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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 289 records · Page 16
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1979

Assessment at full scale of exhaust nozzle-to-wing size on STOL-OTW acoustic characteristics

On the basis of static zero/acoustic data obtained at model scale, the effect of exhaust nozzle size on flyover noise is evaluated at full scale for different STOL-OTW nozzle configurations. Three types of nozzles are evaluated: a circular/deflector nozzle mounted above the wing, a slot/deflector nozzle mounted on the wing, and a slot nozzle mounted on the wing. The nozzle exhaust plane location, measured from the wing leading edge was varied from 10 to 46 percent of the wing chord (flaps retracted). Flap angles of 20 deg (takeoff) and 60 deg (approach) are included in the study. Initially, perceived noise levels (PNL) are calculated as a function of flyover distance at 152 m altitude. From these plots static EPNL values, defined as flyover relative noise levels, then are obtained as functions of nozzle size for equal aerodynamic performance (lift and thrust). On the basis of these calculations, the acoustic benefits attributable to nozzle size relative to a given wing chord size are assessed.

Von Glahn, U.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Development and evaluation of automatic landing control laws for power lift STOL aircraft

A series of investigations were conducted to generate and verify through ground bases simulation and flight research a data base to aid in the design and certification of advanced propulsive lift short takeoff and landing aircraft. Problems impacting the design of powered lift short haul aircraft that are to be landed automatically on STOL runways in adverse weather were examined. An understanding of the problems was gained by a limited coverage of important elements that are normally included in the certification process of a CAT 3 automatic landing system.

Feinreich, B.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Flight investigation of a four-dimensional terminal area guidance system for STOL aircraft

A series of flight tests and fast-time simulations were conducted, using the augmentor wing jet STOL research aircraft and the STOLAND 4D-RNAV system to add to the growing data base of 4D-RNAV system performance capabilities. To obtain statistically meaningful data a limited amount of flight data were supplemented by a statistically significant amount of data obtained from fast-time simulation. The results of these tests are reported. Included are comparisons of the 4D-RNAV estimated winds with actual winds encountered in flight, as well as data on along-track navigation and guidance errors, and time-of-arrival errors at the final approach waypoint. In addition, a slight improvement of the STOLAND 4D-RNAV system is proposed and demonstrated, using the fast-time simulation.

Neuman, F.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Flight evaluation of the STOL flare and landing during night operations

Simulated instrument approaches were made to Category 1 minimums followed by a visual landing on a 100 x 1700 ft STOL runway. Data were obtained for variations in the aircraft's flare response characteristics and control techniques and for different combinations of aircraft and runway lighting and a visual approach slope indication. With the complete aircraft and runway lighting and visual guidance no degradation in flying qualities or landing performance was observed compared to daylight operations. elimination of the touchdown zone floodlights or the aircraft landing lights led to somewhat greater pilot workload; however, the landing could still be accomplished successfully. Loss of both touchdown zone and aircraft landing lights led to a high workload situation and only a marginally adequate to inadequate landing capability.

Franklin, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Evaluation of pressure and thermal data from a wind tunnel test of a large-scale, powered, STOL fighter model

A STOL fighter model employing the vectored-engine-over wing concept was tested at low speeds in the NASA/Ames 40 by 80-foot wind tunnel. The model, approximately 0.75 scale of an operational fighter, was powered by two General Electric J-97 turbojet engines. Limited pressure and thermal instrumentation were provided to measure power effects (chordwise and spanwise blowing) and control-surface-deflection effects. An indepth study of the pressure and temperature data revealed many flow field features - the foremost being wing and canard leading-edge vortices. These vortices delineated regions of attached and separated flow, and their movements were often keys to an understanding of flow field changes caused by power and control-surface variations. Chordwise blowing increased wing lift and caused a modest aft shift in the center of pressure. The induced effects of chordwise blowing extended forward to the canard and significantly increased the canard lift when the surface was stalled. Spanwise blowing effectively enhanced the wing leading-edge vortex, thereby increasing lift and causing a forward shift in the center of pressure.

Howell, G. A.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Disturbance estimation for a STOL transport during landing

Transport aircraft can experience dangerously high sink rates if wind shear or thrust loss are encountered during landing approach. This is of special concern for STOL aircraft that use engine thrust for lift augmentation. Such conditions must be detected quickly and available power increased promptly to avoid serious flight path deviations. This study demonstrates the feasibility of designing constant-gain estimators, which use on-board instrumentation, to detect such conditions with sufficient speed and accuracy to provide adequate warning. Estimator design techniques are discussed and simulation results presented.

Bossi, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Flight experiments using the front-side control technique during piloted approach and landing in a powered lift STOL aircraft

The essential features of using pitch attitude for glidepath control in conjunction with longitudinal thrust modulation for speed control are described, using a simple linearized model for a powered-lift STOL aircraft operating on the backside of the drag curve and at a fixed setting of propulsive lift. It is shown that an automatic speed-hold system incorporating heave-damping augmentation can allow use of the front-side control technique with satisfactory handling qualities, and the results of previous flight investigations are reviewed. Manual control considerations, as they might be involved following failure of the automatic system, are emphasized. The influence of alternative cockpit controller configurations and flight-director display features were assessed for their effect on the control task, which consisted of a straight-in steep approach flown at constant speed in simulated instrument conditions.

Hindson, W. S.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Analysis of several glidepath and speed control autopilot concepts for a powered lift STOL aircraft

Longitudinal performance and control utilization data are compared for several different automatic approach autopilot implementations in a powered lift STOL aircraft. As few as two, to as many as four laws reflecting both backside and frontside control techniques. The data are developed from analysis and simulation, but represent configurations which were demonstrated in flight. Transient response characteristics from initial glidepath offsets are presented, along with system operation in turbulence. In furnishing quantitative data in controlled levels of simulated turbulence, these results provide a useful supplement to various flight investigations (including those employing manual control) that involved a comparison of control techniques in this type of aircraft.

Hindson, W. S.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Tactical STOL moment balance through innovative configuration technology

Innovative and conventional thrust vectoring moment balance mechanisms, as applied to advanced tactical fighters, are examined. The innovative mechanisms include thrust line translation, life line translation, and auxiliary power control; the conventional mechanisms under investigation are horizontal tails, canards, and variable sweep wings. These mechanisms are tested for their ability to provide negative static margins for landing approach or relocation of the vectored thrust line nearer the aircraft's center of gravity. The net pitching moment due to wing, flaps, and vectored thrust lift would then be small, making possible beneficial trim forces from small trimming devices. These innovative mechanisms are, however, possibly heavy and must be evaluated on their complexity, reliability, maintainability, and STOL capabilities. Several candidate fighter configurations are compared and evaluated.

Eckard, G. J.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Application of thrust vectoring for STOL

Studies of generic aircraft configurations to determine the payoff of thrust vectoring for direct lift during STOL landings and takeoff and for control power augmentation during weapons-delivery maneuvers are described. Results show that for a nominal 1000-foot landing distance, direct-lift benefits are small, but significant improvements in control power augmentation contribute to payoffs in takeoff distance and recovery from roll-pitch-coupling-induced departures at high angles of attack.

Whitten, P. D.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Analysis of data from a wind tunnel investigation of a large-scale model of a highly maneuverable supersonic V/STOL fighter - STOL configuration

The surface pressure and thermal characteristics of a large-scale model of a highly maneuverable supersonic fighter with STOL capability are described. The 7.28 m span model is powered by two J-97 turbojets, operated at 9340 N thrust. It combines upper-surface and spanwise blowing to augment the lift characteristics over a wide angle-of-attack range. The most significant feature of the fighter's flow field is the leading edge vortex that forms at low alphas, grows stronger, and moves inboard as alpha is increased. Upper surface blowing enhanced the lift on the wing in both stalled and unstalled areas significantly, while generating only a modest aft shift in the center of pressure. Lift gains were greatest at high alphas and with the flap deflected. Spanwise blowing was most significant at angles-of-attack greater than 8 deg, when the jet strengthened the vortex. The 1100 F spanwise blowing jet mixed very rapidly with the wing flow field, creating a maximum temperature rise of only 300-350 F. A comparison of small-scale and large-scale model wing pressure characteristics showed similar trends created by upper surface blowing, while spanwise blowing characteristics differed considerably. Force data correlated well with semi-empirical predictions for gross thrust coefficients less than 1.0.

Falarski, M. D.↗
NASA NTRS1983

The application of parameter estimation to flight measurements to obtain lateral-directional stability derivatives of an augmented jet-flap STOL airplane

Flight experiments with an augmented jet flap STOL aircraft provided data from which the lateral directional stability and control derivatives were calculated by applying a linear regression parameter estimation procedure. The tests, which were conducted with the jet flaps set at a 65 deg deflection, covered a large range of angles of attack and engine power settings. The effect of changing the angle of the jet thrust vector was also investigated. Test results are compared with stability derivatives that had been predicted. The roll damping derived from the tests was significantly larger than had been predicted, whereas the other derivatives were generally in agreement with the predictions. Results obtained using a maximum likelihood estimation procedure are compared with those from the linear regression solutions.

Stephenson, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Flight directors for STOl aircraft

Flight director logic for flight path and airspeed control of a powered-lift STOL aircraft in the approach, transition, and landing configurations are developed. The methods for flight director design are investigated. The first method is based on the Optimal Control Model (OCM) of the pilot. The second method, proposed here, uses a fixed dynamic model of the pilot in a state space formulation similar to that of the OCM, and includes a pilot work-load metric. Several design examples are presented with various aircraft, sensor, and control configurations. These examples show the strong impact of throttle effectiveness on the performance and pilot work-load associated with manual control of powered-lift aircraft during approach. Improved performed and reduced pilot work-load can be achieved by using direct-lift-control to increase throttle effectiveness.

Rabin, U. H.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Trimming high lift for STOL fighters

The results of investigations of three different approaches to obtaining longitudinal trim for advanced fighter configurations with STOL performance are presented. The first, a differential thrust vectoring/reverser nozzle on an F-15 model, was very effective with an increment in pitching moment generated by the 90 deg/50 deg nozzle at military power equal to that which would be produced by a change in horizontal tail deflection of 20 deg. This trim pitching moment was accompanied by a modest loss in lift. The second method involved a nose jet on a supersonic cruise fighter configuration which, when combined with some canard deflection and longitudinal instability, provided trim capability for the configuration with military power setting and main nozzles deflected 43 degrees. Finally, a blown-high-lift canard on an advanced fighter configuration indicated that trim could be obtained across the complete angle-of-attack range tested with thrust set at military power and the main nozzles deflected 40 degrees. There was no loss in configuration lift and a slight increase in longitudinal stability.

Paulson, J. W., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Development and analysis of a STOL supersonic cruise fighter concept

The application of advanced and emerging technologies to a fighter aircraft concept is described. The twin-boom fighter (TBF-1) relies on a two dimensional vectoring/reversing nozzle to provide STOL performance while also achieving efficient long range supersonic cruise. A key feature is that the propulsion package is placed so that the nozzle hinge line is near the aircraft center-of-gravity to allow large vector angles and, thus, provide large values of direct lift while minimizing the moments to be trimmed. The configurations name is derived from the long twin booms extending aft of the engine to the twin vertical tails which have a single horizontal tail mounted atop and between them. Technologies utilized were an advanced engine (1985 state-of-the-art), superplastic formed/diffusion bonded titanium structure, advanced controls/avionics/displays, supersonic wing design, and conformal weapons carriage. The integration of advanced technologies into this concept indicate that large gains in takeoff and landing performance, maneuver, acceleration, supersonic cruise speed, and range can be acieved relative to current fighter concepts.

Dollyhigh, S. M.↗
NASA NTRS1984

A flight-test and simulation evaluation of the longitudinal final approach and landing performance of an automatic system for a light wing loading STOL aircraft equipped with wing spoilers

As part of a comprehensive flight-test investigation of short takeoff and landing (STOL) operating systems for the terminal systems for the terminal area, an automatic landing system has been developed and evaluated for a light wing-loading turboprop-powered aircraft. An advanced digital avionics system performed display, navigation, guidance, and control functions for the test aircraft. Control signals were generated in order to command powered actuators for all conventional controls and for a set of symmetrically driven wing spoilers. This report describes effects of the spoiler control on longitudinal autoland (automatic landing) performance. Flight-test results, with and without spoiler control, are presented and compared with available (basically, conventional takeoff and landing) performance criteria. These comparisons are augmented by results from a comprehensive simulation of the controlled aircraft that included representations of the microwave landing system navigation errors that were encountered in flight as well as expected variations in atmospheric turbulence and wind shear. Flight-test results show that the addition of spoiler control improves the touchdown performance of the automatic landing system. Spoilers improve longitudinal touchdown and landing pitch-attitude performance, particularly in tailwind conditions. Furthermore, simulation results indicate that performance would probably be satisfactory for a wider range of atmospheric disturbances than those encountered in flight. Flight results also indicate that the addition of spoiler control during the final approach does not result in any measurable change in glidepath track performance, and results in a very small deterioration in airspeed tracking. This difference contrasts with simulations results, which indicate some improvement in glidepath tracking and no appreciable change in airspeed tracking. The modeling problem in the simulation that contributed to this discrepancy with flight was not resolved.

Brown, S. C.↗
NASA NTRS1982

A technique for determining powered-lift STOL aircraft performance at sea level from flight data taken at altitude

State-of-the-technology powered-lift STOL aircraft can develop very high lift coefficients. The determination of how this high lift capability can be utilized for landing approaches is accomplished by evaluating aircraft velocity versus flightpath performance. This paper briefly discusses upper-surface-blowing power-lift technology and some of the significant features of the velocity versus flightpath plot that are used in evaluating the performance of powered-lift aircraft. A procedure for deriving the velocity versus flightpath plot for a powered-lift aircraft at any specified weight at sea level, based on flight-test data obtained at various weights and altitudes, is discussed in detail. Actual flight-test data obtained with NASA's Quiet Short-Haul Research Aircraft (QSRA) are used to illustrate this procedure and to evaluate the results.

Stevens, V. C.↗
NASA NTRS1984

STOL Simulation Requirements for Development of Integrated Flight/propulsion Control Systems

The role and use of simulation as a design tool in developing integrated systems where design criteria is largely unavailable is well known. This paper addresses additional simulation needs for the development of Integrated Flight/Propulsion Control Systems (IFPCS) which will improve the probability of properly interpreting simulation results. These needs are based on recent experience with power approach flying qualities evaluations of an advanced fighter configuration which incorporated Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) technologies and earlier experiences with power approach flying qualities evaluations on the AFTI/F-16 program. The use of motion base platforms with axial and normal degrees of freedom will help in evaluating pilot coupling and workload in the presence of high frequency low amplitude axial accelerations produced by high bandwidth airspeed controllers in a gusty environment.

Sanders, K. E.↗