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At least 145 records · Page 8

Computed lateral rate and acceleration power spectral response of conventional and STOL airplanes to atmospheric turbulence

Power-spectral-density calculations were made of the lateral responses to atmospheric turbulence for several conventional and short take-off and landing (STOL) airplanes. The turbulence was modeled as three orthogonal velocity components, which were uncorrelated, and each was represented with a one-dimensional power spectrum. Power spectral densities were computed for displacements, rates, and accelerations in roll, yaw, and sideslip. In addition, the power spectral density of the transverse acceleration was computed. Evaluation of ride quality based on a specific ride quality criterion was also made. The results show that the STOL airplanes generally had larger values for the rate and acceleration power spectra (and, consequently, larger corresponding root-mean-square values) than the conventional airplanes. The ride quality criterion gave poorer ratings to the STOL airplanes than to the conventional airplanes.

Lichtenstein, J. H.↗

Calculation of Precipitable Water for Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy Aircraft (SOFIA): Airplane in the Night Sky

Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy, or SOFIA, is the new generation airborne observatory station based at NASA s Dryden Aircraft Operations Facility, Palmdale, CA, to study the universe. Since the observatory detects infrared energy, water vapor is a concern in the atmosphere due to its known capacity to absorb infrared energy emitted by astronomical objects. Although SOFIA is hoping to fly above 99% of water vapor in the atmosphere it is still possible to affect astronomical observation. Water vapor is one of the toughest parameter to measure in the atmosphere, several atmosphere modeling are used to calculate water vapor loading. The water vapor loading, or Precipitable water, is being calculated by Matlab along the planned flight path. Over time, these results will help SOFIA to plan flights to regions of lower water vapor loading and hopefully improve the imagery collection of these astronomical features.

Wen, Pey Chun↗

A study of the interaction between a wake vortex and an encountering airplane

An analytical study of the mutual interaction between a wake vortex and an encountering airplane has been conducted. The interaction was calculated on the basis of conservation of angular momentum of the wake vortex and the encountering airplane in the roll axis. For the nominal conditions assumed in the study, the interaction reduced the roll response in the lust second by 20 percent compared to the classical method of calculating the response. However, depending on the conditions assumed, the reduction varied from 0 to 30 percent which could be highly significant in determining separation standards for airplanes. Controlled experiments are needed to determine the exact amount of interaction.

Stewart, E. C.↗

An analytical study of the effect of airplane wake on the lateral dispersion of aerial sprays

Calculations are made to determine the trajectories of liquid droplets introduced into the air disturbances generated by an airplane engaged in aerial spraying. The effects of such factors as the positions at which droplets are ejected into the disturbances, airplane lift coefficient, and altitude are investigated. The distribution of deposit on the ground is computed for several droplet-size spectra, variations in the rate at which mass is ejected along the span, and lateral flight-path spacings. Consideration is then given to the problem of adjusting these factors with the aim of improving the uniformity and increasing the effective width of the deposit. The results indicate that the lateral dispersion of droplets is increased when the spanwise position at which particles are ejected is moved toward the wing tip. Greater dispersion also results when the airplane lift coefficient or altitude is increased.

Reed, Wilmer H , III↗

An Analysis of Once-per-revolution Oscillating Aerodynamic Thrust Loads on Single-Rotation Propellers on Tractor Airplanes at Zero Yaw

A simplified procedure is shown for calculating the once-per-revolution oscillating aerodynamic thrust loads on propellers of tractor airplanes at zero yaw. The only flow field information required for the application of the procedure is a knowledge of the upflow angles at the horizontal center line of the propeller disk. Methods are presented whereby these angles may be computed without recourse to experimental survey of the flow field. The loads computed by the simplified procedure are compared with those computed by a more rigorous method and the procedure is applied to several airplane configurations which are believed typical of current designs. The results are generally satisfactory.

Rogallo, Vernon L↗

The Effect of Split Trailing-edge Wing Flaps on the Aerodynamic Characteristics of a Parasol Monoplane

This paper presents the results of tests conducted in the N.A.C.A. full-scale wind tunnel on a Fairchild F-22 airplane equipped with a special wing having split trailing-edge flaps. The flaps extended over the outer 90 percent of the wing span, and were of the fixed-hinge type having a width equal to 20 percent of the wing chord. The results show that with a flap setting of 59 degrees the maximum lift of the wing was increased 42 percent, and that the flaps increased the range of available gliding angles from 2.7 degrees to 7.0 degrees. Deflection of the split flaps did not increase the stalling angle or seriously affect the longitudinal balance of the airplane. With flaps down the landing speed of the airplane is decreased, but the calculated climb and level-flight performance is inferior to that with the normal wing. Calculations indicate that the take-off distance required to clear an obstacle 100 feet high is not affected by flap settings from 0 degrees to 20 degrees but is greatly increased by larger flap angles.

TAKE-OFF & LANDING - EFFECT OF WING FLAPS↗

Some problems on the lift and rolling moment of airplane wings

This report deals with the application of the airfoil and twisted wing theory to the calculation of the lift and rolling moment of airplane wings. Most of the results arrived at are strictly true only for wings of elliptic plan form. The investigation aims to give some indications of the accuracy with which the results can be applied to the wing forms in actual use.

Scarborough, James B↗

Simulated 8x8 Ku-Band Array Antenna Performance on Airplane Door

An 8x8, Ku-band antenna array composed of circular patches was simulated both on an infinite ground plane and mounted on an airplane door. The radiated far field was calculated for both cases to determine the effect of mounting the antenna on the side of the airplane. It was found that the main beam was relatively unaffected, while the sidelobes were increased by 15 to 20 dB at angles more than 30° off boresight..

array antenna↗

A new theory for rapid calculation of the ground pattern of the incident sound intensity produced by a maneuvering jet airplane

An approximate method for computing the jet noise pattern of a maneuvering airplane is described. The method permits one to relate the noise pattern individually to the influences of airplane speed and acceleration, jet velocity and acceleration, and the flight path curvature. The analytic formulation determines the ground pattern directly without interpolation and runs rapidly on a minicomputer. Calculated examples including a climbing turn and a simple climb pattern with a gradual throttling back are presented.

Barger, R. L.↗

Analytical study of ride smoothing benefits of control system configurations optimized for pilot handling qualities

An analytical study was conducted to evaluate the relative improvements in aircraft ride qualities that resulted from utilizing several control law configurations that were optimized for pilot handling qualities only. The airplane configuration used was an executive jet transport in the approach configuration. The control law configurations included the basic system, a rate feedback system, three command augmentation systems (rate command, attitude command, and rate command/attitude hold), and a control wheel steering system. Both the longitudinal and lateral directional axes were evaluated. A representative example of each control law configuration was optimized for pilot handling qualities on a fixed base simulator. The root mean square airplane responses to turbulence were calculated, and predictions of ride quality ratings were computed by using three models available in the literature.

Powers, B. G.↗

Analysis of aerodynamic coefficients using gradient data: Spanwise turbulence effects on airplane response

The influence of spanwise turbulence on airplane dynamic behavior is determined. Calculations are based on data collected from test flights with the NASA B-57 research aircraft. The approach is to first compute aerodynamic forces and moments due to a spanwise distribution of angle of attack and airspeed. Secondly, these quantities are incorporated into the equations of motion. Simulation of flights done with the effects of spanwise turbulence included are compared to simulations without any spanwise turbulence. The findings of the study are that the moments developed by turbulence along the span are significant and that more realistic flight simulation can be achieved by including the spanwise turbulence terms.

Ringnes, E. A.↗

Extraction of ozone and chlorophyll-A distribution from AVIRIS data

The potential of airborne imaging spectrometry for assessing and monitoring natural resources is studied. Therefore, an AVIRIS scene of the NASA's MacEurope 1991 campaign - acquired in Central Switzerland - is used. The test site consists of an urban area, the Lake Zug with its surrounding fields, the Rigi mountain in the center of the test site, and the Lake of Four Cantons. The region is covered by the AVIRIS flight #910705, run 6 and 7 of the NASA ER-2 aircraft resulting in an average nominal pixel size of about 18 m. Simultaneous to the ER-2 overflight spectroradiometric measurements have been taken in various locations. Preselected reference targets were measured in the field with a GER Mark V spectroradiometer, and radiance measurements were taken to the lake using a Li-Cor LI 1800UW specroradiometer below and above the water surface. A comprehensive meteorological data set was obtained by joining the POLLUMET experiment which carried out measurements to investigate the summer smog in Switzerland on the same day. The quality assessment for the actual data set can be found in detail in Meyer et al. A parametric approach calculating the location of the airplane was used to simulate the observation geometry. This parametric preprocessing procedure, which takes care of effects of flight line and attitude variations as well as the pixel-by-pixel topographic corrections is described in Meyer.

Schaepman, M.↗

Simple formula for estimating airplane ceilings

The aeronautical engineer often has occasion to estimate the absolute ceiling of an airplane for which a detailed performance calculation is out of the question. In such cases it is customary to use either empirical performance charts or formulae. The performance charts given in several of the recent works on aeronautics are satisfactory so long as the airplane under consideration does not depart too far from the average in its characteristics. The formulae, with one exception, are no better. Given here is that exception, with indications of which terms of the formula may be neglected without seriously affecting the results, thus simplifying the task.

Diehl, Walter S↗

Turbulence Hazard Metric Based on Peak Accelerations for Jetliner Passengers

Calculations are made of the approximate hazard due to peak normal accelerations of an airplane flying through a simulated vertical wind field associated with a convective frontal system. The calculations are based on a hazard metric developed from a systematic application of a generic math model to 1-cosine discrete gusts of various amplitudes and gust lengths. The math model simulates the three degree-of- freedom longitudinal rigid body motion to vertical gusts and includes (1) fuselage flexibility, (2) the lag in the downwash from the wing to the tail, (3) gradual lift effects, (4) a simplified autopilot, and (5) motion of an unrestrained passenger in the rear cabin. Airplane and passenger response contours are calculated for a matrix of gust amplitudes and gust lengths. The airplane response contours are used to develop an approximate hazard metric of peak normal accelerations as a function of gust amplitude and gust length. The hazard metric is then applied to a two-dimensional simulated vertical wind field of a convective frontal system. The variations of the hazard metric with gust length and airplane heading are demonstrated.

Stewart, Eric C.↗