of Ludwieg tube boundary layers are utilized to develop a new semiempirical boundary layer expression referred to as the integral density thickness, which is then applied to a recently developed linearized analysis of the effects of this layer. Pressure-time histories are determined for a wide range of tube flow Mach number and aspect ratio. Viscous and nonviscous effects are considered. It is shown that although the influence of the integral density thickness on the flow can be large, a modified linear theory can be used to estimate the effects for arbitrary tube flow Mach number and values of the aspect ratio that include cases where the boundary layers have merged.

Russell, D. A.↗

A model for the simulation of atmospheric turbulence

A method that produces realistic simulations of atmospheric turbulence is developed and analyzed. The procedure makes use of a generalized spectral analysis, often called a proper orthogonal decomposition or the Karhunen-Loeve expansion. A set of criteria, emphasizing a realistic appearance, a correct spectral shape, and non-Gaussian statistics, is selected in order to evaluate the model turbulence. An actual turbulence record is analyzed in detail, providing both a standard for comparison and input statistics for the generalized spectral analysis. The simulation utilizes the eigenfunction-expansion procedure to produce preliminary time histories of the three velocity components simultaneously. It is found that important cross-statistical features are reasonably well-behaved.

Petersen, E. L.↗

Analysis of aircraft motions

Technique developed for deriving time histories of aircraft motion, forms air-traffic control (ATC) radar records. Technique should prove useful as source of data in investigation of commercial airline accidents and in anaalysis of accidents involving aircraft that do not have onboard data recorders.

Wingrove, R. C.↗

Investigation of the effects of nonhomogeneous (or nonstationary) behavior on the spectra of atmospheric turbulence

A new series expansion of the instantaneous power spectrum is used that has for its first term the usual quasi-stationary spectrum approximation. The minimum duration of a burst of turbulence and the minimum rise time of an abrupt onset of turbulence that will not give rise to changes in the spectrum due to the nonstationary behavior are determined. A general criterion for envelope behavior that will not give rise to changes in the spectrum is also determined. Spectra computed from recorded turbulence time histories are shown to be consistent with the theoretical predictions.

Mark, W. D.↗

A device for rapid determination of thermophysical properties of phase-change wind-tunnel models

An experimental method for direct measurement of the thermophysical properties of wind tunnel heat transfer models was developed. The technique consists of placing the model under a bank of high intensity, radiant heaters so that the fast opening water cooled shutters, which isolate the heater bank from the model, allow a step-input heat rate to be applied. Measurements of the heat transfer rate coupled with a surface-temperature time history of the same material are sufficient to determine the material thermophysical properties. An infrared thermometer is used to measure model surface temperature and a slug calorimeter provides heat transfer rate information. The output from the infrared thermometer and calorimeter is then fed into an analog-to-digital converter which provides digitized data to a computer. This computer then calculates combined thermophysical properties and a teleprinter prints out all the data. Thus, results are available within 7 minutes of test initiation as opposed to the weeks or months required using prior techniques.

Creel, T. R., Jr.↗

Transonic wind-tunnel tests of a lifting parachute model

Wind-tunnel tests have been made in the Langley transonic dynamics tunnel on a 0.25-scale model of Sandia Laboratories' 3.96-meter (13-foot), slanted ribbon design, lifting parachute. The lifting parachute is the first stage of a proposed two-stage payload delivery system. The lifting parachute model was attached to a forebody representing the payload. The forebody was designed and installed in the test section in a manner which allowed rotational freedom about the pitch and yaw axes. Values of parachute axial force coefficient, rolling moment coefficient, and payload trim angles in pitch and yaw are presented through the transonic speed range. Data are presented for the parachute in both the reefed and full open conditions. Time history records of lifting parachute deployment and disreefing tests are included.

Foughner, J. T., Jr.↗

A flight instrumentation system for acquisition of atmospheric turbulence data

A flight instrumentation system for the acquisition of atmospheric turbulence data is described. Airflow direction transducers and an impact pressure transducer are the primary instruments for measuring vertical and lateral gust velocity, and a sensitive incremental pressure transducer is used to measure longitudinal gust velocity. Airplane motions, sensed by an inertial platform, are subtracted from the primary measurements during postflight data reduction to yield true gust velocity time histories. Salient engineering features of the instrumentation are discussed, and a complete description of the instrumentation is presented.

Meissner, C. W., Jr.↗

Accident investigation: Analysis of aircraft motions from ATC radar recordings

A technique was developed for deriving time histories of an aircraft's motion from air traffic control (ATC) radar records. This technique uses the radar range and azimuth data, along with the downlinked altitude data (from an onboard Mode-C transponder), to derive an expanded set of data which includes airspeed, lift, thrust-drag, attitude angles (pitch, roll, and heading), etc. This method of analyzing aircraft motions was evaluated through flight experiments which used the CV-990 research aircraft and recordings from both the enroute and terminal ATC radar systems. The results indicate that the values derived from the ATC radar records are for the most part in good agreement with the corresponding values obtained from airborne measurements. In an actual accident, this analysis of ATC radar records can complement the flight-data recorders, now onboard airliners, and provide a source of recorded information for other types of aircraft that are equipped with Mode-C transponders but not with onboard recorders.

Wingrove, R. C.↗

Atmospheric turbulence power spectral measurements to long wavelengths for several meteorological conditions

Use of power spectral design techniques for supersonic transports requires accurate definition of atmospheric turbulence in the long wavelength region below the knee of the power spectral density function curve. Examples are given of data obtained from a current turbulence flight sampling program. These samples are categorized as (1) convective, (2) wind shear, (3) rotor, and (4) mountain-wave turbulence. Time histories, altitudes, root-mean-square values, statistical degrees of freedom, power spectra, and integral scale values are shown and discussed.

Rhyne, R. H.↗

Aviation safety research and transportation/hazard avoidance and elimination

Data collected by the Scanning Laser Doppler Velocimeter System (SLDVS) was analyzed to determine the feasibility of the SLDVS for monitoring aircraft wake vortices in an airport environment. Data were collected on atmospheric vortices and analyzed. Over 1600 landings were monitored at Kennedy International Airport and by the end of the test period 95 percent of the runs with large aircraft were producing usable results in real time. The transport was determined in real time and post analysis using algorithms which performed centroids on the highest amplitude in the thresholded spectrum. Making use of other parameters of the spectrum, vortex flow fields were studied along with the time histories of peak velocities and amplitudes. The post analysis of the data was accomplished with a CDC-6700 computer using several programs developed for LDV data analysis.

Sonnenschein, C. M.↗