Free-to-Roll Investigation of the Pre-Production F/A-18E Powered Approach Wing Drop

Abstract

A free-to-roll study of the low-speed lateral characteristics of the pre-production F/A-18E was conducted in the NASA Langley 12-Foot Low-Speed Tunnel. In developmental flight tests the F/A-18E unexpectedly experienced uncommanded lateral motions in the power approach configuration. The objective of this study was to determine the feasibility of using the free-to-roll technique for the detection of uncommanded lateral motions for the pre-production F/A-18E in the power approach configuration. The data revealed that this technique in conjunction with static data revealed insight into the cause of the lateral motions. The free-to-roll technique identified uncommanded lateral motions at the same angle-of-attack range as experienced in flight tests. The cause of the uncommanded lateral motions was unsteady asymmetric wing stall. The paper also shows that free-to-roll data or static force and moment data alone are not enough to accurately capture the potential for an aircraft to experience uncommanded lateral motion.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 11, 2005
Accession Number
ADA432636

Entities

People

  • D. B. Owens
  • Elaine M. Bryant
  • Jewel B. Barlow

Organizations

  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerodynamic Forces
  • Aeronautics
  • Air Force
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Astronautics
  • Control Surfaces
  • Engineering
  • Fighter Aircraft
  • Flight
  • Horizontal Stabilizers
  • Leading Edge Flaps
  • Leading Edges
  • Maryland
  • Measurement
  • Military Aircraft
  • United States

Readers

  • Aerodynamics/Aeronautics.