Passenger comfort during formation flight within atmospheric turbulence

Formation flight is currently being investigated as a means to reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency in commercial aviation. In light of this, the potential for passenger discomfort due to the formation flying through free air turbulence was considered in this study. In an attempt to approximately ascertain the increase in discomfort, a simple formation flight aerodynamic model for two aircraft in formation was developed. The wing trailing vortices were assumed to shift in an ideal fashion within atmospheric turbulence resulting in aerodynamic disturbance loads acting on the trailing aircraft. As the sensitivity of the human body to vibrations is frequency dependent, spectral representation of atmospheric turbulence was incorporated. Monte Carlo simulations were done for various levels of turbulence intensity.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Year dc:date.issued

2012

Author dc:creator

• Bizinos, Nicholas

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Redelinghuys, Christiaan

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/12050

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/12050