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Influences of airfoil profile on lateral-directional stability of aircraft with flying wing layout

Yalin Pan (School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China)
Jun Huang (School of Aeronautic Science and Engineering, Beihang University, Beijing, China)

Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology

ISSN: 0002-2667

Article publication date: 12 February 2019

Issue publication date: 15 August 2019

286

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyze influence of airfoil profile on lateral-directional flying quality of flying wing aircraft. The lateral-directional stability is always insufficient for aircraft with the layout due to the absence of vertical stabilizer. A flying wing aircraft with double-swept wing is used as research object in the paper.

Design/methodology/approach

The 3D model is established for the aircraft with flying wing layout, and parametric modeling is carried out for airfoil mean camber line of the aircraft to analyze lateral-directional stability of the aircraft with different camber line parameters. To increase computational efficiency, vortex lattice method is adopted to calculate aerodynamic coefficients and aerodynamic derivatives of the aircraft.

Findings

It is found from the research results that roll mode and spiral mode have a little effect on lateral-directional stability of the aircraft but Dutch roll mode is the critical factor affecting flying quality level of such aircraft. Even though changes of airfoil mean line parameters can greatly change assessment parameters of aircraft lateral-directional flying quality, that is kind of change cannot have a fundamental impact on level of flying quality of the aircraft. In case flat shape parameters are determined, the airfoil profile has a limited impact on Dutch roll mode.

Originality/value

Influences of airfoil profile on lateral-directional flying quality of aircraft with double-swept flying wing layout are revealed in the thesis and some important rules and characteristics are also summarized to lay a theoretical basis for design of airfoil and flight control system of aircraft with the layout.

Keywords

Citation

Pan, Y. and Huang, J. (2019), "Influences of airfoil profile on lateral-directional stability of aircraft with flying wing layout", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 91 No. 7, pp. 1011-1017. https://doi.org/10.1108/AEAT-04-2018-0119

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited

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