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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 NTRS1982

Development and flight evaluation of an augmented stability active controls concept with a small horizontal tail

A limited authority pitch active control system (PACS) was developed for a wide body jet transport (L-1011) with a flying horizontal stabilizer. Two dual channel digital computers and the associated software provide command signals to a dual channel series servo which controls the stabilizer power actuators. Input sensor signals to the computer are pitch rate, column-trim position, and dynamic pressure. Control laws are given for the PACS and the system architecture is defined. The piloted flight simulation and vehicle system simulation tests performed to verify control laws and system operation prior to installation on the aircraft are discussed. Modifications to the basic aircraft are described. Flying qualities of the aircraft with the PACS on and off were evaluated. Handling qualities for cruise and high speed flight conditions with the c.g. at 39% mac ( + 1% stability margin) and PACS operating were judged to be as good as the handling qualities with the c.g. at 25% (+15% stability margin) and PACS off.

Rising, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1975

A FORTRAN program for determining aircraft stability and control derivatives from flight data

A digital computer program written in FORTRAN IV for the estimation of aircraft stability and control derivatives is presented. The program uses a maximum likelihood estimation method, and two associated programs for routine, related data handling are also included. The three programs form a package that can be used by relatively inexperienced personnel to process large amounts of data with a minimum of manpower. This package was used to successfully analyze 1500 maneuvers on 20 aircraft, and is designed to be used without modification on as many types of computers as feasible. Program listings and sample check cases are included.

Maine, R. E.↗
NASA NTRS1982

A preliminary correlation of the orbiter stability and control aerodynamics from the first two Space Shuttle flights /STS-1 & 2/ with preflight predictions

A correlation of the stability and control derivatives from flight (STS-1 & 2) with preflight predictions is presented across the Mach range from 0.9 to 25. Flight data obtained from specially designed flight test maneuvers as well as from conventional bank maneuvers generally indicate good agreement with predicted data. However, the vehicle appears to be lateral-directionally more stable than predicted in the transonic regime. Aerodynamic 'reasonableness tests' are employed to test for validity of flight data. The importance of testing multiple models in multiple wind tunnels at the same test conditions is demonstrated.

Underwood, J. M.↗
NASA NTRS1961

Dynamic Stability and Control Problems of Piloted Reentry from Lunar Missions

A fixed-base simulator investigation has been made of stability and control problems during piloted reentry from lunar missions. Reentries were made within constraints of acceleration and skipping, in which the pilot was given simulated navigation tasks of altitude and heading angle commands. Vehicles considered included a blunt-face, high-drag capsule, and a low-drag lifting cone, each of which had a trim lift-drag ratio of 0.5. With the provision of three-axis automatic damping, both vehicles were easily controlled through reentry after a brief pilot-training period. With all dampers out, safe reentries could be made and both vehicles were rated satisfactory for emergency operation. In damper-failure conditions resulting in inadequate Dutch roll damping, the lifting-cone vehicle exhibited control problems due to excessive dihedral effect and oscillatory acceleration effects.

Moul, Martin T.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Research study on stabilization and control: Modern sampled data control theory

A numerical analysis of spacecraft stability parameters was conducted. The analysis is based on a digital approximation by point by point state comparison. The technique used is that of approximating a continuous data system by a sampled data model by comparison of the states of the two systems. Application of the method to the digital redesign of the simplified one axis dynamics of the Skylab is presented.

Kuo, B. C.↗
NASA NTRS1959

Low-Speed Static Stability and Control Characteristics of a Model of a Right Triangular Pyramid Reentry Configuration

An investigation of the low-speed static stability and control characteristics of a model of a right triangular pyramid reentry configuration has been made in the Langley free-flight tunnel. The investigation showed that the model had generally satisfactory longitudinal and lateral static stability characteristics. The maximum lift-drag ratio was increased from about 3 to 5 by boattailing the base of the model.

Paulson, John W.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Low-speed wind-tunnel study of the high-angle-of-attack stability and control characteristics of a cranked-arrow-wing fighter configuration

The low-speed, high-angle-of-attack stability and control characteristics of a fighter configuration incorporating a cranked arrow wing were investigated in the Langley 30- by 60-foot tunnel as part of a NASA/General Dynamics cooperative research program to investigate the application of advanced wing designs to combat aircraft. Tests were conducted on a baseline configuration and on several modified configurations. The results show that the baseline configuration exhibited a high level of maximum lift but displayed undesirable longitudinal and lateral-directional stability characteristics at high angles of attack. Various wing modifications were made which improved the longitudinal and lateral-directional stability characteristics of the configuration at high angles of attack. However, most of the modifications were detrimental to maximum lift.

Grafton, S. B.↗
NASA NTRS1955

Lateral Stability and Control Measurements of a 0.0858-Scale Model of the Lockheed XF-104 Airplane at Transonic Speeds

An investigation of the lateral stability and control effectiveness of a 0.0858-scale model of the Lockheed XF-104 airplane has been conducted in the Langley 16-foot transonic tunnel. The model has a low aspect ratio, 3.4-percent-thick wing with negative dihedral. The horizontal tail is located on top of the vertical tail. The investigation was made through a Mach number range of 0.80 to 1.06 at sideslip angles of -5 deg. to 5 deg. and angles of attack from 0 deg. to 16 deg. The control effectiveness of the aileron, rudder, and yaw damper were determined through the Mach number and angle-of-attack range. The results of the investigation indicated that the directional stability derivative was stable and that positive effective dihedral existed throughout the lift-coefficient range and Mach number range tested. The total aileron effectiveness, which in general produced favorable yaw with rolling moment, remained fairly constant for lift coefficients up to about 0.8 for the Mach number range tested. Yawing-moment effectiveness of the rudder changed little through the Mach number range. However, the yaw damper effectiveness decreased about 30 percent at the intermediate test Mach numbers.

Arabian, Donald D.↗
NASA NTRS1976

FLEXSTAB: A computer program for the prediction of loads and stability and control of flexible aircraft

Capabilities of the FLEXSTAB Computer Program System are described and illustrated. Aeroelastic analysis of a wide variety of aircraft configurations is performed. The aerodynamic theory used in FLEXSTAB is applicable to both steady and unsteady, subsonic and supersonic flow for multiple wing-body tail nacelle configurations with a plane of symmetry. For unsteady flow calculations, an unsteady aerodynamic theory is used which is appropriate for the low reduced frequencies associated with aircraft flight dynamics. The aircraft is modeled as either a rigid or flexible structure. The computer trims the aircraft in steady reference flight and computes both static and dynamic stability and control derivatives and the stability behavior about the trim condition. The airplane lifting pressure distribution, aerodynamic and inertia loads and deflected shape are also computed.

Perkin, B. R.↗
NASA NTRS1973

Explicit determination of lateral-directional stability and control derivatives by simutaneous time vector analysis of two maneuvers

An extension of the time vector technique for determining stability and control derivatives from flight data is formulated. The technique provides for explicit determination of derivatives by means of simultaneous analysis of two maneuvers which differ by a dependent control input. The control derivatives for the dependent input are also explicitly determined. This extended technique is preferable to the application of the time vector method to single maneuvers in that no estimates of derivatives are required. An example illustrating the application of the technique is given.

Gilyard, G. B.↗
NASA NTRS2017

Low-Speed Stability and Control Test of a "Double-Bubble" Transport Configuration

A test in the Langley 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel was conducted as a risk mitigation effort to quickly obtain some low-speed stability and control data on a "double-bubble" or D8 transport configuration. The test also tested some configuration design trades. A 5-percent scale model was tested with stabilizer, elevator, rudder and aileron control deflections. This report summarizes the test results.

Vicroy, Dan D.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Flight test report of the NASA icing research airplane: Performance, stability, and control after flight through natural icing conditions

Flight test results are presented documenting the effect of airframe icing on performance and stability and control of a NASA DHC-6 icing research aircraft. Kohlman System Research, Inc., provided the data acquisition system and data analysis under contract to NASA. Performance modeling methods and MMLE techniques were used to determine the effects of natural ice on the aircraft. Results showed that ice had a significant effect on the drag coefficient of the aircraft and a modest effect on the MMLE derived longitudinal stability coefficients (code version MMLE). Data is also presented on asymmetric power sign slip maneuvers showing rudder floating characteristics with and without ice on the vertical stabilizer.

Jordan, J. L.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Development and flight evaluation of an augmented stability active controls concept: Executive summary

A pitch active control system (PACS) was developed and flight tested on a wide body jet transport (L-1011) with a flying horizontal stabilizer. Two dual channel digital computers and the associated software provide command signals to a dual channel series servo which controls the stabilizer power actuators. Input sensor signals to the computer are pitch rate, column trim position, and dynamic pressure. Control laws are given for the PACS and the system architecture is defined. Discussions are given regarding piloted flight simulation and vehicle system simulation and vehicle system simulation tests that are performed to verify control laws and system operation prior to installation on the aircraft. Modifications to the basic aircraft included installation of the PACS, addition of a c.g. management system to provide a c.g. range from 25 to 39% mac, and downrigging of the geared elevator to provide the required nose down control authority for aft c.g. flight test conditions. Three pilots used the Cooper-Harper Rating Scale to judge flying qualities of the aircraft with PACS on and off. The handling qualities with the c.g. at 39% mac (41% stability margin) and PACS operating were judged to be as good as the handling qualities with the c.g. at 25% mac (+15% stability margin) and PACS off.

Guinn, W. A.↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Rapid Aero Modeling of a Lift+Cruise UAM Configuration for Stability and Control Using Overset Grid CFD

This talk will address some aspects of an effort to develop both static and dynamic stability and control derivatives of a generic Lift+Cruise Urban Air Mobility vehicle. In particular, the use of NASA overset grid CFD packages OVERFLOW and Chimera Grid Tools allowed for rapid grid and solution generation while varying many database factors. Approach details include coarse gridding and control effectors, rotor disk modeling, convergence evaluation, and parallel execution on a midrange compute resource. A brief *description of the Rapid Aero Modeling (RAM) approach, including design of experiments and response surface modeling, will be given, and recent simulations of powered and unpowered dynamic multisine maneuvers will be presented.

Overset Grid CFD↗
NASA NTRS1998

High Stability Engine Control (HISTEC): Flight Demonstration Results

Future aircraft turbine engines, both commercial and military, must be able to accommodate expected increased levels of steady-state and dynamic engine-face distortion. The current approach of incorporating sufficient design stall margin to tolerate these increased levels of distortion would significantly reduce performance. The High Stability Engine Control (HISTEC) program has developed technologies for an advanced, integrated engine control system that uses measurement- based estimates of distortion to enhance engine stability. The resulting distortion tolerant control reduces the required design stall margin, with a corresponding increase in performance and/or decrease in fuel burn. The HISTEC concept was successfully flight demonstrated on the F-15 ACTIVE aircraft during the summer of 1997. The flight demonstration was planned and carried out in two parts, the first to show distortion estimation, and the second to show distortion accommodation. Post-flight analysis shows that the HISTEC technologies are able to successfully estimate and accommodate distortion, transiently setting the stall margin requirement on-line and in real-time. Flight demonstration of the HISTEC technologies has significantly reduced the risk of transitioning the technology to tactical and commercial engines.

Delaat, John C.↗