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At least 73 records · Page 4

Experimental determination of airplane mass and inertial characteristics

Current practices are evaluated for experimentally determining airplane center of gravity, moments of inertia, and products of inertia. The techniques discussed are applicable to bodies other than airplanes. In pitching- and rolling-moment-of-inertia investigations with the airplane mounted on and pivoted about knife edges, the nonlinear spring moments that occur at large amplitudes of oscillation can be eliminated by using the proper spring configuration. The single-point suspension double-pendulum technique for obtaining yawing moments of inertia, products of inertia, and the inclination of the principal axis provides accurate results from yaw-mode oscillation data, provided that the sway-mode effects are minimized by proper suspension rig design. Rocking-mode effects in the data can be isolated.

Wolowicz, C. H.↗

An investigation of a close-coupled canard as a direct side-force generator on a fighter model at Mach numbers from 0.40 to 0.90

The canard panels had 5 deg of dihedral and were deflected differentially or individually over an incidence range from 10 deg to -10 deg and a model angle-of-attack range from -4 deg to 15 deg. Significant side forces were generated in a transonic tunnel by differential and single canard-panel deflections over the Mach number and angle-of-attack ranges. The yawing moment resulting from the forward location of the generated side force would necessitate a vertical tail/rudder trim force which would augment the forebody side force and be of comparable magnitude. Incremental side forces, yawing moments, lift, and pitching moments due to single canard-panel deflections were additive; that is, their sums were essentially the same as the forces and moments produced by differential canard-panel deflections of the same magnitude. Differential and single canard-panel deflections produced negligible rolling moments over the Mach number and angle-of-attack ranges.

Re, R. J.↗

Optimal Aircraft Control Upset Recovery With and Without Component Failures

This paper treats the problem of recovering sustainable nondescending (safe) flight in a transport aircraft after one or more of its control effectors fail. Such recovery can be a challenging goal for many transport aircraft currently in the operational fleet for two reasons. First, they have very little redundancy in their means of generating control forces and moments. These aircraft have, as primary control surfaces, a single rudder and pairwise elevators and aileron/spoiler units that provide yaw, pitch, and roll moments with sufficient bandwidth to be used in stabilizing and maneuvering the airframe. Beyond this, throttling the engines can provide additional moments, but on a much slower time scale. Other aerodynamic surfaces, such as leading and trailing edge flaps, are only intended to be placed in a position and left, and are, hence, very slow-moving. Because of this, loss of a primary control surface strongly degrades the controllability of the vehicle, particularly when the failed effector becomes stuck in a non-neutral position where it exerts a disturbance moment that must be countered by the remaining operating effectors. The second challenge in recovering safe flight is that these vehicles are not agile, nor can they tolerate large accelerations. This is of special importance when, at the outset of the recovery maneuver, the aircraft is flying toward the ground, as is frequently the case when there are major control hardware failures. Recovery of safe flight is examined in this paper in the context of trajectory optimization. For a particular transport aircraft, and a failure scenario inspired by an historical air disaster, recovery scenarios are calculated with and without control surface failures, to bring the aircraft to safe flight from the adverse flight condition that it had assumed, apparently as a result of contact with a vortex from a larger aircraft's wake. An effort has been made to represent relevant airframe dynamics, acceleration limits, and actuator limits faithfully, since these contribute to the lack of agility and control power that plays an important role in defining what can be achieved with the vehicle when it is in extremis.

Sparks, Dean W.↗

Static and dynamic force/moment measurements in the Eidetics water tunnel

Water tunnels have been utilized in one form or another to explore fluid mechanics and aerodynamics phenomena since the days of Leonardo da Vinci. Water tunnel testing is attractive because of the relatively low cost and quick turn-around time to perform flow visualization experiments and evaluate the results. The principal limitation of a water tunnel is that the low flow speed, which provides for detailed visualization, also results in very small hydrodynamic (aerodynamic) forces on the model, which, in the past, have proven to be difficult to measure accurately. However, the advent of semi-conductor strain gage technology and devices associated with data acquisition such as low-noise amplifiers, electronic filters, and digital recording have made accurate measurements of very low strain levels feasible. The principal objective of this research effort was to develop a multi-component strain gage balance to measure forces and moments on models tested in flow visualization water tunnels. A balance was designed that allows measuring normal and side forces, and pitching, yawing and rolling moments (no axial force). The balance mounts internally in the model and is used in a manner typical of wind tunnel balances. The key differences between a water tunnel balance and a wind tunnel balance are the requirement for very high sensitivity since the loads are very low (typical normal force is 0.2 lbs), the need for water proofing the gage elements, and the small size required to fit into typical water tunnel models.

Carlos J Suarez↗

Air Force and Three Moments for F-5-L Seaplane

A model of the F-5-L seaplane was made, verified, and tested at 40 miles an hour in the 8' x 8' tunnel for lift and drag, also for pitching, yawing and rolling moments. Subsequently, the yawing moment test was repeated with a modified fin. The results are reported without VL scale correction.

Source record↗

Effects of upstream rotor tilt on a downstream floating wind turbine

This work quantifies the relationship between the design tilt of an upstream rotor and the structural response of a spar floating offshore wind turbine located in its wake. Three wind speed scenarios are considered: below, at, and above rated operation. The inflow is generated with the Mann model and the wake and loads are simulated with FAST.Farm. As the upstream rotor tilt goes from 0° to 6°, we find that the mean wake is displaced upward by more than 0.2 rotor diameters (D) by a downstream distance of 7 D. The vertical velocities increase by up to 35 cm/s in the center of the wake. As a result, the downstream rotor is partially waked and experiences a rotated velocity vector. With a higher upstream rotor tilt, the velocities and moments on the downstream turbine increase their mean axial value and their lateral and vertical standard deviation. These changes affect the blade and tower loading and the floater motion primarily in the out-of-plane direction: the damage-equivalent loads for the tower pitch moment and blade-root moment increase by up to 10% because of higher variability at the first mode for the tower and at one blade passing frequency for the blade root. Lesser effects are observed for the roll moments and for floater sway and heave. When the joint effect of rotor tilt and platform motion is considered, the load response on the downstream system is amplified primarily for tower pitch and blade out-of-plane moment.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

Hover test results of a small-scale twin-tilt nacelle model

Characteristics in hover of an 11/36%-scale, powered, twin-tilt nacelle model were measured in the NASA Ames Research Center's 40- by 80-Foot Wind Tunnel. The model was powered by two high-pressure air-driven turbofan propulsion simulators. The position of the sting-mounted model was fixed and a movable ground plane was used to vary ground height and orientation. Hover characteristics were investigated in and out of ground effect for roll angles of -2 deg to +14 deg and pitch angles of -15 deg to +10 deg. Results for the basic configurations are compared with data from hover tests of the full-scale tilt nacelle model. Two methods were investigated to increase vertical vane effectiveness: (1) extending the maximum vane deflection from 20 deg to 70 deg, and (2) adding a third vertical vane. The goal was to increase the roll-control capability to significantly reduce or balance the strong, unfavorable rolling moment created by the loss of one engine. Results indicate that the three-vertical-vane configuration is more effective than two vertical vanes and that extended vane deflections significantly reduce the engine-out roll in hover.

Schmidt, S. B.↗

Effects of thrust reversing in ground proximity

The changes in stability and control characteristics encountered by a thrust reversing aircraft during its final approach, landing, and ground roll are described. These changes include a strong pitch-up accompanied by the loss of horizontal tail and aileron control effectiveness. The magnitude of reverser induced changes in ground effect are much larger than corresponding changes in free air. Some unexpected unsteady motions exhibited in wind tunnel by an aircraft model with reversers operating in ground proximity are also described. The cause of this oscillatory behavior was determined to be an unsteady interaction between the wall jets formed by impingement of reverser jets on the ground and the on-coming free stream. Time histories of rolling moments measured by the wind tunnel balance or support system were removed and frequencies were scaled by Strouhal number to full scale. Corrected time series were used to simulate the motion of a fighter aircraft with thrust reversers in ground effect. The simulation predicted large roll angles and nose down attitude at touchdown. Some phenomena of jet attachment to solid surfaces are discussed and areas for future research are recommended.

Joshi, P. B.↗

Tests on a model of the D.F.W. airplane T-29 of the "Deutsche Flugzeug derke" (German airplane works)

Experiments similar to those carried out with the A.E.G (Allgemeine Elektrizitats-Gesellschaft) were made in the small wind tunnel of the Gottingen laboratory on a model of the D.F.W. airplane T-29. Three series of tests were carried out on the model with a velocity head (or dynamic pressure) of 5 kg/sq m (1.02 lb/sq ft), during which one of the movable surfaces was deflected at various angles, while both the others were retained in their central positions. Of special interest among the results of the tests is the different run of the elevating moments. The curves for the A.E.G. model, rising to the right, denote stability with the elevator locked, while the slight inclination to the left with the D.F.W model denotes a slight instability. For the maximum C(sub L) values, the stability of A.E.G. model continues to increase and the instability of the D.F.W. model is converted into stability. The rolling moments shown when the angular deflection of the ailerons is 0 degrees are due, in both series of tests, to the unequal distribution of the air velocity over the cross section of the wind tunnel, rather than to a lack of symmetry in the model.

Molthan, Wilhelm↗

Wind-Tunnel Results of the B-52B with the X-43A Stack

A low-speed wind-tunnel test was performed with a 3%-scale model of a booster rocket mated to an X-43A research vehicle, a combination referred to as the Hyper-X launch vehicle. The test was conducted both in freestream air and in the presence of a partial model of the B-52B airplane. The objectives of the test were to obtain force and moment data to generate structural loads affecting the pylon of the B-52B airplane and to determine the aerodynamic influence of the B-52B on the Hyper-X launch vehicle for evaluating launch separation characteristics. The windtunnel test was conducted at a low-speed wind tunnel in Hampton, Virginia. All moments and forces reported are based either on the aerodynamic influence of the B-52B airplane or are for the Hyper-X launch vehicle in freestream air. Overall, the test showed that the B-52B airplane imparts a strong downwash onto the Hyper-X launch vehicle, reducing the net lift of the Hyper-X launch vehicle. Pitching and rolling moments are also imparted onto the booster and are a strong function of the launch-drop angle of attack.

Davis, Mark C.↗

Wind Tunnel Results of the B-52B with the X-43A Stack

A low-speed wind-tunnel test was performed with a three-percent-scale model of a booster rocket mated to an X-43A research vehicle, a combination referred to as the Hyper-X launch vehicle. The test was conducted both in free-stream air and in the presence of a partial model of the B-52B airplane. The objectives of the test were to obtain force and moment data to generate structural loads affecting the pylon of the B-52B airplane and to determine the aerodynamic influence of the B-52B airplane on the Hyper-X launch vehicle to evaluate launch separation characteristics. The wind-tunnel test was conducted at a low-speed wind tunnel in Hampton, Virginia. All moments and forces reported are based either on the aerodynamic influence of the B-52B airplane or are for the Hyper-X launch vehicle in free-stream air. Overall, the test showed that the B-52B airplane imparts a strong downwash onto the Hyper-X launch vehicle, reducing the net lift of the Hyper-X launch vehicle. Also, pitching and rolling moments are imparted onto the booster and are a strong function of the launch-drop angle of attack.

Davis, Mark C.↗

Flight Test Analysis of the Forces and Moments Imparted on a B737-100 Airplane During Wake Vortex Encounters

Aircraft travel has become a major form of transportation. Several of our major airports are operating near their capacity limit, increasing congestion and delays for travelers. As a result, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has been working in conjunction with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), airline operators, and the airline industry to increase airport capacity without sacrificing public safety. One solution to the problem is to increase the number of airports and build new. runways; yet, this solution is becoming increasingly difficult due to limited space. A better solution is to increase the production per runway. This solution increases the possibility that one aircraft will encounter the trailing wake of another aircraft. Hazardous wake vortex encounters occur when an aircraft encounters the wake produced by a heavier aircraft. This heavy-load aircraft produces high-intensity wake turbulence that redistributes the aerodynamic loads of trailing smaller aircraft. This situation is particularly hazardous for smaller aircraft during takeoffs and landings. In order to gain a better understanding of the wake-vortex/aircraft encounter phenomena, NASA Langley Research Center conducted a series of flight tests from 1995 through 1997. These tests were designed to gather data for the development a wake encounter and wake-measurement data set with the accompanying atmospheric state information. This data set is being compiled into a database that can be used by wake vortex researchers to compare with experimental and computational results. The purpose of this research is to derive and implement a procedure for calculating the wake-vortex/aircraft interaction portion of that database by using the data recorded during those flight tests. There were three objectives to this research. Initially, the wake-induced forces and moments from each flight were analyzed based on varying flap deflection angles. The flap setting alternated between 15 and 30 degrees while the separation distance remained constant. This examination was performed to determine if increases in flap deflection would increase or decrease the effects of the wake-induced forces and moments. Next, the wake-induced forces and moments from each flight were analyzed based on separation distances of 1-3 nautical miles. In this comparison, flap deflection was held constant at 30 degrees. The purpose of this study was to determine if increased separation distances reduced the effects of the wake vortex on the aircraft. The last objective compared the wake-induced forces and moments of each flight as it executed a series of maneuvers through the wake-vortex. This analysis was conducted to examine the impact of the wake on the B737 as it traversed the wake horizontally and vertically. Results from the first analysis indicated that there was no difference in wake effect at flap deflections of 15 and 30 degrees. This conclusion is evidenced in the cases of the wake-induced sideforce, rolling moment, and yawing moment. The wake-induced lift, drag, and pitching moment cases yielded less conclusive results. The second analysis compared the wake-induced forces and moments at separation distances of 1-3 nautical miles. Results indicated that there was no significant difference in the wake-induced lift, drag, sideforce, or yawing moment coefficients. The analysis compared the wake-induced forces and moments based on different flight maneuvers. It was found that the wake-induced forces and moments had the greatest impact on out-to-in and in-to-out maneuvers.

Roberts, Chistopher L.↗

Progressive Aerodynamic Model Identification From Dynamic Water Tunnel Test of the F-16XL Aircraft

Development of a general aerodynamic model that is adequate for predicting the forces and moments in the nonlinear and unsteady portions of the flight envelope has not been accomplished to a satisfactory degree. Predicting aerodynamic response during arbitrary motion of an aircraft over the complete flight envelope requires further development of the mathematical model and the associated methods for ground-based testing in order to allow identification of the model. In this study, a general nonlinear unsteady aerodynamic model is presented, followed by a summary of a linear modeling methodology that includes test and identification methods, and then a progressive series of steps suggesting a roadmap to develop a general nonlinear methodology that defines modeling, testing, and identification methods. Initial steps of the general methodology were applied to static and oscillatory test data to identify rolling-moment coefficient. Static measurements uncovered complicated dependencies of the aerodynamic coefficient on angle of attack and sideslip in the stall region making it difficult to find a simple analytical expression for the measurement data. In order to assess the effect of sideslip on the damping and unsteady terms, oscillatory tests in roll were conducted at different values of an initial offset in sideslip. Candidate runs for analyses were selected where higher order harmonics were required for the model and where in-phase and out-of-phase components varied with frequency. From these results it was found that only data in the angle-of-attack range of 35 degrees to 37.5 degrees met these requirements. From the limited results it was observed that the identified models fit the data well and both the damping-in-roll and the unsteady term gain are decreasing with increasing sideslip and motion amplitude. Limited similarity between parameter values in the nonlinear model and the linear model suggest that identifiability of parameters in both terms may be a problem. However, the proposed methodology can still be used with careful experiment design and carefully selected values of angle of attack, sideslip, amplitude, and frequency of the oscillatory data.

Murphy, Patrick C.↗

The Vertical Wind Tunnel of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics

The vertical open-throat wind tunnel of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics is described in this report. The tunnel was built mainly for studying the spinning characteristics of airplane models, but may be used as well for the usual types of wind-tunnel tests. A special spinning balance is being developed to measure the desired forces and moments with the model simulating the spin of an airplane. Satisfactory air flow has been attained with a velocity that is uniform over the jet to within plus or minus 0.5 per cent. The turbulence present in the tunnel has been compared with that of several other tunnels by means of the results of sphere drag tests and was found to average well with the values of those tunnels. Included also in the report are comparisons of results of stable autorotation and of rolling-moment test obtained both in the vertical tunnel and in the old horizontal 5-foot atmospheric tunnel. (author)

Wenzinger, Carl J↗

Transient aerodynamic forces on a fighter model during simulated approach and landing with thrust reversers

Previous wind tunnel tests of fighter configurations have shown that thrust reverser jets can induce large, unsteady aerodynamic forces and moments during operation in ground proximity. This is a concern for STOL configurations using partial reversing to spoil the thrust while keeping the engine output near military (MIL) power during landing approach. A novel test technique to simulate approach and landing was developed under a cooperative Northrop/NASA/USAF program. The NASA LaRC Vortex Research Facility was used for the experiments in which a 7-percent F-18 model was moved horizontally at speeds of up to 100 feet per second over a ramp simulating an aircraft to ground rate of closure similar to a no-flare STOL approach and landing. This paper presents an analysis of data showing the effect of reverser jet orientation and jet dynamic pressure ratio on the transient forces for different angles of attack, and flap and horizontal tail deflection. It was found, for reverser jets acting parallel to the plane of symmetry, that the jets interacted strongly with the ground, starting approximately half a span above the ground board. Unsteady rolling moment transients, large enough to cause the probable upset of an aircraft, and strong normal force and pitching moment transients were measured. For jets directed 40 degrees outboard, the transients were similar to the jet-off case, implying only minor interaction.

Humphreys, A. P.↗

NASA Scout ST-1 Flight-Test Results and Analyses, Launch Operations, and Test Vehicle Description

The first of a series of flight tests for the development of the four-stage, solid-propellant Scout vehicle was conducted at the NASA Wallops Station under the direction of the Langley Research Center. Vehicle designation for the test was NASA Scout ST-1. Performance characteristics of the vehicle and components were recorded during a high-altitude probe mission. Flight-simulation studies are presented and show that the accuracy of the guidance system during the flight was within control-system design specifications. The control system functioned normally during the flight with the exception of an overpowering of the reaction-control roll jets near burnout of the third-stage rocket motor. The resulting roll displacement of the vehicle is shown to have caused the monitor tracking radar which had been erroneously tracking a radar beacon in the vehicle on a side lobe to reorient to the major lobe of the receiving antenna. This tracking switch falsely indicated a violent turning maneuver on the monitor plot board and resulted in a hold-fire decision for the fourth-stage rocket motor. Although data for the final thrusting and coast phase of the flight were not obtained, the majority of the test objectives were achieved. In-flight thrust misalignment angles for the second- and third-stage rocket motors derived from control-system error data and for the first-stage motor determined from flight-simulation studies are presented. All rocket-motor thrust misalignment angles were well within the tolerances used for control-system design. Rocket-motor flight performance is presented, and velocity increments attained from the first three stages substantiated the predicted nominal performance. Operation of the rocket motors was satisfactory with the exception of high-level vibrations which were encountered during third-stage motor burning. Rolling moments which overpowered the reaction-control jets are also attributed to the burning characteristics of the third-stage motor. A discussion of the premature loss of the third-stage heat shield is given and shows that the heat-shield latching mechanism failed from pressure loads as the vehicle entered the transonic speed range. Although venting was provided to relieve the high negative pressures known to exist on the heat shield at these speeds, a field modification of the wiring tunnel had the same effect as opening the inside of the heat shield to ambient pressures. Consequently, the latching mechanism failed from pressure loads which were of about the same magnitude as the latching-mechanism yield loads. Skin temperatures were recorded at several locations on the vehicle and were generally in good agreement with theoretical values. Aerodynamic heating presented no problem during the flight since the maximum temperatures recorded during the flight were only about half the design values because of the high-launch-angle trajectory. Environmental vibrations recorded in the vicinity of the guidance package showed that no significant continuous amplitude levels above the general instrumentation noise level were present during first- and second-stage burning. Large vibration amplitudes were recorded during third-stage burning which coincided with the large roll disturbance experienced by the vehicle near burnout of the third-stage motor.

Scout Launch Vehicle↗

Wind-tunnel Tests of a Model of a Wingless Fin-controlled Missile to Obtain Static Stability and Control Characteristics Through a Range of Mach Numbers from 0.5 to 0.88

An investigation at medium to high subsonic speeds has been conducted in the Langley low-turbulence pressure tunnel to determine the static stability and control characteristics and to measure the fin normal forces and moments for a model of a wingless fin-controlled missile. The data were obtained at Reynolds number of 2.1 x 10(6) based on the missile maximum diameter or 17.7 x 10(6) based on missile length; this Reynolds number was found to be large enough to avoid any large scale effects between the test and the expected flight Reynolds number. With the horizontal-fin deflection limited to a maximum of 6 degrees, longitudinally stable and trimmed flight could not be maintained beyond an angle of attack of 17 degrees for a Mach number of 0.88 and beyond 20 degrees for a Mach number of 0.50 for any center-of-gravity location without the use of some auxiliary stability or control device such as jet vanes. Mach number had no appreciable effect on the center-of-pressure positions and only a slight effect on neutral-point position. There was a shift in neutral-point position of about 1 caliber as the angle of attack was varied through the range for which the neutral point could be determined. Yawing the model to angles of sideslip up to 7 degrees had little effect on the longitudinal stability at angles of attack up to 15 degrees; however, above 15 degrees, the effect of sideslip was destabilizing. With the vertical fins at a plus-or-minus 6 degree roll deflection, the rolling moment caused by yawing the model at high angles of attack could be trimmed out up to angles of sideslip of 6.5 degrees and an angle of attack of 26 degrees for a Mach number of 0.50; this range of sideslip angles was reduced to 3 degrees at a Mach number of 0.88. The data indicated that, at lower angles of attack, the trim range extended to higher angles of sideslip. The total normal-force and hinge-moment coefficients for both horizontal fins were slightly nonlinear with both angle-of-attack and fin deflection. The effect of Mach number was to reduce the slopes of the hinge-moment coefficient with angle of attack and deflection angle. In general, the effort of increasing the sideslip angle was to reduce the values of the fin normal-force and hinge-moment coefficients.

Burrows, Dale L↗