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At least 901 records · Page 50

Calculation of transonic aileron buzz

An implicit finite-difference computer code that uses a two-layer algebraic eddy viscosity model and exact geometric specification of the airfoil has been used to simulate transonic aileron buzz. The calculated results, which were performed on both the Illiac IV parallel computer processor and the Control Data 7600 computer, are in essential agreement with the original expository wind-tunnel data taken in the Ames 16-Foot Wind Tunnel just after World War II. These results and a description of the pertinent numerical techniques are included.

Steger, J. L.↗

Opportunities for wind-tunnel/flight correlation with new Boeing airplanes

The use of correlated data in airplane development is discussed. Areas of interest include initial airworthiness of an aircraft, low-speed configuration optimization, and high-speed configuration optimization. Data from wind tunnel tests are shown to be significant when applied to guarantee compliance, which includes fuel consumption, airspeeds, and takeoff and landing performance. The use of correlation in achieving FAA certification is also discussed.

Nagel, A. L.↗

The status of analytical preparation for 2-dimensional testing at high transonic speeds in the University of Southampton transonic self-streamlining wind tunnel

Validation data from the Transonic Self-Streamlining Wind Tunnel has proved the feasibility of streamlining two dimensional flexible walls at low speeds and up to transonic speeds, the upper limit being the speed where the flexible walls are just supercritical. At this condition, breakdown of the wall setting strategy is evident in that convergence is neither as rapid nor as stable as for lower speeds, and wall streamlining criteria are not always completely satisfied. The only major step necessary to permit the extension of two dimensional testing into higher transonic speeds is the provision of a rapid algorithm to solve for mixed flow in the imagery flow fields. The status of two dimensional high transonic testing in the Transonic Self-Streamlining Wind Tunnel is outlined and, in particular, the progress of adapting an algorithm, which solves the Transonic Small Perturbation Equation, for predicting the imagery flow fields is detailed.

Lewis, M. C.↗

Linking Horizontal And Vertical Transports of Biomass Fire Emissions to the Tropical Atlantic Ozone Paradox during the Northern Hemisphere Winter Season: II. 1998-1999.

The horizontal and vertical transport of biomass fire emissions in West Africa during November 1998 through February 1999, are examined using all available data including wind, fire, aerosol, precipitation, lightning and outgoing longwave radiation. Ozonesonde data from the Aerosols99 Trans-Atlantic cruise are also included with rain and wind analyses. The results here support earlier studies that ozone and ozone precursors associated with biomass burning are confined to the lower troposphere primarily due to the lack of deep convection over land areas. Ozone and its precursors are horizontally transported equatorward or towards the west by winds in the 1000-700 hPa layers. However, rising adiabatic motions associated with the diurnal evolution of the West African n can transport ozone and its precursors vertically into the free troposphere above the marine boundary layer. Moreover, lightning from South America, Central Africa and mesoscale convective systems in the Gulf of Guinea can lead to elevated ozone mixing ratios in the middle and upper troposphere.

Jenkins, Gregory S.↗

Comparison of ERS-1 scatterometer and Florida State University tropical winds

Monthly mean winds from the CMODFD (wind vector data set) ERS-1 Active Microwave Instrument (AMI) scatterometer are evaluated by comparing them to monthly mean tropical Pacific and Indian Ocean wind analyses based on in-situ data. The FSU (an observation based set of fields) winds agree qualitatively with the ERS-1 winds. Magnitudes of the vector differences are 2 to 4 m/s. Evident in the ERS-1 fields are north-south oriented bands which coincide with orbital sampling swaths. These bands are more evident in the curl maps of the mean monthly wind fields. Suitability of the ERS-1 monthly mean wind fields for ocean modeling is evaluated through a comparison of results from a model of the tropical Pacific forced by both FSU and ERS-1 wind fields. Model responses in the eastern equatorial Pacific are similar, and both track variability in the observed sea level. However, ERS-1 wind results do not correlate as well to the monthly variations in the sea level data.

Legler, David M.↗

Modeling of Wake-vortex Aircraft Encounters

There are more people passing through the world's airports today than at any other time in history. With this increase in civil transport, airports are becoming capacity limited. In order to increase capacity and thus meet the demands of the flying public, the number of runways and number of flights per runway must be increased. In response to the demand, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), in conjunction with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), airport operators, and the airline industry are taking steps to increase airport capacity without jeopardizing safety. Increasing the production per runway increases the likelihood that an aircraft will encounter the trailing wake-vortex of another aircraft. The hazard of a wake-vortex encounter is that heavy load aircraft can produce high intensity wake turbulence, through the development of its wing-tip vortices. A smaller aircraft following in the wake of the heavy load aircraft will experience redistribution of its aerodynamic load. This creates a safety hazard for the smaller aircraft. Understanding this load redistribution is of great importance, particularly during landing and take-off. In this research wake-vortex effects on an encountering 10% scale model of the B737-100 aircraft are modeled using both strip theory and vortex-lattice modeling methods. The models are then compared to wind tunnel data that was taken in the 30ft x 60ft wind tunnel at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC). Comparisons are made to determine if the models will have acceptable accuracy when parts of the geometry are removed, such as the horizontal stabilizer and the vertical tail. A sensitivity analysis was also performed to observe how accurately the models could match the experimental data if there was a 10% error in the circulation strength. It was determined that both models show accurate results when the wing, horizontal stabilizer, and vertical tail were a part of the geometry. When the horizontal stabilizer and vertical tail were removed there were difficulties modeling the sideforce coefficient and pitching moment. With the removal of only the vertical tail unacceptable errors occurred when modeling the sideforce coefficient and yawing moment. Lift could not be modeled with either the full geometry or the reduced geometry attempts.

Smith, Sonya T.↗

Neural Network Research on Tilt-Rotor Hover Performance

Results from a neural network study on XV-15 tilt-rotor hover performance are presented. Two XV-15 test data bases, acquired during separate tests conducted in the National Full-Scale Aerodynamics Complex at NASA Ames, were used in this study. The two XV-15 test data bases used were: the 1997 80- by 120-Foot Wind Tunnel test data base and the 1984 Outdoor Aerodynamic Research Facility (OARF) test data base. The objectives associated with the 80- by 120-Foot Wind Tunnel test data were to conduct data quality checks, obtain neural network representations, and demonstrate sensitivity to test conditions. The objectives associated with the OARF outdoor test data were to obtain a 'zero wind' neural network representation, and formulate and implement a neural network based wind correction procedure. An additional objective, common to both test data bases, was to conduct error comparisons. The conclusions from the present study were as follows: Compared to measured parameters (i.e., collective pitch angle), derived parameters (i.e., thrust coefficient) were found preferable as neural network inputs. For the 80- by 120-Foot Wind Tunnel test data base, the neural network based figure of merit representations did not extrapolate rotor stall. Using the OARF outdoor test database, a neural network based wind correction procedure was formulated and successfully implemented. Based on an error comparison, the present neural network based wind correction procedure was found to be more accurate compared to the existing, momentum-theory-based wind correction procedure. Also, a separate error comparison showed that the 80- by 120-Foot Wind Tunnel hover performance data were comparable to non-wind-corrected outdoor test data.

Kozapalli, S.↗

Effect of external disturbances and data rate on the response of an automatic landing system capable of curved trajectories

The effects of steady wind, turbulence, data sample rate, and control-actuator natural frequency on the response of a possible automatic landing system were investigated in a nonstatistical study. The results indicate that the system, which interfaces with the microwave landing system, functions well in winds and turbulence as long as the guidance law contains proper compensation for wind. The system response was satisfactory down to five data samples per second, which makes the system compatible with the microwave landing system. No adverse effects were observed when actuator natural frequency was lowered. For limiting cases, those cases where the roll angle goes to zero just as the airplane touches down, the basic method for computing the turn-algorithm gains proved unsatisfactory and unacceptable landings resulted. Revised computation methods gave turn-algorithm gains that resulted in acceptable landings. The gains provided by the new method also improved the touchdown conditions for acceptable landings over those obtained when the gains were determined by the old method.

Sherman, W. L.↗

Ares I and Ares I-X Stage Separation Aerodynamic Testing

The aerodynamics of the Ares I crew launch vehicle (CLV) and Ares I-X flight test vehicle (FTV) during stage separation was characterized by testing 1%-scale models at the Arnold Engineering Development Center s (AEDC) von Karman Gas Dynamics Facility (VKF) Tunnel A at Mach numbers of 4.5 and 5.5. To fill a large matrix of data points in an efficient manner, an injection system supported the upper stage and a captive trajectory system (CTS) was utilized as a support system for the first stage located downstream of the upper stage. In an overall extremely successful test, this complex experimental setup associated with advanced postprocessing of the wind tunnel data has enabled the construction of a multi-dimensional aerodynamic database for the analysis and simulation of the critical phase of stage separation at high supersonic Mach numbers. Additionally, an extensive set of data from repeated wind tunnel runs was gathered purposefully to ensure that the experimental uncertainty would be accurately quantified in this type of flow where few historical data is available for comparison on this type of vehicle and where Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) computational simulations remain far from being a reliable source of static aerodynamic data.

Pinier, Jeremy T.↗

Preliminary lift and drag characteristics of the F-8 supercritical wing airplane

A flight research program is being conducted using a supercritical wing attached to a modified F-8 fuselage to demonstrate the potential benefits of the supercritical wing concept in a realistic cruise flight environment. One of the primary goals of the flight program is to determine the drag-divergence Mach number, that is, the Mach number at which the total vehicle drag increases significantly. Another objective of the program is to show how well wind-tunnel data can be used to predict the performance of a supercritical wing configuration in the transonic Mach number region from 0. 9 to 1. 0. Comparisons of this nature are important in view of the uncertainties in the present methods for extrapolating wind-tunnel-model data to flight Reynolds numbers, determining the effect of wall interference on the model results, and simulating the flow separation characteristics on the model wing to correspond to the large-scale wing. However, in comparing these wind-tunnel and flight results, it must be taken into account that this supercritical wing test configuration is of only intermediate scale und that a full-scale transport would have Reynolds numbers three to five times larger.

Jon S. Pyle↗

Oceanographic and meteorological research based on the data products of SEASAT

Reservations were expressed concerning the sum of squares wind recovery algorithm and the power law model function. The SAS sum of squares (SOS) method for recovering winds from backscatter data leads to inconsistent results when V pol and H pol winds are compared. A model function that does not use a power law and that accounts for sea surface temperature is needed and is under study both theoretically and by means of the SASS mode 4 data. Aspects of the determination of winds by means of scatterometry and of the utilization of vector wind data for meteorological forecasts are elaborated. The operational aspect of an intermittent assimilation scheme currently utilized for the specification of the initial value field is considered with focus on quantifying the absolute 12-hour linear displacement error of the movement of low centers.

Pierson, W. J., Jr.↗

Wind velocity profiles measured by the smoke-trail method at Wallops Island, Virginia, 1965 - 1969

Thirty-nine detailed wind profiles measured by the smoke-trail method at the Wallops Island Test Range during the years 1965 through 1969 are presented as west-to-east and south-to-north velocity components at height intervals of 25 meters. The overall altitude range of the wind profile data varies from about 1 to 23 km. The wind measurements, which were made under a variety of conditions, include velocities in excess of the annual 99-percent highest wind value (the wind value which will not be exceeded 99 percent of the time) for the Wallops Island Test Range. The report also includes a listing of the wind soundings and their maximum velocities and direction of the maximum velocities measured at Wallops Island from 1959 through 1969. Results of smoke-trail enhancement experiments are also indicated.

Rhyne, R. H.↗

The Multi-Dimensional Nature of Wind Shear Investigations

The impact of air carrier accidents has lead to investigations into the wind shear phenomenon. This report includes such topics as wind shear characterization, aircraft pilot performance in shear conditions, terminology and language development, wind shear forecasting, ground and flight wind shear displays, wind shear data collection and dissemination, and pilot factors associated with wind shear encounters. Some areas which show promise for short term solutions to the wind shear hazards includes: (1) improved gust front warning through ground based sensors; (2) greater pilot awareness of wind shear through improved training; and (3) airborne displays based on groundspeed/airspeed comparisons.

Cox, W. J.↗

Small scale wind perturbation analysis for vertically rising launch vehicles

This paper discusses the determination of small-scale vertical wind spectra used with space flight and ballistic technology. In particular, Jimsphere, a precision balloon wind sensor with high radar reflectivity is considered. Gross wind velocity data is analyzed to subtract the steady-state wind and wind change-shear effects. A residue of small wind perturbations is left in the horizontal (scalar) along the vertical direction. An analysis leading to formulation of the covariance function with altitude is presented. The function is decoupled to yield an almost periodic representation of the vertical wind perturbations. Forcing functions are determined when the representation is coupled with the vehicle velocity characteristics.

Chenoweth, H. B.↗

Test-engine and inlet performance of an aircraft used for investigating flight effects on fan noise

As part of the NASA Flight Effects on Fan Noise Program, a Grumman OV-1B Mohawk aircraft was modified to carry a modified and instrumented Pratt & Whitney JT15D-1 turbofan engine. Onboard flight data, together with simultaneously measured farfield acoustic data, comprise a flight data base to which JT15D-1 static and wind-tunnel data are compared. The overall objective is to improve the ability to use ground-based facilities for the prediction of flight inlet radiated noise. This report describes the hardware and presents performance results for the research engine.

Golub, R. A.↗

Transitional, hypervelocity aerodynamic simulation and scaling in light of recent flight data

Simulation and scaling procedures applicable to maneuvering vehicles for the transitional hypervelocity flow regime are discussed with reference to certain discrepancies between lifting reentry flight data and predicted results. Low-density hypervelocity wind-tunnel data are compared with CFD and in-flight measurements. A general correlation parameter for transitional flow is produced by incorporation of a new geometric term into a form of Reynolds number. It is shown that normalized drag coefficients of a variety of shapes, including spheres, blunt-nosed cones, lifting bodies, and an STS orbiter are correlated by the parameter. A provisional bridging formula for the coefficients is presented.

Potter, J. L.↗