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At least 343 records · Page 19

Sixth Annual Workshop on Meteorological and Environmental Inputs to Aviation Systems, 26-28 October 1982, Tullahoma, Tenn

The six workshops whose proceedings are presently reported considered the subject of meteorological and environmental information inputs to aviation, in order to satisfy workshop-sponsoring agencies' requirements for (1) greater knowledge of the interaction of the atmosphere with aircraft and airport operators, (2) a better definition and implementation of meteorological services to operators, and (3) the collection and interpretation of data useful in establishing operational criteria that relate the atmospheric science input to aviation community operations. Workshop topics included equipment and instrumentation, forecasts and information updates, training and simulation facilities, and severe weather, icing and wind shear.

Camp, D. W.↗

Circulation control propellers for general aviation, including a BASIC computer program

The feasibility of replacing variable pitch propeller mechanisms with circulation control (Coanada effect) propellers on general aviation airplanes was examined. The study used a specially developed computer program written in BASIC which could compare the aerodynamic performance of circulation control propellers with conventional propellers. The comparison of aerodynamic performance for circulation control, fixed pitch and variable pitch propellers is based upon the requirements for a 1600 kg (3600 lb) single engine general aviation aircraft. A circulation control propeller using a supercritical airfoil was shown feasible over a representative range of design conditions. At a design condition for high speed cruise, all three types of propellers showed approximately the same performance. At low speed, the performance of the circulation control propeller exceeded the performance for a fixed pitch propeller, but did not match the performance available from a variable pitch propeller. It appears feasible to consider circulation control propellers for single engine aircraft or multiengine aircraft which have their propellers on a common axis (tractor pusher). The economics of the replacement requires a study for each specific airplane application.

Taback, I.↗

Systems concept for speech technology application in general aviation

The application potential of voice recognition and synthesis circuits for general aviation, single-pilot IFR (SPIFR) situations is examined. The viewpoint of the pilot was central to workload analyses and assessment of the effectiveness of the voice systems. A twin-engine, high performance general aviation aircraft on a cross-country fixed route was employed as the study model. No actual control movements were considered and other possible functions were scored by three IFR-rated instructors. The SPIFR was concluded helpful in alleviating visual and manual workloads during take-off, approach and landing, particularly for data retrieval and entry tasks. Voice synthesis was an aid in alerting a pilot to in-flight problems. It is expected that usable systems will be available within 5 yr.

North, R. A.↗

Seventh Annual Workshop on Meteorological and Environmental Inputs to Aviation Systems 26-28 October 1983, Tullahoma, Tennessee

A summary of reports and recommendations resulting from the Workshop on Meteorological and Environmental Inputs to Aviation Systems is presented. The Workshops have been held to characterize the interaction between aircraft and airport operators with the atmosphere, identify necessary meteorological enhancements, and establish criteria for meteorological data needed by the aviation community. The topics covered included winds and wind shear, turbulence, fog, visibility and ceiling, lightning and atmospheric electricity, icing, frost and snow, rain, ozone and acid rain. The recommendations issued included a denser meteorological network with more automated stations, the development of radar systems for icing forecasts and wind shear alerts, the accumulation of a greater data base on convective cells and lightning strikes, and further study of the impact of rain on aircraft performance.

Camp, D. W.↗

NASA and general aviation

General aviation remains the single most misunderstood sector of aeronautics in the United States. A detailed look at how general aviation functions and how NASA helps keep it on the cutting edge of technology in airfoils, airframes, commuter travel, environmental concerns, engines, propellers, air traffic control, agricultural development, electronics, and safety is given.

Ethell, J. L.↗

Flight duration, airspeed practices and altitude management of airplanes involved in the NASA VGH General Aviation Program

Flight duration, airspeed, and altitude information obtained from NASA velocity gravity height (VGH) recorders is presented for each of 95 general aviation airplanes flown in twin- and single-engine executive, personal, instructional, commercial survey, aerial application, aerobatic, commuter, and float operations. These data complement normal acceleration data obtained from the same airplanes and reported in NASA-TM-84660, and together they provide a data base for the design and analysis of general aviation airplane operations.

Jewel, Joseph W., Jr.↗

Application of propfan propulsion to general aviation

Recent studies of advanced propfan propulsion systems have shown significant reductions in fuel consumption of 15-30 percent for transport class aircraft. This paper presents the results of a study which examined applying propfan propulsion to General Aviation class aircraft to determine if similar improvements could be achieved for business aircraft. In addition to the potential performance gains, this paper also addresses the cost aspects of propfan propulsion on General Aviation aircraft emphasizing the significant impact that the cost of capital and tax aspects have on determining the total cost of operation for business aircraft.

Awker, R. W.↗

General-Aviation Control Loader

Artificial-feel system designed for general-aviation flight simulators. New system developed to replace directly lateral and longitudinal controls in general-aviation cockpit for use in flight-simulation research. Using peaucellier's cell to convert linear motion to rotary motion, control-loading system provides realistic control-force feedback to cockpit wheel and column controls.

Baltrus, Daniel W.↗

Meteorological and Environmental Inputs to Aviation Systems

Reports on aviation meteorology, most of them informal, are presented by representatives of the National Weather Service, the Bracknell (England) Meteorological Office, the NOAA Wave Propagation Lab., the Fleet Numerical Oceanography Center, and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association. Additional presentations are included on aircraft/lidar turbulence comparison, lightning detection and locating systems, objective detection and forecasting of clear air turbulence, comparative verification between the Generalized Exponential Markov (GEM) Model and official aviation terminal forecasts, the evaluation of the Prototype Regional Observation and Forecast System (PROFS) mesoscale weather products, and the FAA/MIT Lincoln Lab. Doppler Weather Radar Program.

Camp, Dennis W.↗

A method for monitoring the variability in nuclear absorption characteristics of aviation fuels

A technique for monitoring variability in the nuclear absorption characteristics of aviation fuels has been developed. It is based on a highly collimated low energy gamma radiation source and a sodium iodide counter. The source and the counter assembly are separated by a geometrically well-defined test fuel cell. A computer program for determining the mass attenuation coefficient of the test fuel sample, based on the data acquired for a preset counting period, has been developed and tested on several types of aviation fuel.

Sprinkle, Danny R.↗

Personality based clusters as predictors of aviator attitudes and performance

The feasibility of identification of personality-based population clusters was investigated along with the relationships of these subpopulations to relevant attitude and performance measures. The results of instrumental and expressive personality tests, using the Personal Characteristics Inventory (PCI) test battery and the Cockpit Management Attitudes Questionnaire, suggest that theoretically meaningful subpopulations exist among aviators, and that these groupings are useful in understanding of personality factors acting as moderator variables in the determination of aviator attitudes and performance. Out of the three clusters most easily described in terms of their relative elevations on the PCI subscales ('the right stuff', the 'wrong stuff', and the 'no stuff'), the members of the right stuff cluster tended to have more desirable patterns of responses along relevant attitudinal dimensions.

Gregorich, Steve↗

Aviation Safety/Automation Program Conference

The Aviation Safety/Automation Program Conference - 1989 was sponsored by the NASA Langley Research Center on 11 to 12 October 1989. The conference, held at the Sheraton Beach Inn and Conference Center, Virginia Beach, Virginia, was chaired by Samuel A. Morello. The primary objective of the conference was to ensure effective communication and technology transfer by providing a forum for technical interchange of current operational problems and program results to date. The Aviation Safety/Automation Program has as its primary goal to improve the safety of the national airspace system through the development and integration of human-centered automation technologies for aircraft crews and air traffic controllers.

Morello, Samuel A.↗

A method for monitoring nuclear absorption coefficients of aviation fuels

A technique for monitoring variability in the nuclear absorption characteristics of aviation fuels has been developed. It is based on a highly collimated low energy gamma radiation source and a sodium iodide counter. The source and the counter assembly are separated by a geometrically well-defined test fuel cell. A computer program for determining the mass attenuation coefficient of the test fuel sample, based on the data acquired for a preset counting period, has been developed and tested on several types of aviation fuel.

Sprinkle, Danny R.↗

Maritime Aviation

This report presents some studies of maritime aviation which cover the following principal points: employment of landplanes on maritime aerial warfare; their adaption to peculiar requirements of the Navy; and the establishment of a method of aerial pursuit and bombardment, likewise adapted to military aviation over land.

Ravennes, Jean↗

The comparative performance of an aviation engine at normal and high inlet air temperatures

This report presents some results obtained during an investigation to determine the effect of high inlet air temperature on the performance of a Liberty 12 aviation engine. The purpose of this investigation was to ascertain, for normal service carburetor adjustments and a fixed ignition advance, the relation between power and temperature for the range of carburetor air temperatures that may be encountered when supercharging to sea level pressure at altitudes of over 20,000 feet and without intercooling when using plain aviation gasoline and mixtures of benzol and gasoline. The results show that for the conditions of test, both the brake and indicated power decrease with increase in air temperature at a faster rate than given by the theoretical assumption that power varies inversely as the square root of the absolute temperature. On a brake basis, the order of the difference in power for a temperature difference of 120 degrees F. Is 3 to 5 per cent. The observed relation between power and temperature when using the 30-70 blend was found to be linear. But, although these differences are noted, the above theoretical assumption may be considered as generally applicable except where greater precision over a wide range of temperatures is desired, in which case it appears necessary to test the particular engine under the given conditions. (author)

Gardiner, Arthur W↗

Development and use of computational techniques in Army Aviation research and development programs for crash resistant helicopter technology

During the 1960's over 30 full-scale aircraft crash tests were conducted by the Flight Safety Foundation under contract to the Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD) of the U.S. Army Aviation Systems Command (AVSCOM). The purpose of these tests were to conduct crash injury investigations that would provide a basis for the formulation of sound crash resistance design criteria for light fixed-wing and rotary wing aircraft. This resulted in the Crash Survival Design Criteria Designer's Guide which was first published in 1967 and has been revised numerous times, the last being in 1989. Full-scale aircraft crash testing is an expensive way to investigate structural deformations of occupied spaces and to determine the decelerative loadings experienced by occupants in a crash. This gave initial impetus to the U.S. Army to develop analytical methods to predict the dynamic response of aircraft structures in a crash. It was believed that such analytical tools could be very useful in the preliminary design stage of a new helicopter system which is required to demonstrate a level of crash resistance and had to be more cost effective than full-scale crash tests or numerous component design support tests. From an economic point of view, it is more efficient to optimize for the incorporation of crash resistance features early in the design stage. However, during preliminary design it is doubtful if sufficient design details, which influence the exact plastic deformation shape of structural elements, will be available. The availability of simple procedures to predict energy absorption and load-deformation characteristics will allow the designer to initiate valuable cost, weight, and geometry tradeoff studies. The development of these procedures will require some testing of typical specimens. This testing should, as a minimum, verify the validity of proposed procedures for providing pertinent nonlinear load-deformation data. It was hoped that through the use of these analytical models, the designer could optimize aircraft design for crash resistance from both a weight and cost increment standpoint, thus enhancing the acceptance of the design criteria for crash resistance.

Burrows, Leroy T.↗

Roles, uses, and benefits of general aviation aircraft in aerospace engineering education

Many colleges and universities throughout the United States offer outstanding programs in aerospace engineering. In addition to the fundamentals of aerodynamics, propulsion, flight dynamics, and air vehicle design, many of the best programs have in the past provided students the opportunity to design and fly airborne experiments on board various types of aircraft. Sadly, however, the number of institutions offering such 'airborne laboratories' has dwindled in recent years. As a result, opportunities for students to apply their classroom knowledge, analytical skills, and engineering judgement to the development and management of flight experiments on an actual aircraft are indeed rare. One major reason for the elimination of flight programs by some institutions, particularly the smaller colleges, is the prohibitive cost of operating and maintaining an aircraft as a flying laboratory. The purpose of this paper is to discuss simple, low-cost, relevant flight experiments that can be performed using readily available general aviation aircraft. This paper examines flight experiments that have been successfully conducted on board the NASA Lewis Research Center's T-34B aircraft, as part of the NASA/AIAA/University Flight Experiment Program for Students (NAUFEPS) and discusses how similar experiments could be inexpensively performed on other general aviation aircraft.

Odonoghue, Dennis P.↗