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This report concerns the efforts being made to remove the source of danger to passengers arising from the fracturing of silicate glass. Some of the alternatives presented include: single-layer safety glass, multi-layer safety glass, transparent plastic resins. Some of the resins considered are celluloid, cellulose acetates, and mixtures of polymers.
Modified spiral bevel gears that generate relatively little noise and vibration designed and fabricated for use in U.S. Army OH-58D helicopter. Noise reduced by 12 to 19 dB. Similar low-noise, low-vibration spiral bevel gears used in other helicopters, with consequent benefits in comfort and health of pilots and passengers, enhancement of pilots' performance and safety through reduction of audible distraction, and reduction in cost and weight of helicopters through reduction in amount of sound-proofing material. Low-noise, low-vibration spiral bevel gears also used in drive axles of cars and trucks for smoother, quieter rides.
Four teams of seven students each developed conceptual designs for a hypersonic executive transport. The specifications called for a 10-passenger jet that had a range of 6000 nm while cruising at a Mach number between M = 4 and M = 6 and was capable of operating from 10,000-ft runways. The configurations produced by the student design teams varied significantly in both planform and propulsion, but all met the mission requirements. A methane-fueled, variable-cycle turbofan-ramjet powered, double-delta transport was the most conventional design; a second aircraft having variable sweep canards utilized hydrogen-fueled turbofan-ramjet engines and laminar flow control on its delta wing. Two configurations were derived from waverider concepts, analytically shaped flying wings that exploit an M = 6 shock wave for efficient lift-to-drag ratios. One of the waveriders uses a liquid, noncryogenic fuel - methylcyclohexane - to power separate turbofan and ramjet engines. The second waverider initially operates its turbofan-ramjet engine with liquid JP-X for take-off and flight to M = 3, then switches to liquid hydrogen for the ramjet high Mach number cycle. The design studies include the effects of aerodynamic heating, environmental concerns, and operating and production costs of each hypersonic transport.
Passenger comfort is of great importance in most transport vehicles. For instance, in the new generation of regional turboprop aircraft, a low noise level is vital to be competitive on the market. The possibilities to predict noise levels analytically has improved rapidly in recent years. This will make it possible to take acoustic design criteria into account in early project stages. The development of the ASKA FE-system to include also acoustic analysis has been carried out at Saab Aircraft Division and the Aeronautical Research Institute of Sweden in a joint project. New finite elements have been developed to model the free fluid, porous damping materials, and the interaction between the fluid and structural degrees of freedom. The FE approach to the acoustic analysis is best suited for lower frequencies up to a few hundred Hz. For accurate analysis of interior cabin noise, large 3-D FE-models are built, but 2-D models are also considered to be useful for parametric studies and optimization. The interest is here focused on the introduction of an acoustic design criteria in the general structural optimization system OPTSYS available at the Saab Aircraft Division. The first implementation addresses a somewhat limited class of problems. The problems solved are formulated: Minimize the structural weight by modifying the dimensions of the structure while keeping the noise level in the cavity and other structural design criteria within specified limits.
Crews and passengers on future long-duration Earth orbital and interplanetary missions must be provided quality health services - to combat illnesses and accidental injuries, and for routine preventive care. People on Earth-orbital missions can be returned relatively easily to Earth, but those on interplanetary missions cannot. Accordingly, crews on long-duration missions will likely include at least one specially trained person, perhaps a physician's assistant, hospital corpsman, nurse, or physician who will be responsible for providing onboard health services. Specifically, we must determine the most effective way to administer health care to a remotely located population. NASA with the cooperation of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare is pursuing a program for providing health services to remote locations on Earth as a necessary step to developing and verifying this capability on a spacecraft. The STARPAHC program is described.
An experimental study was conducted to determine the aerodynamic characteristics of a proposed high speed civil transport. This configuration was designed to cruise at Mach 3.0 and sized to carry 250 passengers for 6500 n.mi. The configuration consists of a highly blended wing body and features a blunt parabolic nose planform, a highly swept inboard wing panel, a moderately swept outboard wing panel, and a curved wingtip. Wind tunnel tests were conducted in the Langley Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel on a 0.0098-scale model. Force, moment, and pressure data were obtained for Mach numbers ranging from 1.6 to 3.6 and at angles of attack ranging from -4 to 10 deg. Extensive flow visualization studies (vapor screen and oil flow) were obtained in the experimental program. Both linear and advanced computational fluid dynamics (CFD) theoretical comparisons are shown to assess the ability to predict forces, moments, and pressures on configurations of this type. In addition, an extrapolation of the wind tunnel data, based on empirical principles, to full-scale conditions is compared with the theoretical aerodynamic predictions.
The primary goal in designing the Blue Emu was to provide an airline with a cost efficient and profitable means of transporting passengers between the major cities in Aeroworld. The design attacks the market where a demand for inexpensive transportation exists and for this reason the Blue Emu is an attractive investment for any airline. In order to provide a profitable aircraft, special attention was paid to cost and economics. For example, in manufacturing, simplicity was stressed in structural design to reduce construction time and cost. Aerodynamic design employed a tapered wing which reduced the induced drag coefficient while also reducing the weight of the wing. Even the propulsion system was selected with cost effectiveness in mind, yet also to maintain the marketability of the aircraft. Thus, in every aspect of the design, consideration was given to economics and marketability of the final product.
The remotely piloted vehicle (RPV) GoldRush was designed to complete the mission of transporting passengers in AeroWorld at a lower cost per seat per thousand feet (CPSPK) than the competition, the HB-40. There were two major factors which were constant considerations in the design process. The cost of manufacturing was the most important. In light of this, the designs were kept as simple as possible while considering trade-offs in performance. For example, the wing was not tapered so that several ribs could be cut at one time. Also of major importance was the takeoff distance. In order to serve all the cities in AeroWorld it was necessary to maintain a takeoff distance requirement of 24 feet. The takeoff distance proved to be the number one force in driving the design process. The Astro 25 engine and 13 inch propellor, a large wing area, and the high lift Wortmann airfoil were all chosen in order to satisfy this objective.
The RTL-46 provides an aircraft which utilizes advanced technology within the fictional Aeroworld market to better service the air travel customers and airlines of Aeroworld. The RTL-46 is designed to serve the portion of the travel market which flies less than 10,000 feet per flight. The design cruise velocity for the aircraft is 35 ft/sec, which rapidly expedites travel through Aeroworld. The major focus of the endeavor was to design an aircraft which would serve the Aeroworld market better than the existing aircraft, the HB-40. This could have been done through targeting another portion of the Aeroworld market or through serving the current HB-40 market more effectively. Due to the fact that approximately 70 percent of the potential Aeroworld passengers desired flights of 10,000 ft or less, this range became the target market for the RTL-46.
The current program is aimed at providing a physical picture of the flow physics and quantitative turbulence data of the interaction of a high Reynolds number wake with a flap element. The impact of high lift on aircraft performance is studied for a 150 passenger transport aircraft with the goal of designing optimum high lift systems with minimum complexity.
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute has been developing transatmospheric 'Lightcraft' technology aimed at creating an efficient, economically affordable, hypersonic mass transportation system. The system utilizes laser-energized airbreathing engines to accelerate minimum-volume passenger capsules. The system gains a high level of reliability by using remote 'centralized' space power sources, e.g., satellite solar power stations. The most critical portion of the Lightcraft's acceleration trajectory involves flight propulsion at hypersonic velocities within the Earth's atmosphere, using a 'Magneto-Hydro-Dynamic (MHD) Fanjet' mode. Of all the propulsion modes proposed for the Lightcraft's combined-cycle engine, the MHD-Fanjet mode has received the least critical inquiry, largely because of its complexity. During the 1991-1992 academic year, Rensselaer's ADP teams produced a detailed conceptual design for the MHD-Fanjet engine, including the specific details of its integration with the other three propulsive modes. To facilitate this process, students built a full-scale mockup of a 1/12th section of this annular engine, complete with a working model of the shroud translation system. The class also made preliminary design calculations for the double-dipole, 'cuspfield' superconducting magnets that provide the external magnetic field needed by the MHD air accelerator, as well as for an onboard microwave power system to enhance the electrical conductivity of the air plasma working fluid. In addition, a large hypersonic model of the MHD accelerator was designed for future tests in RPI's Hypersonic Shock Tunnel in order to validate present analytical performance models. Another group continued design work on a full-sized prototype of a one-person 'Mercury Lightcraft' (a transatmospheric flight simulator), with major emphasis on the detailed design of the major structure, robotic landing gear, and exterior aeroshell.
The Eagle RTS (Regional Transport System) is a 66-passenger aircraft designed to satisfy the need for accessible and economical regional travel. The first design objective for the Eagle RTS is safety. Safety results primarily from avoidance of the hub airport air traffic, implementation of anti-stall characteristics by tailoring the canard, and proper positioning of the engines for blade shedding. To provide the most economical aircraft, the Eagle RTS will use existing technology to lower production and maintenance costs by decreasing the amount of new training required. In selecting the propulsion system, the effects on the environment were a main consideration. Two advantages of turbo-prop engines are the high fuel efficiency and low noise levels produced by this type of engine. This ensures the aircraft's usage during times of rising fuel costs and growing aircraft noise restrictions. The design of the Eagle RTS is for spoke-to-spoke transportation. It must be capable of landing on shorter runways and have speeds comparable to that of the larger aircraft to make its service beneficial to the airlines. With the use of turbo-prop engines and high lift devices, the Eagle RTS is highly adaptable to regional airports. The design topics discussed include: aerodynamics, stability, structures and materials, propulsion, and cost.
Technology in aeronautics has advanced dramatically since the last design of a production High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT) aircraft. Newly projected requirements call for a new High Speed Civil Transport aircraft with a range of approximately 550 nm and at least 275 passenger capacity. The aircraft must be affordable and marketable. The new HSCT must be able to sustain long-duration flights and to absorb the abuse of daily operation. The new aircraft must be safe and simple to fly and require a minimum amount of maintenance. This aircraft must meet FAA certification criteria of FAR Part 25 and environmental constraints. Several design configurations were examined and two designs were selected for further investigation. The first design employs the delta planform wings and conventional empennage layout. The other design uses a swing wing layout and conventional empennage. Other engineering challenges, including materials and propulsion are also discussed. At a cruise flight speed between Mach 2.2 and Mach 3.0, no current generation of materials can endure the thermal loading of supersonic flight and satisfy the stringent weight requirements. A new generation of lightweight composite materials must be developed for the HSCT. With the enforcement of stage 3 noise restrictions, these new engines must be able to propel the aircraft and satisfy the noise limit. The engine with the most promise is the variable cycle engine. At low subsonic speeds the engine operates like a turbofan engine, providing the most efficient performance. At higher speeds the variable cycle engine operates as a turbojet power plant. The two large engine manufacturers, General Electric and Pratt & Whitney in the United States, are combining forces to make the variable cycle engine a reality.
This year, the senior level Aerospace Design class at Case Western Reserve University developed a conceptual design of a supersonic business transport. Due to the growing trade between Asia and the United States, a transpacific range was chosen for the aircraft. A Mach number of 2.2 was chosen, too, because it provides reasonable block times and allows the use of a large range of materials without a need for active cooling. A payload of 2,500 lbs. was assumed corresponding to a complement of nine passengers and crew, plus some light cargo. With these general requirements set, the class was broken down into three groups. The aerodynamics of the aircraft were the responsibility of the first group. The second developed the propulsion system. The efforts of both the aerodynamics and propulsion groups were monitored and reviewed for weight considerations and structural feasibility by the third group. Integration of the design required considerable interaction between the groups in the final stages. The fuselage length of the final conceptual design was 107.0 ft, while the diameter of the fuselage was 7.6 ft. The delta wing design consisted of an aspect ratio of 1.9 with a wing span of 47.75 ft and mid-chord length of 61.0 ft. A SNECMA MCV 99 variable-cycle engine design was chosen for this aircraft.
This report describes the design, development and flight testing of the Propulsion Controlled Aircraft (PCA) flight control system performed at McDonnell Douglas Aerospace (MDA), St. Louis, Missouri and at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Facility, Edwards Air Force Base, California. This research and development program was conducted by MDA and directed by NASA through the Dryden Flight Research Facility for the period beginning January 1991 and ending December 1993. A propulsion steering backup to the aircraft conventional flight control system has been developed and flight demonstrated on a NASA F-15 test aircraft. The Propulsion Controlled Aircraft (PCA) flight system utilizes collective and differential thrust changes to steer an aircraft that experiences partial or complete failure of the hydraulically actuated control surfaces. The PCA flight control research has shown that propulsion steering is a viable backup flight control mode and can assist the pilot in safe landing recovery of a fighter aircraft that has damage to or loss of the flight control surfaces. NASA, USAF and Navy evaluation test pilots stated that the F-15 PCA design provided the control necessary to land the aircraft. Moreover, the feasibility study showed that PCA technology can be directly applied to transport aircraft and provide a major improvement in the survivability of passengers and crew of controls damaged aircraft.
Existing aerodynamic design methods have generally concentrated on the optimization of airfoil or wing shapes to produce a minimum drag while satisfying some basic constraints such as lift, pitching moment, or thickness. Since the minimization of drag almost always precludes the existence of separated flow, the evaluation and validation of these design methods for their robustness and accuracy when separated flow is present has not been aggressively pursued. However, two new applications for these design tools may be expected to include separated flow and the issues of aerodynamic design with this feature must be addressed. The first application of the aerodynamic design tools is the design of airfoils or wings to provide an optimal performance over a wide range of flight conditions (multipoint design). While the definition of 'optimal performance' in the multipoint setting is currently being hashed out, it is recognized that given a wide range of flight conditions, it will not be possible to ensure a minimum drag constraint at all conditions, and in fact some amount of separated flow (presumably small) may have to be allowed at the more demanding flight conditions. Thus a multipoint design method must be tolerant of the existence of separated flow and may include some controls upon its extent. The second application is in the design of wings with extended high speed buffet boundaries of their flight envelopes. Buffet occurs on a wing when regions of flow separation have grown to the extent that their time varying pressures induce possible destructive effects upon the wing structure or adversely effect either the aircraft controllability or passenger comfort. A conservative approach to the expansion of the buffet flight boundary is to simply expand the flight envelope of nonseparated flow under the assumption that buffet will also thus be alleviated. However, having the ability to design a wing with separated flow and thus to control the location, extent and severity of the separated flow regions may allow aircraft manufacturers to gain an advantage in the early design stages of an aircraft, when configuration changes are relatively inexpensive to make. The goal of the summer research at NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) was twofold: first, to investigate a particular airfoil design problem observed under conditions of strong shock induced flow separation on the upper surface of an airfoil at transonic conditions; and second, to suggest and investigate design methodologies for the prediction (or detection) and control of flow separation. The context of both investigations was to use an existing two dimensional Navier-Stokes flow solver and the constrained direct/iterative surface curvature (CDISC) design algorithm developed at LaRC. As a lead in to the primary task, it was necessary to gain a familiarity with both the design method and the computational analysis and to perform the FORTRAN coding needed to couple them together.
A summary is presented of high speed civil transport (HSCT) studies underway at Douglas Aircraft. A brief review is given of experience with design and development of advanced supersonic transport concepts and associated technology. A review is then presented of past NASA funded contract research studies focused on selection of appropriate concepts for high speed civil transport aircraft to be introduced in the year 2000 time frame for commercial service. Follow-on activities to those studies are then presented which were conducted under independent research studies as well as under further NASA funded efforts. Design Mach number selections and associated baseline design missions are then discussed along with forecasted passenger traffic and associated supersonic fleet sizes, and then proceeds into a discussion of individual issues related either to environmental acceptability or overall technology requirements in order to achieve the required economic viability of the program. A summary is given of current and future plans and activities.
For some routes the ability to fly at supersonic speeds over land as well as over water would greatly enhance the time benefit to the passenger. It would also increase the productivity and economic viability of the aircraft. There are no reliable guidelines which can be used to determine a sonic boom exposure which would be acceptable for overland supersonic flight. In addition to the peak pressure of the sonic boom, the detailed shape of the signature will also influence the perception, and therefore the community response, to sonic boom exposures. Initially, the program aims to develop the capability to predict human response to individual sonic booms. This will enable a quantitative assessment of the benefit of 'low boom' aircraft configurations and will also serve to guide the design of the aircraft and its operating conditions. This capability will form the foundation of studies to determine the relationship between sonic boom exposure and community response. Only then will it be possible to assess the feasibility of acceptable overland supersonic flight.