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At least 145 records · Page 8
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1979

A piloted simulator study on augmentation systems to improve helicopter flying qualities in terrain flight

Four basic single-rotor helicopters, one teetering, on articulated, and two hingeless, which were found to have a variety of major deficiencies in a previous fixed-based simulator study, were selected as baseline configurations. The stability and control augmentation systems (SCAS) include simple control augmentation systems to decouple pitch and yaw responses due to collective input and to quicken the pitch and roll control responses; SCAS of rate-command type designed to optimize the sensitivity and damping and to decouple the pitch-roll due to aircraft angular tate; and attitude-command type SCAS. Pilot ratings and commentary are presented as well as performance data related to the task. SCAS control usages and their gain levels associated with specific rotor types are also discussed.

Chen, R. T. N.↗
NASA NTRS1978

A piloted simulator investigation of augmentation systems to improve helicopter nap-of-the-earth handling qualities

A piloted simulation study assessed various levels of stability and control augmentation designed to improve the handling qualities of several helicopters in nap-of-the-earth (NOE) flight. Five basic single rotor helicopters - one teetering, two articulated, and two hingeless - which were found to have a variety of major deficiencies in a previous fixed-based simulator study were selected as baseline configurations. The stability and control augmentation systems (SCAS) include simple control augmentation systems (CAS) to decouple pitch and yaw responses due to collective input and to quicken the pitch and roll control responses; SCAS of rate command type designed to optimize the sensitivity and damping and to decouple the pitch-roll due to aircraft angular rate; and attitude command type SCAS. Pilot ratings and commentary are presented as well as performance data related to the task. SCAS control usage and their gain levels associated with specific rotor type are also discussed.

Chen, R. T. N.↗
NASA NTRS1978

A ram-air-spoiler roll stabilization device for forward control cruciform missiles

An experimental investigation has been made at supersonic Mach numbers to determine the feasibility of using a ram-air-spoiler roll control device on a typical canard control missile configuration. As a basis for roll control comparisons, conventional aileron controls on the tail fins were also tested. Results are presented which indicate that the addition of nacelles on the missile tail fins resulted in satisfactory roll control effectiveness and only small changes in basic missile stability. The ram-air-spoiler roll control effectiveness is relatively constant over the range of vehicle attitudes and Mach numbers investigated.

Blair, A. B., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Aeroelastic stability and control of an oblique wing

Dynamic model tests were staged to compare the aeroelastic stability of a free-flying oblique-winged aircraft and the known divergent instability characterizing swept-forward wing configurations, to test the effect of wing elasticity on aileron control and trim. The aircraft fuselage was clamped in some tests and left free to roll in others. Two rigid wing panels were hinged near the wing center with elastic restraining springs. It is found that the aeroelastic divergence affecting swept-forward wings does not occur with an oblique wing, whose aeroelastic instability sets in at a dynamic pressure exceeding that for static divergence of swept-forward wings, and appears in the form of undamped oscillations. Oblique wing stability is sensitive to the moment of inertia of the fuselage in roll. Roll control and lateral trim are attainable with conventional ailerons, even at speeds at which divergence of a clamped forward wing shows up.

Jones, R. T.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Supersonic aerodynamic characteristics of a series of wrap-around-fin missile configurations

A parametric study of wrap-around-fin missile configurations was conducted at Mach numbers from 1.60 to 2.86 in the Langley Unitary Plan wind tunnel. The fin configurations investigated included variations in chord length, leading edge sweep, thickness ratio, and leading edge shape. The investigation also included a smooth and a stepped-down afterbody required for flush retraction of the wrap-around-fin configuration. The investigation indicated no unusual longitudinal characteristics; however, all the wrap-around-fin configurations tested indicated erratic lateral behavior, particularly in the form of induced roll at zero angle of attack and irregular variations of roll with angle of attack and Mach number. The magnitude of rolling moment at an angle of attack of 0 deg is estimated to represent approximately 0.25 deg or less roll control deflection. The stepped-down afterbody has a marked effect on reducing the induced roll.

Fournier, R. H.↗
NASA NTRS1953

Flight Investigation of the Stability and Control Characteristics of a 0.13-Scale Model of the Convair XFY-1 Vertically Rising Airplane During Constant-Altitude Transitions, TED No. NACA DE 368

An investigation is being conducted to determine the dynamic stability and control characteristics of a 0.13-scale flying model of the Convair XFY-1 vertically rising airplane. This paper presents the results of flight tests to determine the stability and control characteristics of the model during constant-altitude slow transitions from hovering to normal unstalled forward flight. The tests indicated that the airplane can be flown through the transition range fairly easily although some difficulty will probably encountered in controlling the yawing motions at angles of attack between about 60 and 40. An increase in the size of the vertical tail will not materially improve the controllability of the yawing motions in this range of angle of attack but the use of a yaw damper will make the yawing motions easy to control throughout the entire transitional flight range. The tests also indicated that the airplane can probably be flown sideways satisfactorily at speeds up to approximately 33 knots (full scale) with the normal control system and up to approximately 37 knots (full scale) with both elevons and rudders rigged to move differentially for roll control. At sideways speeds above these values, the airplane will have a strong tendency to diverge uncontrollably in roll.

Lovell, Powell M., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Low-speed wind tunnel investigation of the lateral-directional characterisitcs of a large-scale variable wing-sweep fighter model in the high-lift configuration

The low-speed characteristics of a large-scale model of the F-14A aircraft were studied in tests conducted in the Ames Research Center 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel. The primary purpose of the present tests was the determination of lateral-directional stability levels and control effectiveness of the aircraft in its high-lift configuration. Tests were conducted at wing angles of attack between minus 2 deg and 30 deg and with sideslip angles between minus 12 deg and 12 deg. Data were taken at a Reynolds number of 8.0 million based on a wing mean aerodynamic chord of 2.24 m (7.36 ft). The model configuration was changed as required to show the effects of direct lift control (spoilers) at yaw, yaw angle with speed brake deflected, and various amounts and combinations of roll control.

Eckert, W. T.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Preliminary flight-test results of an advanced technology light twin-engine airplane /ATLIT/

The present status and flight-test results are presented for the ATLIT airplane. The ATLIT is a Piper PA-34 Seneca I modified by the installation of new wings incorporating the GA(W)-1 (Whitcomb) airfoil, reduced wing area, roll-control spoilers, and full-span Fowler flaps. Flight-test results on stall and spoiler roll characteristics show good agreement with wind-tunnel data. Maximum power-off lift coefficients are greater than 3.0 with flaps deflected 37 deg. With flaps down, spoiler deflections can produce roll helix angles in excess of 0.11 rad. Flight testing is planned to document climb and cruise performance, and supercritical propeller performance and noise characteristics. The airplane is scheduled for testing in the NASA-Langley Research Center Full-Scale Tunnel.

Holmes, B. J.↗
NASA NTRS1985

On-orbit attitude control of the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE)

The way in which COBE (launched by the SS in late 1982) performs its attitude control is described, along with the design of its on-orbit system. COBE, to be situated in a 900 km high, sun-synchronous orbit, contains two unique control features: (1) the orientation of the spinning satellite is controlled to a sun-normal attitude in the sun/local vertical plane; and (2) pitch and roll control is maintained by a unique triaxial arrangement of reaction wheels, magnetic torque bars and sensors, located in the body's tranverse plane. Inherent in this triaxial configuration concept is a built-in redundancy that will maintain attitude control in the event of any single-point sensor/actuator component failure. Each of the three control drive electronics operates independently and directly of a system of dedicated sensors. This system functions independently of a computer or an ephemeris communication link, leading to greater reliability.

Bramberg, B.↗
NASA NTRS2019

Bowles-Tatnall Wake Vortex Encounter Hazard Metric

Wake vortex spacing standards constrict the terminal area throughput and impose severe constraints on the overall capacity and efficiency of the National Airspace System. For more than two decades starting in the early 1990s, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration conducted extensive research on characterizing the formation and evolution of aircraft wakes. This multidisciplinary work included comprehensive field experiments (Pruis et al. 2016), flight tests (Vicroy et al. 1998), and wind tunnel tests (Rossow 1994; Chow et al. 1997). Parametric studies using large eddy simulations (Proctor 1998; Proctor et al. 2006) were conducted in order to develop fast-time models for the prediction of wake transport and decay (Ahmad et al. 2016). Substantial effort was spent on the formulation of acceptable vortex hazard metrics (Tatnall 1995; Hinton and Tatnall 1997). Several wake encounter severity metrics have been suggested in the past, which include the wake circulation strength, vortex-induced rolling moment coefficient (Clv), bank angle, and the roll control ratio (Tatnall 1995; Hinton and Tatnall 1997; Van der Geest 2012). The vortex-induced rolling moment coefficient introduced by Bowles and Tatnall (Tatnall 1995; Gloudemans et al. 2016) has been used extensively for risk and safety analysis of newly proposed air traffic management concepts and procedures. The original method of Bowles and Tatnall assumed a constant wing loading (the wing lift-curve slope, CL is constant), which resulted in an overestimation of the vortexinduced rolling moment coefficient. Bowles (2014) suggested a correction to the original method that provides more accurate values of Clv and which is also consistent with the underlying physics of the problem. The overestimation of Clv in the original method can be corrected by assuming an elliptical lift distribution. Figure 1.1 illustrates the correction in Clv achieved by the modified method.

Joel Malissa↗
NASA NTRS1986

Two blowing concepts for roll and lateral control of aircraft

Two schemes to modulate aerodynamic forces for roll and lateral control of aircraft have been investigated. The first scheme, called the lateral blowing concept, consists of thin jets of air exiting spanwise, or at small angle with the spanwise direction, from slots at the tips of straight wings. For this scheme, in addition to experimental measurements, a theory was developed showing the analytical relationship between aerodynamic forces and jet and wing parameters. Experimental results confirmed the theoretically derived scaling laws. The second scheme, which was studied experimentally, is called the jet spoiler concept and consists of thin jets exiting normally to the wing surface from slots aligned with the spanwise direction.

Tavella, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1977

Wind tunnel tests of the GA(W)-2 airfoil with 20% aileron, 25% slotted flap, 30% Fowler flap and 10% slot-lip spoiler

Two dimensional wind tunnel tests were conducted for the GA(W)-2 airfoil section with: 20% aileron, 25% slotted flap; 30% Fowler flap, and 10% slot-lip spoiler. All tests were conducted at a Reynolds number of 2,200,000 and a Mach Number of 0.13. In addition to force measurements, tuft studies were conducted for the slotted and Fowler flap configurations. Aileron and spoiler hinge moments were obtained by integration of surface pressure measurements. Tests results show that a value of 3.82 was obtained with 30% Fowler flap. Aileron control effectiveness and hinge moments were similar to other airfoils. The slot-lip spoiler provided powerful, positive roll control at all flap settings.

Wentz, W. H., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1960

Subsonic Flight Tests of a 1/7-Scale Radio-Controlled Model of the North American X-15 Airplane with Particular Reference to High Angel-of-Attack Conditions

An investigation of the subsonic stability and control characteristics of an unpowered 1/7-scale model based on the North American X-15 airplane was conducted by using a radio-controlled model launched from a helicopter and flown in free-gliding flight. At angles of attack below about 20 deg. where the model motions represent those of the X-15 airplane, the model was found to be both longitudinally and laterally stable, and the all-movable tail surfaces were found to be very effective. The model could also be flown at much higher angles of attack where the model motions did not necessarily represent those of the airplane because of slight geometrical differences and Reynolds number effects, but these test results are useful in evaluating the effectiveness at these angles of the type of lateral control system used in the X-15 airplane. In some cases, the model was flown to angles of attack as high as 60 or 70 deg. without encountering divergent or uncontrollable conditions. For some flights in which the model was subjected to rapid maneuvers, spinning motions were generated by application of corrective controls to oppose the direction of rotation. Rapid recoveries from this type of motion were achieved by applying roll control in the direction of rotation.

Hewes, Donald E.↗
NASA NTRS1961

Low-Speed Investigation of the Effects of Large Wing-Sideslip Angles on the Aerodynamic Characteristics of Two Arrow-Wing-Fuselage Arrangements

A wind-tunnel investigation has been made of two methods proposed to reduce the high sinking speeds and improve the landing characteristics of low-aspect-ratio hypersonic airplanes by placing the wing at large angles of sideslip to increase its effective aspect ratio. The models investigated had conical fuselages and arrow wings, with a leading-edge sweep-back of 77.4deg, an aspect ratio of 1.23, and a 4-percent-thick straight-wedge section. For one model, the wing was pivoted on the fuselage to angles of wing sideslip from 0 to 90deg. For the other model, the wing was fixed to the fuselage, and the wing and fuselage were yawed together to sideslip angles from 0 to 90deg. The investigation was made in the Langley 300-MPH 7- by 10-foot tunnel for an angle-of-attack range from -8 to above 28deg. Longitudinal stability and control through the use of horizontal tails with elevators was studied on the pivoted-wing configuration. The roll control for both configurations was studied with deflection of the apex portion of the wing about an axis along the wing center line. The use of flaps with the wing at large sideslip angles was also investigated.

Thomas G Gainer↗
NASA NTRS1977

Flight evaluation of an advanced technology light twin-engine airplane (ATLIT)

Project organization and execution, airplane description and performance predictions, and the results of the flight evaluation of an advanced technology light twin engine airplane (ATLIT) are presented. The ATLIT is a Piper PA-34-200 Seneca I modified by the installation of new wings incorporating the GA(W)-1 (Whitcomb) airfoil, reduced wing area, roll control spoilers, and full span Fowler flaps. The conclusions for the ATLIT evaluation are based on complete stall and roll flight test results and partial performance test results. The Stalling and rolling characteristics met design expectations. Climb performance was penalized by extensive flow separation in the region of the wing body juncture. Cruise performance was found to be penalized by a large value of zero lift drag. Calculations showed that, with proper attention to construction details, the improvements in span efficiency and zero lift drag would permit the realization of the predicted increases in cruising and maximum rate of climb performance.

Holmes, B. J.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Body-surface pressure data on two monoplane-wing missile configurations with elliptical cross sections at Mach 2.50

Tabulated body surface pressure data for two monoplane-wing missile configurations are presented and analyzed. Body pressure data are presented for body-alone, body-tail, and body-wing-tail combinations. For the lost combination, data are presented for tail-fin deflection angles of 0 deg and 30 deg to simulate pitch, yaw, and roll control for both configurations. The data cover angles of attack from -5 deg to 25 deg and angles of roll from 0 deg to 90 deg at a Mach number of 2.50 and a Reynolds number of 6.56 x 1,000,000 per meter. Very consistent, systematic trends with angle of attack and angle of roll were observed in the data, and very good symmetry was found at a roll angle of 0 deg. Body pressures depended strongly on the local body cross-section shape, with very little dependence on the upstream shape. Undeflected fins had only a small influence on the pressures on the aft end of the body; however, tail-fin deflections caused large changes in the pressures.

Allen, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Aerodynamic Characteristics and Control Effectiveness of the HL-20 Lifting Body Configuration at Mach 10 in Air

A 0.0196-scale model of the HL-20 lifting-body, one of several configurations proposed for future crewed spacecraft, was tested in the Langley 31-Inch Mach 10 Tunnel. The purpose of the tests was to determine the effectiveness of fin-mounted elevons, a lower surface flush-mounted body flap, and a flush-mounted yaw controller at hypersonic speeds. The nominal angle-of-attack range, representative of hypersonic entry, was 2 deg to 41 deg, the sideslip angles were 0 deg, 2 deg, and -2 deg, and the test Reynolds number was 1.06 x 10 E6 based on model reference length. The aerodynamic, longitudinal, and lateral control effectiveness along with surface oil flow visualizations are presented and discussed. The configuration was longitudinally and laterally stable at the nominal center of gravity. The primary longitudinal control, the fin-mounted elevons, could not trim the model to the desired entry angle of attack of 30 deg. The lower surface body flaps were effective for roll control and the associated adverse yawing moment was eliminated by skewing the body flap hinge lines. A yaw controller, flush-mounted on the lower surface, was also effective, and the associated small rolling moment was favorable.

Scallion, William I.↗
NASA NTRS1962

NASA Scout ST-1 Flight-Test Results and Analyses, Launch Operations, and Test Vehicle Description

The first of a series of flight tests for the development of the four-stage, solid-propellant Scout vehicle was conducted at the NASA Wallops Station under the direction of the Langley Research Center. Vehicle designation for the test was NASA Scout ST-1. Performance characteristics of the vehicle and components were recorded during a high-altitude probe mission. Flight-simulation studies are presented and show that the accuracy of the guidance system during the flight was within control-system design specifications. The control system functioned normally during the flight with the exception of an overpowering of the reaction-control roll jets near burnout of the third-stage rocket motor. The resulting roll displacement of the vehicle is shown to have caused the monitor tracking radar which had been erroneously tracking a radar beacon in the vehicle on a side lobe to reorient to the major lobe of the receiving antenna. This tracking switch falsely indicated a violent turning maneuver on the monitor plot board and resulted in a hold-fire decision for the fourth-stage rocket motor. Although data for the final thrusting and coast phase of the flight were not obtained, the majority of the test objectives were achieved. In-flight thrust misalignment angles for the second- and third-stage rocket motors derived from control-system error data and for the first-stage motor determined from flight-simulation studies are presented. All rocket-motor thrust misalignment angles were well within the tolerances used for control-system design. Rocket-motor flight performance is presented, and velocity increments attained from the first three stages substantiated the predicted nominal performance. Operation of the rocket motors was satisfactory with the exception of high-level vibrations which were encountered during third-stage motor burning. Rolling moments which overpowered the reaction-control jets are also attributed to the burning characteristics of the third-stage motor. A discussion of the premature loss of the third-stage heat shield is given and shows that the heat-shield latching mechanism failed from pressure loads as the vehicle entered the transonic speed range. Although venting was provided to relieve the high negative pressures known to exist on the heat shield at these speeds, a field modification of the wiring tunnel had the same effect as opening the inside of the heat shield to ambient pressures. Consequently, the latching mechanism failed from pressure loads which were of about the same magnitude as the latching-mechanism yield loads. Skin temperatures were recorded at several locations on the vehicle and were generally in good agreement with theoretical values. Aerodynamic heating presented no problem during the flight since the maximum temperatures recorded during the flight were only about half the design values because of the high-launch-angle trajectory. Environmental vibrations recorded in the vicinity of the guidance package showed that no significant continuous amplitude levels above the general instrumentation noise level were present during first- and second-stage burning. Large vibration amplitudes were recorded during third-stage burning which coincided with the large roll disturbance experienced by the vehicle near burnout of the third-stage motor.

Scout Launch Vehicle↗