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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 451 records · Page 25
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1947

Low-Speed Wind-Tunnel Tests of a Pilotless Aircraft Having Horizontal and Vertical Wings and Cruciform Tail

Low-speed tests of a pilotless aircraft were conducted in the Langley propeller-research tunnel to provide information for the estimation of the longitudinal stability and. control, to measure the aileron effectiveness, and to calibrate the radome and the Machmeter pitot-static orifices. It was found that the model possessed a stEb.le variation of elevator angle required for trim throughout the speed range at the design angle of attack. A comparison of the airplane with and without JATO units and with an alternate rocket booster showed that a large loss in longitudinal stability and control resulting from the addition of the rocket booster to the aircraft was sufficient to make the rocket-booster assembly unsatisfactory as an alternate for the JATO units. Reversal of the aileron effectiveness was evident at positive deflections of the vertical wing flap indicating that the roll-stabilization system would produce roiling moments in a tight right turn contrary to its design purpose. Vertical-wing-flap deflections caused large errors in the static-pressure reading obtained by the original static-tube installation. A practical installation point on the fuselage was located which should yield reliable measurement of the free-stream static pressure.

Mastrocola, N↗
NASA NTRS2001

Actuator Placement Via Genetic Algorithm for Aircraft Morphing

This research continued work that began under the support of NASA Grant NAG1-2119. The focus of this effort was to continue investigations of Genetic Algorithm (GA) approaches that could be used to solve an actuator placement problem by treating this as a discrete optimization problem. In these efforts, the actuators are assumed to be "smart" devices that change the aerodynamic shape of an aircraft wing to alter the flow past the wing, and, as a result, provide aerodynamic moments that could provide flight control. The earlier work investigated issued for the problem statement, developed the appropriate actuator modeling, recognized the importance of symmetry for this problem, modified the aerodynamic analysis routine for more efficient use with the genetic algorithm, and began a problem size study to measure the impact of increasing problem complexity. The research discussed in this final summary further investigated the problem statement to provide a "combined moment" problem statement to simultaneously address roll, pitch and yaw. Investigations of problem size using this new problem statement provided insight into performance of the GA as the number of possible actuator locations increased. Where previous investigations utilized a simple wing model to develop the GA approach for actuator placement, this research culminated with application of the GA approach to a high-altitude unmanned aerial vehicle concept to demonstrate that the approach is valid for an aircraft configuration.

Crossley, William A.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Free-to-Roll Investigation of Uncommanded Lateral Motions for an Aircraft with Vented Strakes

A free-to-roll study of the low-speed lateral characteristics of the pre-production F/A-l8E was conducted in the NASA Langley 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel. In developmental flight tests the F/A-18E unexpectedly experienced uncommanded lateral motions in the power approach configuration. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of using the free-to-roll technique for the detection of uncommanded lateral motions for the pre-production F/A-l8E in the power approach configuration. The data revealed that this technique in conjunction with static data revealed insight into the cause of the lateral motions. The free-to-roll technique identified uncommanded lateral motions at the same angle-of-attack range as experienced in flight tests. The cause of the uncommanded lateral motions was unsteady asymmetric wing stall. The paper also shows that free-to-roll data or static force and moment data alone are not enough to accurately capture the potential for an aircraft to experience uncommanded lateral motion.

Owens, Elaine M.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Free-to-Roll Investigation of Uncommanded Lateral Motions for an Aircraft With Vented Strakes

A free-to-roll study of the low-speed lateral characteristics of the pre-production F/A-18E was conducted in the NASA Langley 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel. In developmental flight tests the F/A-18E unexpectedly experienced uncommanded lateral motions in the power approach configuration. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of using the free-to-roll technique for the detection of uncommanded lateral motions for the preproduction F/A-18E in the power approach configuration. The data revealed that this technique in conjunction with static data revealed insight into the cause of the lateral motions. The free-to-roll technique identified uncommanded lateral motions at the same angle-of-attack range as experienced in flight tests. The cause of the uncommanded lateral motions was unsteady asymmetric wing stall. The paper also shows that free-to-roll data or static force and moment data alone are not enough to accurately capture the potential for an aircraft to experience uncommanded lateral motion.

Bryan, Elaine M.↗
NASA NTRS1954

The Effect of Blunt-Trailing-Edge Modifications on the High-Speed Stability and Control Characteristics of a Swept-Wing Fighter Airplane

An investigation was conducted on a 35 deg swept-wing fighter airplane to determine the effects of several blunt-trailing-edge modifications to the wing and tail on the high-speed stability and control characteristics and tracking performance. The results indicated significant improvement in the pitch-up characteristics for the blunt-aileron configuration at Mach numbers around 0.90. As a result of increased effectiveness of the blunt-trailing-edge aileron, the roll-off, customarily experienced with the unmodified airplane in wings-level flight between Mach numbers of about 0.9 and 1.0 was eliminated, The results also indicated that the increased effectiveness of the blunt aileron more than offset the large associated aileron hinge moment, resulting in significant improvement in the rolling performance at Mach numbers between 0.85 and 1.0. It appeared from these results that the tracking performance with the blunt-aileron configuration in the pitch-up and buffeting flight region at high Mach numbers was considerably improved over that of the unmodified airplane; however, the tracking errors of 8 to 15 mils were definitely unsatisfactory. A drag increment of about O.OOl5 due to the blunt ailerons was noted at Mach numbers to about 0.85. The drag increment was 0 at Mach numbers above 0.90.

Sadoff, Melvin↗
NASA NTRS1943

The Effect of Mass Distribution on the Lateral Stability and Control Characteristics of an Airplane as Determined by Tests of a Model in the Free-Flight Tunnel

The effects of mass distribution on lateral stability and control characteristics of an airplane have been determined by flight tests of a model in the NACA free-flight tunnel. In the investigation, the rolling and yawing movements of inertia were increased from normal values to values up to five times normal. For each moment-of-inertia condition, combinations of dihedral and vertical-tail area representing a variety of airplane configurations were tested. The results of the flight tests of the model were correlated with calculated stability and control characteristics and, in general, good agreement was obtained. The tests showed the following effects of increased rolling and yawing moments of inertia: no appreciable change in spiral stability; reductions in oscillatory stability that were serious at high values of dihedral; a reduction in the sensitivity of the model to gust disturbances; and a reduction in rolling acceleration provided by the ailerons, which caused a marked increase in time to reach a given angle of bank. The general flight behavior of the model became worse with increasing moments of inertia but, with combinations of small effective dihedral and large vertical-tail area, satisfactory flight characteristics were obtained at all moment-of-inertia conditions.

STABILITY & CONTROL, LATERAL↗
NASA NTRS1952

Analysis of the effects of wing interference on the tail contributions to the rolling derivatives

An analysis of the effects of wing interference on the tail contributions to the rolling stability derivatives of complete airplane configurations is made by calculating the angularity of the air stream at the vertical tail due to rolling and determining the resulting forces and moments. Some of the important factors which affect the resultant angularity on the vertical tail are wing aspect ratio and sweepback, vertical-tail span, and considerations associated with angle of attack and airplane geometry. Some calculated sidewash results for a limited range of plan forms and vertical-tail sizes are presented. Equations taking into account the sidewash results are given for determining the tail contributions to the rolling derivatives. Comparisons of estimated and experimental results indicate that a consideration of wing interference effects improves the estimated values of the tail contributions to the rolling derivatives and that fair agreement with available experimental data is obtained.

Michael, William H , Jr↗
NASA NTRS1976

Aeroelastic stability and control of an oblique wing

Dynamic model tests were staged to compare the aeroelastic stability of a free-flying oblique-winged aircraft and the known divergent instability characterizing swept-forward wing configurations, to test the effect of wing elasticity on aileron control and trim. The aircraft fuselage was clamped in some tests and left free to roll in others. Two rigid wing panels were hinged near the wing center with elastic restraining springs. It is found that the aeroelastic divergence affecting swept-forward wings does not occur with an oblique wing, whose aeroelastic instability sets in at a dynamic pressure exceeding that for static divergence of swept-forward wings, and appears in the form of undamped oscillations. Oblique wing stability is sensitive to the moment of inertia of the fuselage in roll. Roll control and lateral trim are attainable with conventional ailerons, even at speeds at which divergence of a clamped forward wing shows up.

Jones, R. T.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Revisiting Reentry Roll Resonance

Here, this paper revisits the subject of reentry roll resonance, which occurs when the roll rate and pitch frequency become equal in a spinning reentry vehicle. A first-principles model is developed and analyzed numerically and by using a reduced-order pendulum model for the relative phase of the roll and pitch/yaw axes. The results show good qualitative agreement with recent flight data and provide a natural physical interpretation. Based on the model it is suggested that sustained roll resonance depends primarily on the initial phase relationship between the pitch and roll axes, in addition to the vehicle moments of inertia and the vehicle symmetry. Finally the model is used to propose a mechanism for sustained resonance in vehicles spinning about a major axis, a condition previously thought to be forbidden.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
NASA NTRS2016

Rotary Balance Wind Tunnel Testing for the FASER Flight Research Aircraft

Flight dynamics research was conducted to collect and analyze rotary balance wind tunnel test data in order to improve the aerodynamic simulation and modeling of a low-cost small unmanned aircraft called FASER (Free-flying Aircraft for Sub-scale Experimental Research). The impetus for using FASER was to provide risk and cost reduction for flight testing of more expensive aircraft and assist in the improvement of wind tunnel and flight test techniques, and control laws. The FASER research aircraft has the benefit of allowing wind tunnel and flight tests to be conducted on the same model, improving correlation between wind tunnel, flight, and simulation data. Prior wind tunnel tests include a static force and moment test, including power effects, and a roll and yaw damping forced oscillation test. Rotary balance testing allows for the calculation of aircraft rotary derivatives and the prediction of steady-state spins. The rotary balance wind tunnel test was conducted in the NASA Langley Research Center (LaRC) 20-Foot Vertical Spin Tunnel (VST). Rotary balance testing includes runs for a set of given angular rotation rates at a range of angles of attack and sideslip angles in order to fully characterize the aircraft rotary dynamics. Tests were performed at angles of attack from 0 to 50 degrees, sideslip angles of -5 to 10 degrees, and non-dimensional spin rates from -0.5 to 0.5. The effects of pro-spin elevator and rudder deflection and pro- and anti-spin elevator, rudder, and aileron deflection were examined. The data are presented to illustrate the functional dependence of the forces and moments on angle of attack, sideslip angle, and angular rate for the rotary contributions to the forces and moments. Further investigation is necessary to fully characterize the control effectors. The data were also used with a steady state spin prediction tool that did not predict an equilibrium spin mode.

Denham, Casey↗
NASA NTRS1974

Two-dimensional Gaussian processes applied to the determination of contact between lubricated rolling surfaces

Theoretical investigation of how effectively a lubricant film prevents metallic contact between two rolling surfaces (such as in ball bearings) as a function of surface roughness parameters. The parameters considered are the spectral moments of the two-dimensional surface obtained by superposition of the two rolling surfaces. We consider the peak height distribution, estimation of one-dimensional profile spectral moments, and the estimation of two-dimensional surface moments from several profile measurements are taken into account. Also given is an asymptotic relation between the mean film thickness and contact occurrences.

Sidik, S. M.↗