Aeroelastic Stability of the LCTR2 Civil Tiltrotor

Abstract

A new generation of very large tiltrotors is being studied to meet emerging transportation requirements. With gross weights well in excess of 100,000 lb, such aircraft will require new technologies for acceptable weight. Wings and rotors will have different per-rev frequencies and mode shapes than current tiltrotors, so coupling between destabilizing aeroelastic modes may differ from past experience. This paper presents aeroelastic stability analyses for a Large Civil Tiltrotor (LCTR2), with emphasis on combined rotor/airframe stability (whirl flutter) in cruise. LCTR2 design features include low cruise tip speed of 400 ft/sec, a four-bladed hingeless rotor, and a structurally tapered composite wing. The effects on whirl-mode stability of wing and rotor structural properties (mass and stiffness), control-system stiffness, solidity, precone, and cruise tip speed were examined using CAMRAD II. Common nonlinear trends of damping were seen for several structural parameters for both the rotor and wing.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Oct 01, 2008
Accession Number
ADA509118

Entities

People

  • C. W. Acree Jr.
  • Wayne R. Johnson

Organizations

  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerodynamic Configurations
  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Aircrafts
  • Airfoils
  • Airframes
  • Control Systems
  • Couplings
  • Design Criteria
  • Dynamic Pressure
  • Elastic Properties
  • Frequency
  • Geometry
  • Rotary Wing Aircraft
  • Sea Level
  • Structural Properties
  • Tilt Rotor Aircraft
  • Tilt Wing Aircraft

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Aerodynamics/Aeronautics.
  • Aerospace Engineering