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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 379 records · Page 21
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1975

Moving-base visual simulation study of decoupled controls during approach and landing of a STOL transport aircraft

The simulation employed all six rigid-body degrees of freedom and incorporated aerodynamic characteristics based on wind-tunnel data. The flight instrumentation included a localizer and a flight director which was used to capture and to maintain a two-segment glide slope. A closed-circuit television display of a STOLport provided visual cues during simulations of the approach and landing. The decoupled longitudinal controls used constant prefilter and feedback gains to provide steady-state decoupling of flight-path angle, pitch angle, and forward velocity. The pilots were enthusiastic about the decoupled longitudinal controls and believed that the simulator motion was an aid in evaluating the decoupled controls, although a minimum turbulence level with root-mean-square gust intensity of 0.3 m/sec (1 ft/sec) was required to mask undesirable characteristics of the moving-base simulator.

Miller, G. K., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1972

An investigation of rooftop STOL port aerodynamics

An investigation into aerodynamic problems associated with large building rooftop STOLports was performed. Initially, a qualitative flow visualization study indicated two essential problems: (1) the establishment of smooth, steady, attached flow over the rooftop, and (2) the generation of acceptable crosswind profile once (1) has been achieved. This study indicated that (1) could be achieved by attaching circular-arc rounded edge extensions to the upper edges of the building and that crosswind profiles could be modified by the addition of porous vertical fences to the lateral edges of the rooftop. Important fence parameters associated with crosswind alteration were found to be solidity, fence element number and spacing. Large scale building induced velocity fluctuations were discovered for most configurations tested and a possible explanation for their occurrence was postulated. Finally, a simple equation relating fence solidity to the resulting velocity profile was developed and tested for non-uniform single element fences with 30 percent maximum solidity.

Blanton, J. N.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Calculation of static longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics of STOL aircraft with upper surface blown flaps

An existing prediction method developed for EBF aircraft configurations was applied to USB configurations to determine its potential utility in predicting USB aerodynamic characteristics. An existing wing-flap vortex-lattice computer program was modified to handle multiple spanwise flap segments at different flap angles. A potential flow turbofan wake model developed for circular cross-section jets was used to model a rectangular cross-section jet wake by placing a number of circular jets side by side. The calculation procedure was evaluated by comparison of measured and predicted aerodynamic characteristics on a variety of USB configurations. The method is limited to the case where the flow and geometry of the configuration are symmetric about a vertical plane containing the wing root chord. Comparison of predicted and measured lift and pitching moment coefficients were made on swept wings with one and two engines per wing panel, various flap deflection angles, and a range of thrust coefficients. The results indicate satisfactory prediction of lift for flap deflections up to 55 and thrust coefficients less than 2. The applicability of the prediction procedure to USB configurations is evaluated, and specific recommendations for improvements are discussed.

Mendenhall, M. R.↗
NASA NTRS1975

The effects of aircraft design on STOL ride quality

Effects of aircraft dynamic characteristics on passenger ride quality are investigated to determine ride-quality isocontours similar to aircraft handling-qualities contours. Measurements are made on a moving-base simulator while varying the aircraft short-period and Dutch Roll frequencies and dampings. Both pilot ratings and subjective ride-quality ratings are obtained during flight. Ride and handling qualities were found to be complementary for the Dutch Roll mode, but not for the short-period mode. Regions of optimal ride and handling qualities are defined for the short-period mode, and the effects of turbulence levels studied.

Jones, C. R.↗
NASA NTRS1975

The effects of stability augmentation on the gust response of a STOL aircraft during a curved manual approach

The task of investigating the effect of SAS was formulated as two optimal control problems for stochastic systems: (1) to compute SAS gains with a rate model in the performance index algorithm; and (2) to calculate the pilot gains and system gust response using an optimal pilot model. Both problems were solved to yield reasonable low gains for the pilot and SAS, and the lateral directional mode poles and the longitudinal short period poles could be placed accurately by the model matching algorithm. Of the longitudinal (SAS) poles achieved, the vertical rms path error was least for the unaugmented poles. The lateral rms path error was an order of magnitude larger than the vertical error and showed a plus or minus 50 percent variation with SAS. It increased with dutch roll frequency and damping, and it decreased most significantly with increased roll stability. The variation in lateral error with bank angle for curved flight was also a significant function of the augmented poles.

Porter, M. B., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Maximum lift of upper surface blowing STOL aircraft with swept wings

In a recent large scale wind tunnel investigation of a 4 engine upper surface blowing configuration in the Ames 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel, the large nacelles extending well above the wing upper surface had a sizable adverse effect on maximum lift. The presence of the nacelles produced high upwash angles between the nacelles and near the fuselage. The severity and alleviation of this problem is discussed with the use of calculated spanwise loadings. The combined effects of wing leading edge stall control, wing sweep, and nacelle cross section modification were considered in maximum lift improvement. Experimental results of these effects are presented.

Koenig, D. G.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Gust alleviation for STOL aircraft

Analytical study suggests method of improving flight performance of airplanes having relatively low wind loading and those flying at low altitudes.

Oehman, W. I.↗
NASA NTRS1975

Upwash angles near engine inlets of an externally blown flap STOL transport

An investigation was conducted in the Langley V/STOL tunnel to determine the upwash flow angles in the region of the nacelle inlets of a representative powered-lift transport configuration operating at high lift coefficients. The upwash angles were indicated by tufts and measured from photographs. A potential-flow program was used to estimate these flow angles. Large upflow angles exist near the inlets of the nacelles; the highest value (67.3 deg) occurred with flaps at 15, 35, 55 deg, an angle of attack of 25.7 deg, and a thrust coefficient of 4. The upflow angle was found to be strongly dependent on the circulation lift, regardless of the flap deflection, angle of attack, or thrust coefficient used to generate this circulation lift. The potential-flow calculations away from the nacelle inlets agreed fairly well with the experimental data.

Naeseth, R. L.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Ground simulation and tunnel blockage for a jet-flapped, basic STOL model tested to very high lift coefficients

Ground effects experiments and large/small-tunnel interference studies were carried out on a model with a 20-inch (50.8 cm) span wing. The wing, which includes a highly deflected knee-blown flap can be fitted with unflapped tips and slats. A low-mounted tailplane can be fitted to the aft fuselage. Three-component balance meaurements, made with a fixed ground equipped with a single boundary-layer blowing slot, were compared with datum, moving-ground results. Good comparisons were obtained up to model blowing momentum coefficients of approximately two, after which the particular floor blowing settings used proved insufficient to prevent floor separation in the vicinity of the model. Skin friction measurements, taken routinely along the floor centerline, proved invaluable during the analysis of results, and their use is recommended as input to determination of floor BLC setting. A careful investigation was made of pitching moments, including tail-on, close-to-ground cases, with favorable results. Drag proved the most sensitive to the change from a moving to the boundary-layer controlled ground.

Hackett, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS1976

A flight investigation of a terminal area navigation and guidance concept for STOL aircraft

A digital avionics system was installed in the CV-340 transport aircraft. Flight tests were made to obtain preliminary performance data in the manual flight director mode using time controlled guidance. These tests provide a basis for selection of terminal area guidance, navigation, and control system concepts for short haul aircraft and for investigating operational procedures.

Smith, D. W.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Noise and static performance characteristics of a STOL aircraft jet flap

Static noise and performance tests were conducted on a 1/4-scale jet flap model with a multilobe nozzle of array area ratio of 2.7. The model nozzle and flap tested were a two-dimensional section of a distributed blowing system similar to previously investigated augmentor wing systems without the upper shroud and intake door. Noise data were measured with the nozzle alone and also during attached flow conditions with the flap at two turning angles representing takeoff and approach conditions. The noise data are scaled to a 200,000-lb TOGW four-engine airplane and are presented in terms of perceived noise level and one-third octave band sound pressure level. Comparisons are made with the noise levels produced by an augmentor wing airplane fitted with a three-element acoustically lined augmentor flap. The static performance is presented in terms of thrust recovery and effective turning angle.

Harkonen, D. L.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Aeroacoustics: STOL noise; Airframe and airfoil noise

The papers in this volume reflect the progress in aeroacoustic research which has been made in the field of VTOL and V/STOL aircraft noise. The research was directed mainly at developing better methods for predicting noise generation and propagation, at determining the effects of pressure fluctuations on surfaces and interior noise, and at developing noise abatement techniques. Among the topics covered are: scrubbing noise of externally blown flaps; propulsive-lift noise of an upper-surface-blown flap configuration; the aeroacoustic characteristics of model slot nozzles with straight flaps; fluctuating pressures on aircraft wing and flap surfaces associated with powered-lift systems; acoustic characteristics of a large upper-surface-blown configuration with turbofan engines; the effect of forward speed on jet/flap interaction noise; and airframe noise in the far field.

Schwartz, I. R.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Prediction of longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics of STOL configurations with externally blown high lift devices

A theoretical method has been developed to predict the longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics of engine-wing-flap combinations with externally blown flaps (EBF) and upper surface blowing (USB) high lift devices. Potential flow models of the lifting surfaces and the jet wake are combined to calculate the induced interference of the engine wakes on the lifting surfaces. The engine wakes may be circular, elliptic, or rectangular cross-sectional jets, and the lifting surfaces are comprised of a wing with multiple-slotted trailing-edge flaps or a deflected trailing-edge Coanda surface. Results are presented showing comparisons of measured and predicted forces, pitching moments, span-load distributions, and flow fields.

Mendenhall, M. R.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Control methods for aiding a pilot during STOL engine failure transients

Candidate autopilot control laws that control the engine failure transient sink rates by demonstrating the engineering application of modern state variable control theory were defined. The results of approximate modal analysis were compared to those derived from full state analyses provided from computer design solutions. The aircraft was described, and a state variable model of its longitudinal dynamic motion due to engine and control variations was defined. The classical fast and slow modes were assumed to be sufficiently different to define reduced order approximations of the aircraft motion amendable to hand analysis control definition methods. The original state equations of motion were also applied to a large scale state variable control design program, in particular OPTSYS. The resulting control laws were compared with respect to their relative responses, ease of application, and meeting the desired performance objectives.

Nelson, E. R.↗
NASA NTRS1977

A flight investigation of a 4D area navigation system concept for STOL aircraft in the terminal area

A digital avionics system referred to as STOLAND was test flown in the NASA CV-340 aircraft to obtain performance data for time controlled guidance in the manual flight director mode. The advanced system components installed in the cockpit included an electronic attitude director indicator and an electronic multifunction display. Navigation guidance and control computations were performed on a digital computer. A detailed 4D area navigation systems description is given. The pilot/system interface and systems operation and performance are also described. Approach flightpaths were flown which included a 180 deg turn and a 1-min, 5 deg straight-in approach to 30 m altitude, at which point go-around was initiated. Results are presented for 19 approaches.

Neuman, F.↗
NASA NTRS1977

In-flight simulation study of decoupled longitudinal controls for the approach and landing of a STOL aircraft

In this decoupled concept, the natural interactions of the flight variables were suppressed, and the pilot operated a separate controller for each (fore-and-aft control column for flight path angle without speed or pitch attitude change, for example). The handling qualities of the decoupled airplane were judged to be very favorable. The precise path control led to small touchdown point dispersion along with consistently low sink rates. The decoupled control system provided significantly better flying qualities than did conventional SAS applied to the same basic airframe.

Feinreich, B.↗