Back to results

Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

A dynamic model for aircraft poststall departure

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

An engineering model designed for the analysis of high angle-of-attack flight characteristics is developed and applied to the problem of aircraft poststall departure. The model consists of an aerodynamics package used interactively with a six-degree-of-freedom flight simulator. The aerodynamics are computed via a nonlinear lifting line theory with unsteady wake effects due to a discrete, nonplanar vortex system. A fully configured aircraft (main wing, horizontal tail and vertical fin) is mathematically constructed by modeling all lifting surfaces with bound, discrete vortex segments and associated control points; vehicle geometric influence on high angle-of-attack flight characteristics is included through complete variability in the relative locations, orientations and sizes of the flight surfaces. This aircraft model is “flown” through prescribed maneuvers by integrating the equations of motion. Selected results of trajectory simulations presented for a typical general aviation aircraft provide the following insights to wing-drop departure subsequent to stall. The abruptness of poststall roll-off depends on the presence of flight asymmetries at the stall break and the rate of stall penetration. Such out-of-trim flight conditions induce asymmetric wing panel unstall subsequent to deep stall penetration resulting in large wing-drop-producing roll moments. However, the abrupt departure from symmetric flight conditions is also found to be mathematically possible. This is a consequence of multiple lifting line solutions which exist for bound vortex systems assigned the lift properties of airfoils having stall discontinuities. The dynamic model is well suited to the prediction of departure resistance benefits realized through passive aerodynamic modifications, for example, drooped leading edge outboard wing panels. The model can also be applied to the generation of dynamic stability derivatives by analytically simulating forced oscillation test procedures.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph. D.
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Aerospace and Ocean Engineering
Department dc:contributor.department
Aerospace and Ocean Engineering
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Year dc:date.issued
1982

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Hreha, Mark A.
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Lutze, Frederick H.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Cliff, Eugene M.
  • Kelley, Henry J.
  • Marchman, James F.
  • Burns, John A.

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright
Language dc:language.iso
en_US

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Handle dc:identifier.uri
http://hdl.handle.net/10919/76592
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/76592

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
related terms
citation

Hreha, Mark A.. A dynamic model for aircraft poststall departure. doctoral thesis, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1982. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/76592