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At least 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1976

Notes on the stability and control of tailless airplanes

Problems involved in the stability and control of tailless airplanes are discussed. Such factors as the location of the aerodynamic center and its effect on the longitudinal stability, longitudinal trim with high lift devices, the effects of various changes in the shape of the wing on lateral stability, and the effects of nacelles are covered. It appears that sufficient stability and controllability can be secured without sweepback. With sweepback, a flap over the center section of the wing may be used to serve the dual purpose of elevator control and high lift device. Sweepback introduces undesirable stalling characteristics, however, and may require auxiliary devices to prevent stalling of the tips.

Jones, R. T.↗
NASA NTRS1941

Notes on the Stability and Control of Tailless Airplanes

Problems involved in the stability and control of tailless airplanes are discussed. Such factors as the location of the aerodynamic center and its effect on the longitudinal stability, longitudinal trim with high-lift devices, the effects of various changes in the shape of the wing on lateral stability, and the effects of nacelles are covered. It appears that sufficient stability and controllability can be secured without sweepback. With sweepback, a flap over the center section of the wing may be used to serve the dual purpose of elevator control and high-lift device. Sweepback introduces undesirable stalling characteristics, however, and may require auxiliary devices to prevent stalling of the tips.

Jones, Robert↗
NASA NTRS1930

Recent tests of tailless airplanes

This report details the advantages and construction of tailless airplanes. Both a glider and a powered model were built and the specifications of both airplanes are listed.

Lippisch, Alexander↗
NASA NTRS1976

The stability and control of tailless airplanes, 19 August 1944

In the present state of the design of tailless airplanes, it appears that: (1) Sweepback affords a method of supplying tail length for directional and longitudinal stability and control and allows the utilization of a high-lift flap but introduces undersirable tip stalling tendencies that must be overcome before the advantages of sweepback can be realized. (2) The damping in pitching appears to have little effect on the longitudinal behavior of the airplane provided the static margin is never permitted to become negative. (3) The directional stability must be as great as for conventional airplanes if the same requirements regarding satisfactory stability and control characteristics are to be adhered to. (4) The influence of the lateral resistance and the damping in yawing on the flying qualities is somewhat obscure.

Donlan, C. J.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Estimated transonic flying qualities of a tailless airplane based on a model investigation, 8 June 1949

Flying qualities of a tailless airplane with the wing quarter chord line swept back 35 deg were analyzed in the Mach number range from 0.40 to 0.91 based on tests of a model of this airplane in the Langley high speed 7 by 10 foot tunnel. The results indicate that longitudinal control position instability exists at transonic speeds but the accompanying trim changes are not large. Control position maneuvering stability, however, is present for all speeds. Longitudinal and lateral control appear adequate, but the damping of the short period longitudinal and lateral oscillations at high altitudes is poor and would probably require artificial damping.

Donlan, C. J.↗
NASA NTRS1947

Longitudinal Stability and Control Characteristics of a Semispan Model of the XF7U-1 Tailless Airplane at Transonic Speeds by the NACA Wing-Flow Method, TED No. NACA DE307

An investigation was made by the NACA wing-flow method to determine the longitudinal stability and control characteristics at transonic speeds of a semispan model of the XF7U-1 tailless airplane. The 25-percent chord line of the wing of the model was swept back 35 deg. The airfoil sections of the wing perpendicular to the 25-percent chord line were 12 percent thick. Measurements were made of the normal force and pitching moment through an angle-of-attack range from about -3 deg to 14 deg for several ailavator deflections at Mach numbers from 0.65 to about 1.08. The results of the tests indicated no adverse effects of compressibility up to a Mach number of at least 0.85 at low normal-force coefficients and small ailavator deflections. Up to a Mach number of 0.85, the neutral point at low normal-force coefficients was at about 25 percent of the mean aerodynamic chord and moved rearward irregularly to 41 or 42 percent with a further increase in Mach number to about 1.05. For deflections up to -8.0 percent, the ailavator was effective in changing the pitching moment except at Mach numbers from 0.93 to about 1.0 where ineffectiveness or reversal was indicated for deflections and normal-force coefficients. With -13.2 deg deflection at normal-force coefficients above about 0.3, reversal of ailavator effectiveness occurred at Mach numbers as low as 0.81. A nose-down trim change, which began at a Mach number of about 0.85, together with the loss in effectiveness of the ailavator, indicated that with increase in the Mach number from about 0.95 to 1.05 an abrupt ailavator movement of 5 deg or 6 deg first up and then down would be required to maintain level flight.

Sawyer, Richard H.↗
NASA NTRS1950

Effect of Various Modifications on Drag and Longitudinal Stability and Control Characteristics at Transonic Speeds of a Model of the XF7U-1 Tailless Airplane: NACA Wing-FLow Method, TED No. NACA DE 307

An investigation was made by the NACA wing-flow method to determine the drag, pitching-moment, lift, and angle-of-attack characteristics at transonic speeds of various configurations of a semispan model of an early configuration of the XF7U-1 tailless airplane. The results of the tests indicated that for the basic configuration with undeflected ailavator, the zero-lift drag rise occurred at a Mach number of about 0.85 and that about a five-fold increase in drag occurred through the transonic speed range. The results of the tests also indicated that the drag increment produced by -8.0 degrees deflection of the ailavator increased with increase in normal-force coefficient and was smaller at speeds above than at speeds below the drag rise. The drag increment produced by 35 degree deflection of the speed brakes varied from 0.040 to 0.074 depending on the normal-force coefficient and Mach number. These values correspond to drag coefficients of about 0.40 and 0.75 based on speed-brake frontal area. Removal of the fin produced a small positive drag increment at a given normal-force coefficient at speeds during the drag rise. A large forward shift of the neutral-point location occurred at Mach numbers above about 0.90 upon removal of the fin, and also a considerable forward shift throughout the Mach number range occurred upon deflection of the speed brakes. Ailavator ineffectiveness or reversal at low deflections, similar to that determined in previous tests of the basic configuration of the model in the Mach number range from about 0.93 to 1.0, was found for the fin-off configuration and for the model equipped with skewed (more highly sweptback) hinge-line ailavators. With the speed brakes deflected, little or no loss in the incremental pitching moment produced by deflection of the ailavator from O degrees to -8.00 degrees occurred in the Mach number range from 0.85 to 1.0 in contrast to a considerable loss found in previous tests with the speed brakes off.

Sawyer, Richard H.↗
NASA NTRS1933

Aerodynamic tests of a low aspect ratio tapered wing with various flaps, for use on tailless airplanes

Wind tunnel tests were made of a model wing having an aspect ratio of 3 and a tapered plan form with a straight trailing edge. The model had the Clark Y airfoil section throughout it's entire span and had no washout, depending on a trailing-edge flap for longitudinal balance and control. The flap had a constant chord and was divided into four equal portions along the span. The tests were made with the entire flap deflected to obtain longitudinal control and balance, and also with the inner portions deflected alone, and with the outer portions deflected alone. It was found that the simple wing with no washout or change of basic section along the span has aerodynamic characteristics well suited for use on tailless airplanes. A higher lift coefficient was obtained with the full-span flap deflected as a unit to give longitudinal balance than was obtained with either the inner or the outer portions of the flap deflected.

Weick, Fred E↗
NASA NTRS1948

The Influence of Dimensional Modifications upon the Spin and Recovery Characteristics of a Tailless Airplane Model Having Its Wings Swept Forward 15 Deg (Cornelius XFG-1)

An investigation has been conducted in the Langley 20-foot free- spinning tunnel scale model of the Cornelius XFG-1 glider, a tailless design having its wings swept forward 15 degrees. It was previously found to possess erratic spin and recovery characteristics, and tests were made to determine modifications which would lead to normal steady spins with consistently good recoveries. The results of the investigation indicated that modifications that aid not appreciably alter the basic design aid not appreciably improve the spin and recovery characteristics. In this instance it appears that the sweptforward wing is the cause of unsatisfactory spin and recovery characteristics.

Stone, Ralph W., Jr.↗