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Activities related to development of an advanced composites stabilizer for the Boeing 737 commercial transport are reported. Activities include discussion of criteria and objectives, design loads, the fatigue spectrum definition to be used for all spectrum fatigue testing, fatigue analysis, manufacturing producibility studies, the ancillary test program, quality assurance, and manufacturing development.
Boeing Vertol Model 234, CH-47D and 347 tandem rotor helicopters demonstrate noise levels that comply with the overall noise standard requirements. The helicopters achieve these noise levels because they are, by design, free of impulsive noise in level flight and climb. Avoiding an impulsive noise signature is achieved by developing and applying configuration design criteria that eliminate blade vortex intersections and recognize advancing blade tip noise limitations in high speed forward flight. Airfoil design, rotor separation and rotor tipspeed selection all contribute to the noise control. Compliance with the approach element of the standards is marginal at best. The approach problem is not appreciably alleviated by reduced tipspeed and airfoil design. Since it is a single rotor phenomenon, it is not alleviated by rotor separation in the tandem configuration. Tip shapes may provide the answer, but to date this approach has not led to a satisfactory solution.
Activities related to development of an advanced composites stabilizer for the Boeing 737 commercial transport are reported. Activities include discussion of the design and weight status, stiffness requirements, the finite element model, test programs, quality assurance, and manufacturing producibility studies. Design details of the graphite/epoxy components are virtually complete. Emphasis is placed on the metal and fiberglass trailing edge components. The bending and torsional stiffness properties are satisfactory for both stability/control and for flutter requirements. The finite element model input geometry is revised to reflect the latest changes to production drawings.
The full scale ground test, ground vibration test, and flight tests conducted to demonstrate a composite structure stabilizer for the Boeing 737 aircraft and obtain FAA certification are described. Detail tools, assembly tools, and overall production are discussed. Cost analyses aspects covered include production costs, composite material usage factors, and cost comparisons.
Results of tests conducted to demonstrate that composite structures save weight, possess long term durability, and can be fabricated at costs competitive with conventional metal structures are presented with focus on the use of graphite-epoxy in the design of a stabilizer for the Boeing 737 aircraft. Component definition, materials evaluation, material design properties, and structural elements tests are discussed. Fabrication development, as well as structural repair and inspection are also examined.
The development, testing, production activities, and associated costs that were required to produce five-and-one-half advanced-composite stabilizer shipsets for Boeing 737 aircraft are defined and discussed.
An overview is presented of key accomplishments in the rotorcraft development at Boeing Vertol. Projects of particular significance: high speed rotor development and the Model 360 Advanced Technology Helicopter. Areas addressed in the overview are: advanced rotors with reduced noise and vibration, 3-D aerodynamic modeling, flight control and avionics, active control, automated diagnostics and prognostics, composite structures, and drive systems.
The purpose of this report is to determine the effects of scattering from major aircraft structures on the TCAS 2 collision avoidance system mounted on a Boeing 737. It is found that the major source of scattering for angles of observation above the horizon is the vertical stabilizer and that its effect may be greatly reduced by mounting the TCAS 2 array close to the nose of the aircraft. In addition, by mounting the array close to the nose, the effects of fuselage blockage on the array patterns at elevation angles below the horizon may be greatly reduced in the forward direction.
The use of computational methods for three dimensional transonic flow design and analysis at the Boeing Company is presented. A range of computational tools consisting of production tools for every day use by project engineers, expert user tools for special applications by computational researchers, and an emerging tool which may see considerable use in the near future are described. These methods include full potential and Euler solvers, some coupled to three dimensional boundary layer analysis methods, for transonic flow analysis about nacelle, wing-body, wing-body-strut-nacelle, and complete aircraft configurations. As the examples presented show, such a toolbox of codes is necessary for the variety of applications typical of an industrial environment. Such a toolbox of codes makes possible aerodynamic advances not previously achievable in a timely manner, if at all.
Results are presented on flow measurements on the fuselage of a Boeing 737 aircraft, carried out during flight tests. The instruments used to measure static pressure, local skin friction, boundary layer characteristics, turbulence properties, and pressure fluctuations are described together with the computational methods used. Boundary layer thicknesses were found to be typically 6-8 inches at Reynolds numbers based on the momentum thickness of 60-180,000, depending on flight conditions and location along the fuselage.
This paper describes the initial wind tunnels tests in the 5- by 8-ft Boeing Research Wind Tunnel of a near full-scale (20-foot chord) swept wing section having laminar flow control (LFC) by slot suction over its first 30 percent chord. The model and associated test apparatus were developed for use as a testbed for LFC-related experimentation in support of preliminary design studies done under contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. This paper contains the description of the model and associated test apparatus as well as the results of the initial test series in which the proper functioning of the test installation was demonstrated and new data were obtained on the sensitivity of suction-controlled laminar flow to surface protuberances in the presence of crossflow due to sweep.
Information relative to Boeing flight deck design philosophy is given in viewgraph form. Flight deck design rules, design considerations, functions allocated to the crew, redundancy and automation concerns, and examples of accident data that were reviewed are listed.
The Boeing Infrared Sensor (BIRS) Calibration Facility represents a major capital investment in optical and infrared technology. The facility was designed and built for the calibration and testing of the new generation large aperture long wave infrared (LWIR) sensors, seekers, and related technologies. Capability exists to perform both radiometric and goniometric calibrations of large infrared sensors under simulated environmental operating conditions. The system is presently configured for endoatmospheric calibrations with a uniform background field which can be set to simulate the expected mission background levels. During calibration, the sensor under test is also exposed to expected mission temperatures and pressures within the test chamber. Capability exists to convert the facility for exoatmospheric testing. The configuration of the system is described along with hardware elements and changes made to date are addressed.
The Boeing modules on the M0003 experiment included fiber optics, ceramic materials, a variety of electronic piece parts, composites and thermal control paints, fasteners, thin film lubricants, anodized surfaces, and adhesives. These materials were flown on the leading and trailing edge exteriors, and on the interior portion of LDEF M0003 providing exposure under three distinct environments. The condition of each of these material types is described. Results of optical, surface, and mechanical properties are presented.
The Advanced Rotorcraft Transmission (ART) program is structured to incorporate key emerging material and component technologies into an advanced rotorcraft transmission with the intention of making significant improvements in the state of the art (SOA). Specific objectives of ART are: (1) Reduce transmission weight by 25 pct.; (2) Reduce transmission noise by 10 dB; and (3) Improve transmission life and reliability, while extending Mean Time Between Removal to 5000 hr. Boeing selected a transmission sized for the Tactical Tilt Rotor (TTR) aircraft which meets the Future Air Attack Vehicle (FAVV) requirements. Component development testing will be conducted to evaluate the high risk concepts prior to finalizing the advanced transmission configuration. The results of tradeoff studies and development test which were completed are summarized.
The Boeing company conducted a flight test of a SATCOM system similar to the ARINC 741 configuration on a production model 747-400. A flight plan was specifically designed to test the system over a wide variety of satellite elevations and aircraft attitudes as well as over land and sea. Interface bit errors, signal quality and aircraft position and navigational inputs were all recorded as a function of time. Special aircraft maneuvers were performed to demonstrate the potential for shadowing by aircraft structures. Both a compass rose test and the flight test indicated that shadowing from the tail is insignificant for the 747-400. However, satellite elevation angles below the aircraft horizon during banking maneuvers were shown to have a significant deleterious effect on SATCOM communications.
The Boeing Company provided specimens to be flown on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF) as part of the M0003 experiment. This hardware was for the M0003-8 and part of the M003-10 sub-experiments. These specimens were flown on the leading (tray D-9) and trailing (tray D-3) edges, and on trays D-8 (38 degrees from ram) and D-4. Some specimens were mounted in the Experiment Exposure Control Canisters.
A Boeing TR77 airfoil associated with the Advanced Technology Airfoil Test (ATAT) program was tested in the Langley 0.3 m Transonic Cryogenic Tunnel. Limited analysis of the data indicated that increasing Reynolds number for a fixed Mach number resulted in increased normal-force, nose-down pitching moment, and decreased drag coefficient. Increasing Mach number while keeping the Reynolds number constant yielded the expected increase in normal-force slopes, nose-down pitching moment coefficients, and decrease in angle of attack associated with maximum normal-force coefficient. Turbulent boundary layer flow was achieved over the airfoil at low Reynolds numbers for the test Mach number range using aluminum discs.