FLYING QUALITIES OF SMALL GENERAL AVIATION AIRPLANES. PART 1. THE INFLUENCE OF DUTCH-ROLL FREQUENCY, DUTCH-ROLL DAMPING, AND DIHEDRAL EFFECT
Abstract
As the first phase of a study of flight characteristics criteria for small general aviation aircraft, experiments were conducted with a variable- stability flying simulator to determine the influence of Dutch-roll frequency, Dutch-roll damping ratio, and dihedral effect. Other lateral-directional parameters were held fixed at favorable levels. An ILS approach flown at 105 knots in simulated moderate turbulence was the piloting task. The results are presented in a generalized quantitative form useful to designers. High Dutch- roll frequency (or high directional stability) and large dihedral were found undesirable because of excessive yawing and rolling due to turbulence. Low Dutch-roll frequency led to poor heading control, large sideslip excursions, and difficulty in trimming the airplane, but low, even zero, dihedral did not interfere with the approach task. Flying qualities were found to deteriorate rapidly for Dutch-roll damping ratio lower than one-tenth, but relatively little was gained by increasing it beyond that value.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1969
- Accession Number
- AD0690899
Entities
People
- David R. Ellis
- Edward Seckel
Organizations
- Princeton University