SEARCH · Search NASA
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.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
This report, which is a continuation of the "Preliminary report on free flight testing" (report no. NACA-TR-70), presents a detailed theoretical analysis of statical stability with free and locked controls and also the results of many free flight test on several types of airplanes. In developing the theory of stability with locked controls an expression for pitching moment is derived in simple terms by considering the total moment as the sum of the moments due to wings and tail surface. This expression, when differentiated with respect to angle of incidence, enables an analysis to be made of the factors contributing to the pitching moment. The effects of slipstream and down wash are also considered and it is concluded that the C. G. Location has but slight effect or stability, and that stability is much improved by increasing the efficiency of the tail surfaces, which may be done by using an "inverted" tail plane. The results of free flight tests with locked controls are discussed at length and it is shown that the agreement between the experimental results and theory is very satisfactory. The theory of stability with free controls is not amendable to the simple mathematical treatment used in the case of locked controls, but a clear statement of the conditions enables several conclusions to be drawn, one of which is that the fixed tail surfaces should be much larger than the movable surfaces.
In high-speed dives many airplanes exhibit a dangerous tendency to continue diving in spite of the application of large control forces. Wind-tunnel tests have confirmed that these difficulties are not peculiar to any particular configuration, so that the problem is of interest to all designers of high-speed airplanes. The purpose of this report is to acquaint designers with the cause of difficulties and with the means now known for their alleviation.
Report presents the results of tests of a model of a single-engine airplane with two different tilts of the propeller axis. The results indicate that on a typical design a 5 degree downward tilt of the propeller axis will considerably reduce the destabilization effects of power. A comparison of the experimental results with those computed by use of existing theory is included. A comparison of the experimental results with those computed by use of existing theory is included. It is shown that the results can be predicted with an accuracy acceptable for preliminary design purposes, particularly at the higher powers where the effects are of significant magnitude.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
Explore the source record for details and available documents.
In the solution of a number of problems on the stability and controllability of airplanes, there arises the necessity for knowing the characteristics of the tail surfaces of the types in common use today. Of those characteristics, the most important are the effectiveness and hinge moments of the tail surfaces. As has been shown in the present paper, there exists the possibility of determining these characteristics by the formulas obtained with a degree of accuracy sufficient for the purposes of preliminary computation. These formulas take into account a number of fundamental tail characteristics such as tail cut-outs on the control surface and the form of the control surface leading edge.
The purpose of this investigation was to explore the influence of weights of the controls on the stability with elevator released. The available test data were extended to stability with elevator locked. In this connection the study of the propeller effect seemed of vital importance.
The rudder effect of a sport airplane at high angles of attack was to be improved. This made it necessary to make a cut-out in the center of the continuous elevator so as to enlarge the rudder downward. This cut-out which reduced the rudder area by 12.5 percent changed the static stability of the airplane as well as the elevator effect. Flight measurements showed the stability zone with locked elevator to be 1.8 percent less at full throttle and at idling to be 1.3 percent less than the mean wing chord. The effect of the cut-out on the control forces could not be determined owing to insufficient instrumental accuracy at the extremely low existing forces. The measurement of the static controllability resulting from the cut-out manifested an 18 percent drop in elevator effect at full throttle and a 10 to 20 percent drop at idling, depending on lift.
The preliminary calculation of the airplane polar and hence of the flight performances and characteristics rests on the assumption of an elliptical lift distribution at all altitudes. For large angles of attack below C(sub a (sub max)), this method of calculation yields no satisfactory agreement with measurements made in flight. An attempt is made to eliminate the errors in the preliminary calculation by the assumption of a disturbance of the lift distribution in this angle-of-attack range, which is so important for the constructor. An explanation is also given of the great differences found in flight with and without propeller slipstream.
The stability conditions of Ente (duck) airplanes are investigated in this report. In developing the formulas, which afford an approximate solution, the unimportant effect of the height of the C.G. and the moment of the residual resistance are neglected. The effect of downwash from the forward horizontal empennage on the wing are also disregarded.
The accuracy of the instruments used for flight test measurements has been inadequate so a new series of tests were commissioned with the development of an accurate elevator setting recorder.