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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 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1983

Archival of aircraft scatterometer data from AAFE RADSCAT missions

Aircraft scatterometer data obtained over the ocean with the Radiometer-Scatterometer (RADSCAT) instrument is documented. The normalized radar cross section data was obtained at 13.9 GHz for a variety of ocean surface wind conditions, which are also presented. All such valid RADSCAT ocean scatterometer data for which surface truth was obtained are included, except for ice research missions during the last year of RADSCAT's lifetime. Aircraft scatterometer data obtained for the SEASAT underflights were with a second instrument, the Airborne Microwave Scatterometer (AMSCAT). The RADSCAT data are archived on card image computer tapes and on microfiche.

Schroeder, L. C.↗
NASA NTRS1946

Flight Investigation to Improve the Dynamic Longitudinal Stability and Control-Feel Characteristics of the P-63A-1 Airplane (AAF No. 42-68889) with Closely Balanced Experimental Elevators

Results of flight tests of a control-feel aid presented. This device consisted of a spring and dashpot connected in series between the control stick and airplane structure. The device was tested in combination with an experimental elevator and bobweight which had given unsatisfactory dynamic stability and control-feel characteristics in previous tests. The control-feel aid effected marked improvement in both the control-feel characteristics and the control-feel dynamic longitudinal stability of the airplane.

AIRPLANES - BELL P-63A-1 FLIGHT TESTS (AMER )↗
NASA NTRS1945

Measurement of Flying Qualities of a Dehavilland Mosquito F-8 Airplane (AAF No. 43-334960) I: Lateral and Directional Stability and Control Characteristics

The data presented have no bearing on performance characteristics of airplane, which were considered exceptionally good in previous tests. Some of the undesirable features of lateral and directional stability and control characteristics of the F-8 are listed. Directional stability, with rudder fixed, did not sufficiently restrict aileron yaw; rudder control was inadequate during take-off and landing, and was insufficient to fly airplane with one engine; in clean condition, power of ailerons was slightly below minimum value specified; it was difficult to trim airplane in rough air.

Gray, W.E.↗
NASA NTRS1947

Data Obtained in the Flight Measurements to Determine the Stability and Control Characteristics of a C-54D Airplane (AAF No. 42-72713) and a Summary of the Test Program

The flight investigation of the C-54D airplane was initiated to determine the necessity of changes or additions to existing handling-qualities requirements to cove the case of instrument approaches with large airplanes. This paper gives a brief synopsis of the results and presents the measured data of tests to determine the stability and control characteristics. It was found that no new requirements were necessary to cover the problems of instrument approaches. The C-54D airplane tested met the Amy and Navy stability and control requirements except for the following items. The control-system friction with autopilot installed vas double that allowed by the requirements. The amount of friction was found to impair the controllability of the airplane in precision flying. The lateral and directional characteristics were good except that the maximum pb/2V was slightly below the minimum required, and the elevator-control forces to obtain the maximum pb/2V at low speeds were above the Army and Navy requirements. The longitudinal stability and control characteristics were good except that the elevator-control forces exceeded the limits of the Army and Navy requirements in turns and in landings. The stalling characteristics were considered good in all conditions with the stall warning in the form of tail buffeting occurring at speeds approximately 5 miles per hour above the stall.

Talmage, Donald B.↗
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 NTRS1948

Measurements of the Longitudinal Stability and Control and Stalling Characteristics of a North American P-51H Airplane (AAF No. 4-64164)

Flight tests have been made to determine the longitudinal stability and control and stalling characteristics of a North American P-51H airplane. The results indicate that the airplane has satisfactory longitudinal stability in all the flight conditions tested at normal loadings up to 25,000 feet altitude. At Mach numbers above 0.7, the elevator push force required for longitudinal trim decreased somewhat because of compressibility effects. The elevator stick force per g in accelerated turns at the forward center-of-gravity position of 24 percent mean aerodynamic chord above 250 miles per hour was in excess of the required limits at both 5,000 and 25,OOO feet altitude. The longitudinal-trim-force changes due to flaps and power were small, but the rudder-trim-force change with power change was high. The stalling characteristics in all the conditions tested were satisfactory.

Kraft, Christopher C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1948

Flight Measurements of Flying Qualities of a P-47D-30 Airplane (AAF No. 43-3441) to Determine Longitudinal Stability and Control and Stalling Characteristics

Flight tests have been made to determine the longitudinal stability and control and stalling characteristics of the P-47.E-30 airplane. The teat results show the airplane to be unstable stick free in any power-on condition even at the most forward center-of-gravity position tested. At the rearward center-of-gravity position tested the airplane also had neutral to negative stick-fixed stability with power on. The characteristics in accelerated flight were acceptable at the forward center-of-gravity position at low and high altitudes except at high speed where the control-force variations with acceleration were high. At the rearward center-of-gravity position, elevator-force reversals were experienced in turns at low speeds, and the force per g was low at all the other speeds. Ample stall warning was afforded in all the conditions tested and the stalling characteristics were very satisfactory except in the approach and wave-off conditions.

Kraft, Christopher C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1946

Flight Investigation of Effect of Various Vertical-Tail Modifications on the Directional Stability and Control Characteristics of the P-63A-1 Airplane (AAF No. 42-68889)

Because the results of preliminary flight tests had indicated. the P-63A-1 airplane possessed insufficient directional stability, the NACA and the manufacturer (Bell Aircraft Corporation) suggested three vertical-tail modifications to remedy the deficiencies in the directional characteristics. These modifications included an enlarged vertical tail formed by adding a tip extension to the original vertical tail, a large sharp-edge ventral fin, and a small dorsal fin. The enlarged vertical tail involved only a slight increase in total vertical-tail area from 23.73 to 26.58 square feet but a relatively much larger increase in geometric aspect ratio from 1.24 to 1.73 based on height and area above the horizontal tail. At the request of the Air Material Command, Army Air Forces, flight tests were made to determine the effect of these modifications and of some combinations of these modifications on the directional stability and control characteristics of the airplane, In all, six different vertical-tail. configurations were investigated to determine the lateral and directional oscillation characteristics of the airplane, the sideslip characteristics, the yaw due to ailerons in rudder-fixed rolls from turns and pull-outs, the trim changes due to speed changes; and the trim changes due to power changes. Results of the tests showed that the enlarged vertical tail approximately doubled the directional stability of the airplane and that the pilots considered the directional stability provided by the enlarged vertical tail to be satisfactory. Calculations based on sideslip data obtained at an indicated airspeed of 300 miles per hour showed that the directional stability of the airplane with the original vertical tail corresponded to a value of 0(sub n beta) of -0.00056 whereas for the enlarged vertical tail the estimated va1ue of C(sub n beta) was -0.00130, The ventral fin was found to increase by a moderate amount the directional stability of the airplane with the original vertical tail for smal1 sides1ip angles at low speeds but little consistent change in directional stability was effected by the ventral fin at higher speeds, The effectiveness of the ventral fin was generally much less when used with the enlarged vertical tail than when used with the original vertical tail. The ventral and dorsal fins were found to be very effective in eliminating rudder-force reversals which occurred in low-speed, high-engine-power, sideslipped conditions of flight . Sideslip tests at two altitudes for approximately the sane engine power and indicated airspeed showed that a small decrease in static directional stability occurred with increasing altitude and this decrease in stability was attributed to the increased propeller blade angles required at high altitudes. The variations of rudder pedal force with indicated airspeed using normal rated power and a constant rudder tab setting through the speed range were desirably small for all the configurations tested. The rudder pedal force changed by about 50 pounds for a power change from engine idling power, to normal rated power and this pedal force change was largely independent of airspeed or of vertical-tail configuration for the various configurations tested.

Johnson, Harold I.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Observations in the vicinity of substorm onset: Implications for the substrom process

Multi-instrument data sets from the ground and satellites at both low and high altitude have provided new results concerning substorm onset and its source region in the magnetosphere. Twenty-six out of 37 substorm onset events showed evidence of azimuthally spaced auroral forms (AAFs) prior to the explosive poleward motion associated with optical substorm onset. AAFs can span 8 hours of local time prior to onset and generally propagate eastward in the morning sector. Onset itself is, however, more localized spanning only about 1 hour local time. AAF onset occur during time periods when the solar wind pressure is relatively high. AAFs brighten in conjunction with substorm onset leading to the conclusion that they are a growth phase activity casually related to substorm onset. Precursor activity associated with these AAFs is also seen near geosynchronous orbit altitude and examples show the relationship between the various instrumental definitions of substorm onset. The implied mode number (30 to 135) derived from this work is inconsistent with cavity mode resonances but is consistent with a modified flute/ballooning instability which requires azimuthal pressure gradients. The extended source region and the distance to the open-closed field line region constrain reconnection theory and local mechanisms for substorm onset. It is demonstrated that multiple onset substorms can exist for which localized dipolarizations and the Pi 2 occur simultaneously with tail stretching existing elsewhere. These pseudobreakups can be initiated by auroral streamers which originate at the most poleward set of arc systems and drift to the more equatorward main UV oval. Observations are presented of these AAFs in conjunction with low- and high-altitutde particle and magnetic field data. These place the activations at the interface between dipolar and taillike field lines probably near the peak in the cross-tail current. These onsets are put in the context of a new scenario for substorm morphology which employs individual modules which operate independently or couple together. This allows particular substorm events to be more accurately described and investigated.

Elphinstone, R. D.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Measuring Geophysical Parameters of the Greenland Ice Sheet using Airborne Radar Altimetry

This paper presents radar-altimeter scattering models for each of the diagenetic zones of the Greenland ice sheet. AAFE radar- altimeter waveforms obtained during the 1991 and 1993 NASA multi-sensor airborne altimetry experiments over Greenland reveal that the Ku-band return pulse changes significantly with the different diagenetic zones. These changes are due to varying amounts of surface and volume scattering in the return waveform. In the ablation and soaked zones, where surface scattering dominates the AAFE return, geophysical parameters such as rms surface height and rms surface slope are obtained by fitting the waveforms to a surface-scattering model. Waveforms from the percolation zone show that the sub-surface ice features have a much more significant effect on the return pulse than the surrounding snowpack. Model percolation waveforms, created using a combined surface- and volume-scattering model and an ice-feature distribution obtained during the 1993 field season, agree well with actual AAFE waveforms taken in the same time period. Using a combined surface- and volume-scattering model for the dry-snow-zone return waveforms, the rms surface height and slope and the attenuation coefficient of the snowpack are obtained. These scattering models not only allow geophysical parameters of the ice sheet to be measured but also help in the understanding of satellite radar-altimeter data.

Ferraro, Ellen J.↗