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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1954

Effect of Horizontal-Tail Span and Vertical Location on the Aerodynamic Characteristics of an Unswept Tail Assembly in Sideslip

An investigation has been conducted in the Langley stability tunnel on a vertical-tail model with a stub fuselage in combination with various horizontal tails to determine the effect of horizontal-tail span and vertical location of the horizontal tail relative to the vertical tail on the aerodynamic characteristics of an unswept tail assembly in sideslip. The results of the investigation indicated that the induced loading carried by the horizontal tail produced a rolling moment about the point of attachment to the vertical tail which was strongly influenced by horizontal-tail span and vertical locations. The greatest effect of horizontal-tail span on the rolling-moment derivative of the complete tail assembly was obtained for horizontal-tail locations near the top of the vertical tail. Span loadings which were reduced to the static-stability derivatives were calculated for each configuration tested by applying the well-known finite-step method used for wings to the intersecting surfaces of the vertical and horizontal tails. The finite-step method provides a simple and effective means of investigating the span loadings of intersecting surfaces.

Riley, Donald R↗
NASA NTRS1947

Force Tests of a 1/5-Scale Model of the McDonnell XP-85 Airplane with Conventional Tail Assembly in the Langley Free-Flight Tunnel

At the request of the Air Materiel Command, Army Air Forces an investigation of the low-speed, power-off stability and control characteristics of the McDonnell XP-85 airplane is being conducted in the Langley free-flight tunnel. The XP-85 airplane is a parasite fighter carried in a bomb bay of the B-36 airplane. As a part of the investigation a few force tests were made of a 1/5 scale model of the XP-85 with a conventional tail assembly installed in place of the original design five-unit tail assembly. The total area of the conventional assembly was approximately 80 percent of the area of the five-unit assembly. The results of this investigation showed that the conventional tail assembly gave about the same longitudinal stability characteristics as the original configuration and improved the directional and lateral stability.

Paulson, John W.↗
NASA NTRS1959

Effect of Horizontal-Tail Chord on the Calculated Subsonic Span Loads and Stability Derivatives of Isolated Unswept Tail Assemblies in Sideslip and Steady Roll

Subsonic span loads and the resulting stability derivatives have been calculated using the discrete-horseshoe-vortex method for a systematic series of horizontal tails in combination with a vertical tail of aspect ratio 1.0 in order to provide information on the effect of varying the chord of the horizontal tail for isolated tail assemblies performing sideslip and steady-roll motions. In addition, the effects of horizontal-tail dihedral angle for the sideslip case were obtained. Each tail surface considered had a taper ratio of 0.5 and an unswept quarter-chord line. The investigation covered variations in horizontal-tail chord, horizontal-tail span, and vertical location of the horizontal tail. The span loads and the resulting total stability derivatives as well as the vertical- and horizontal-tail contributions to these tail-assembly derivatives are presented in the figures for the purpose of showing the influence of the geometric variables. The results of this investigation showed trends that were in agreement with the results of previous investigations for variations in horizontal-tail span and vertical location of the horizontal tail. Variations in horizontal-tail chord expressed herein in terms of the root-chord ratio, that is, the ratio of horizontal-tail root chord to vertical-tail root chord, were found to have a pronounced influence on most of the span loads and the resulting stability derivatives. For most of the cases considered, the rate of change of the span load coefficients and the stability derivatives with the root-chord ratio was found to be a maximum for small values of root-chord ratio and to decrease as root-chord ratio increased.

Booth, Katherine W.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Helicopter Tail Boom With Venting for Alleviation and Control of Tail Boom Aerodynamic Loads and Method Thereof

In at least one embodiment, the apparatus of the invention is a flight vehicle tail assembly having an exterior surface, at least one first vent in the exterior surface, at least one second vent in the exterior surface, and an air passage connecting the at least one first vent to the at least one second vent allowing air to flow there between. Where the at least one first vent is located near a high air pressure area acting on the exterior surface during a range of predefined flight conditions, Further, the at least one second vent is located near a low air pressure area acting on the exterior surface during the predefined flight conditions. So that at the predefined flight conditions adverse loads on the tail assembly are reduced by venting air from the high pressure area, through the tail assembly, to the low pressure area. The method of the present invention includes the steps of: receiving air through the at least one first vent in the exterior surface, passing the air through the tail assembly from the at least one first vent to at least one second vent in the exterior surface. and ejecting the air out of the tail assembly at the at least one second vent.

Daniel W Banks↗
NASA NTRS1948

Measurements of the Lateral and Directional Stability and Control Characteristics of a P-51H Airplane (AAF No. 44-64164)

Flight tests of a P-51H airplane with two different vertical-tail assemblies were made to determine lateral and directional stability and control characteristics. The airplane had satisfactory directional stability in the landing, approach, and wave-off conditions with either tail. In the power-on clean and glide conditions, however, the airplane had weak directional stability with the original tail. The production tail, which had a 7-inch fin extension and a shorter span rudder, improved the directional stability in the power-on clean and glide conditions, but the stability was still weak in the power-on clean condition. Increased altitude in either case caused a slight decrease in the stability. The rudder-trim-force change with speed with either vertical-tail assembly was high. The general aileron control characteristics were satisfactory but the aileron effectiveness failed to meet the Army handling-qualities requirements.

Kraft, Christopher C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Geared-elevator flutter study

An experimental and analytical study was made of the transonic flutter characteristics of a supersonic transport tail assembly model having an all-movable, horizontal tail with a geared elevator. Two model configurations, namely, one with a gear-elevator (2.8 to 1.0 gear ratio) and one with locked-elevator (1.0 to 1.0 gear ratio), were flutter tested in the Langley transonic dynamics tunnel with an empennage cantilever-mounted on a sting. The geared-elevator configuration fluttered experimentally at about 20% higher dynamic pressures than the locked-elevator configuration. The experimental flutter dynamic pressure boundaries for both configurations were nearly flat over a Mach number range from 0.9 to 1.1. Flutter calculations (mathematical models) were made for the geared-elevator configuration using three subsonic lifting-surface methods. In one method, the elevator was treated as a discrete surface, and in the other two methods, the stabilizer and elevator were treated as a single warped-surface with the primary difference between these two methods being in the mathematical implementation used. A comparison of the experimental and analytical results shows that the discrete-elevator method predicted best the experimental flutter dynamic pressure level. However, the single warped-surface methods predicts more closely the experimental flutter frequencies and Mach number trends.

Ruhlin, C. L.↗
NASA NTRS1959

Subsonic Aerodynamic Characteristics of an Airplane Configuration with a 63 deg Sweptback Wing and Twin-Boom Tails

A wind-tunnel investigation has been conducted to determine the effects of an unconventional tail arrangement on the subsonic static longitudinal and lateral stability characteristics of a model having a 63 deg sweptback wing of aspect ratio 3.5 and a fuselage. Tail booms, extending rearward from approximately the midsemispan of each wing panel, supported independent tail assemblies well outboard of the usual position at the rear of the fuselage. The horizontal-tail surfaces had the leading edge swept back 45 deg and an aspect ratio of 2.4. The vertical tail surfaces were geometrically similar to one panel of the horizontal tail. For comparative purposes, the wing-body combination was also tested with conventional fuselage-mounted tail surfaces. The wind-tunnel tests were conducted at Mach numbers from 0.25 to 0.95 with a Reynolds number of 2,000,000, at a Mach number of 0.46 with a Reynolds number of 3,500,000, and at a Mach number of 0.20 with a Reynolds number of 7,000,000. The results of the investigation indicate that longitudinal stability existed to considerably higher lift coefficients for the outboard tail configuration than for the configuration with conventional tail. Wing fences were necessary with both configurations for the elimination of sudden changes in longitudinal stability at lift coefficients between 0.3 and 0.5. Sideslip angles up to 15 deg had only small effects upon the pitching-moment characteristics of the outboard tail configuration. There was an increase in the directional stability for the outboard tail configuration at the higher angles of attack as opposed to a decrease for the conventional tail configuration at most of the Mach numbers and Reynolds numbers of this investigation. The dihedral effect increased rapidly with increasing angle of attack for both the outboard and the conventional tail configurations but the increase was greater for the outboard tail configuration. The data indicate that the outboard tail is an effective roll control.

Savage, Howard F.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Effects of Nose Strakes On Transport Aircraft

A low-speed wind tunnel investigation was conducted in the Langley 12-Foot Tunnel on a typical commercial transport configuration to determine the effect of adding nose strakes on the aerodynamic characteristics of the model. The fuselage and wings of the model were scaled versions of the McDonnell-Douglas DC-9 aircraft. A generic tail assembly was employed that was different from that of the DC-9. Three different strake configurations were tested at several inclination angles. One strake configuration was identical to that employed on the DC-9 aircraft. The model was tested through a range of angles of attack and sideslip angles. Tests were made both with and without strakes and also with the vertical tail removed.

Locklear, Calvin T.↗
NASA NTRS1944

Wind-Tunnel Investigation of Shielded Horn Balances and Tabs on a 0.7-Scale Model of XF6F Vertical Tail Surface

Results of subject tests indicate the difficulty of obtaining closely balanced rudder surfaces for most tail assemblies with shielded horns and maintaining a near zero rate-of-change of hinge-moment coefficient without an additional balancing device. A comparison is made between shielded and unshielded horn test results. Pressure distribution and tuft tests of flow over different shaped horns showed higher critical speed for medium-taper nosed horn. The trim tab nose shape had little effect on tab test results.

CONTROL SURFACES, BALANCED-HORN↗
NASA NTRS1974

Static and control investigations of an 0.030-scale space shuttle orbiter configuration 140A/B model in the Ames Research Center 11 by 11-foot transonic wind tunnel (OA53A), Volume 1

A wind tunnel test of an 0.030 scale model of the Rockwell International Configuration 140A/B Space Shuttle Vehicle Orbiter were conducted in the Ames Research Center 11- by 11-Foot Transonic Wind Tunnel. This part (part A) of test series 0A53 was conducted at Mach numbers of 0.6, 0.8, 0.9, 1.05, and 1.20, and at Reynolds numbers from 1.8 x to 6.5 million per foot. The objective of this test was to establish and verify longitudinal and lateral-directional aerodynamic performance, stability, and control characteristics for the Configuration 140A/B SSV Orbiter. Reynolds number studies were performed for certain nominal control-settings. An alternate leading-edge wing configuration and sealed elevon-split arrangement were tested. Bodyflap, elevon, speedbrake, and rudder hinge moments were measured in addition to standard six-component forces and moments and base pressure data. Furthermore, six-component force and moment data were measured for the vertical tail assembly.

Nichols, M. E.↗
NASA NTRS1977

The 11th Aerospace Mechanisms Symposium

Various mechanisms in aerospace engineering were presented at this conference. Specifications, design, and use of spacecraft and missile components are discussed, such as tail assemblies, radiometers, magnetormeters, pins, reaction wheels, ball bearings, actuators, mirrors, nutation dampers, airfoils, solar arrays, etc.

Source record↗