Objective comparison of numerical spin study with aircraft model free-flight spin tests

Abstract

This paper reports on the results of a research project that investigated the spin and recovery characteristics of a multirole fighter aircraft. In the first phase, numerical/computational methods were used to predict full scale aircraft spin and recovery characteristics. The aerodynamic data used in the numerical study was obtained from rotary balance steady coning and oscillatory coning motion dynamic wind tunnel tests conducted on 1/13^th scale aircraft dynamic model. All the possible steady spin modes were numerically computed, a complete set of dynamic modes of the spinning aircraft were evaluated and six degree of freedom simulations of predicted flat spins were performed to investigate their dynamic stability and recovery characteristics. In the second phase, free-flight spin trials were conducted using 1/5^th scale dynamic model of the understudy aircraft to validate the results of the analytical spin studies. Dynamic characteristics of the analytically predicted flat spins were objectively compared with flat spins found in free-flight spin trials as a validation process. Our results reveal that the numerically predicted full scale aircraft spin and recovery dynamic characteristics correlate well with those estimated from model test flights. The present study is an important step toward objective comparison of numerical spin studies based on dynamic wind tunnel tests data with free-flight spin trials, yielding important guidelines and results for future aircraft spin studies.

Keywords

objective comparison rotary balance WT tests free-flight trials flat spins 6-DOF simulations dynamic stability

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Mokhtari

Sabzehparvar

. Identification of spin maneuver aerodynamic nonlinear model by applying ensemble empirical mode decomposition and extended multipoint modeling. Proc Inst Mech Eng G: J Aerospace Eng 2019; 233(5): 1865–1878.

Rao

. Optimization of aircraft spin recovery maneuvers. Aerospace Sci Technol 2019; 90: 222–232.

Abzug

Larrabee

. Spinning and recovery. In: Airplane stability and control: a history of the technologies that made aviation possible. 2nd ed. UK: Cambridge University Press; 2005, pp. 121–140.

Bihrle

Barnhart

. Spin prediction techniques. J Aircraft 1983; 2: 97–101.

Murch

Foster

. Recent NASA research on aerodynamic modeling of post-stall and spin dynamics of large transport airplanes. In: 45th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting and Exhibit, Nevada, USA, 8 January 2007.

Kramer

. Experimental evaluation of superposition techniques applied to dynamic aerodynamics. In: 40th AIAA Aerospace Sciences Meeting & Exhibit, USA, 14–17 January 2002.

Bennett

Lawson

. On the development of flight-test equipment in relation to the aircraft spin. Prog Aerospace Sci 2018; 102: 47–59.

Tischler

Barlow

. Determination of the spin and recovery characteristics of a general aviation design. J Aircraft 1981; 4: 238–244.

Khrabrov

Sidoryuk

Goman

. Aerodynamic model development and simulation of airliner spin for upset recovery. Prog Flight Phys 2013; 5: 621–636.

10.

Carroll

Mehra

. Bifurcation analysis of nonlinear aircraft dynamics. J Guidance, Control Dyn 1982; 5(5): 529–536.

11.

Jahnke

Culick

. Application of bifurcation theory to the high-angle-of-attack dynamics of the F-14. J Aircraft 1994; 31(1): 26–34.

12.

Planeaux

. Bifurcation analysis of a model fighter aircraft with control augmentation. In: 17th Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference, USA, 20-22 August 1990.

13.

Avanzini

Matteis

. Bifurcation analysis of a highly augmented aircraft model. J Guidance, Control Dyn 1997; 20(4): 754–759.

14.

Raghavendra

Sahai

Kumar

, et al. Aircraft spin recovery, with and without thrust vectoring, using nonlinear dynamic inversion. J Aircraft 2005; 42(6): 1492–1503.

15.

Sibilski

. An agile aircraft non-linear dynamics by continuation methods and bifurcation theory. In: Proceedings of the 22nd International Congress of Aeronautical Sciences, UK, 27 Aug-1 Sept 2000.

16.

Guicheteau

. Bifurcation theory in flight dynamics an application to a real combat aircraft. In: Proceedings of 17th Congress of International Council of the Aeronautical Sciences, ICAS Paper 90-5.10.4, Stockholm, Sweden, 1990.

17.

Malik

Akhtar

Masud

. Aircraft spin characteristics with high-alpha yawing moment asymmetry. Proc Inst Mech Eng Part G: J Aerospace Eng 2018; 232(15): 2793–2806.

18.

Malik

Akhtar

Masood

. Influence of flight control law on spin dynamics of aerodynamically asymmetric aircraft. J Theor Appl Mech 2017; 55(3): 963–975.

19.

Farcy

Khrabrov

Sidoryuk

. Sensitivity of spin parameters to uncertainties of the aircraft aerodynamic model. J Aircraft 2020; 57: 1–6.

20.

Malik

Akhtar

Masud

. Dynamic analysis and nonlinear simulation of aircraft flat spin. J Chin Inst Eng 2017; 40(6): 471–481.

21.

Wolowicz

Brown

Jr Gilbert

. Similitude requirements and scaling relationships as applied to model testing. NASA TP-1435; 1979.

22.

Owens

Brandon

Croom

, et al. Overview of dynamic test techniques for flight dynamics research at NASA LaRC. In: 25th AIAA aerodynamic measurement technology and ground testing conference, USA, 5-8 June 2006.