Flight Dynamics Analytically-Derived Mathematical Model of Tiltrotor Aircraft: The development of an approachable tilt-rotor flight mechanics model, with clearly defined limitations, suitable for performance and piloted flight simulation

State-of-the-art tilt-rotor flight mechanics models appear to be inadequate in predicting the flight dynamics behavior across the entire flight envelope due to a lack of experimental data suggesting the need for more generic models. This paper presents a middle ground between model flexibility (genericity) and accuracy. For this purpose a...

Comparative Flight Performance Evaluation of the Flying-V and a Reference Aircraft

The Flying-V is a novel aircraft configuration that has shown a promising fuel saving potential compared to a conventional aircraft. The V-shaped configuration of the Flying-V integrates the passenger cabin and cargo volume into the lifting surface and has fins to provide lateral and directional stability. Several studies have been conducted...

Flight Mechanics and Performance of Direct Lift Control: Applying Control Allocation Methods to a Staggered Box-Wing Aircraft Configuration

The objective of the present dissertation is to show how redundant control surfaces can be exploited to shape an aircraft dynamic behavior and obtain desired flight mechanics performance. This is achieved by introducing novel approaches and methods for flight mechanics and control, mainly revolving around original implementations of traditional...

A trim problem formulation for maximum control authority using the Attainable Moment Set geometry

This paper presents a generic trim problem formulation, in the form of a constrained optimization problem, which employs forces and moments due to the aircraft control surfaces as decision variables. The geometry of the Attainable Moment Set (AMS), i.e. the set of all control forces and moments attainable by the control surfaces, is used to...

A Control Allocation approach to induce the center of pressure position and shape the aircraft transient response

This paper presents a Control Allocation formulation aimed at altering the dynamic transient response of an aircraft by exclusive means of the aerodynamic effectiveness of its control effectors. This is done, for a given Flight Control System architecture and, optionally, closed-loop performance, by exploiting the concept of Control Center of...

Handling Qualities of a Flying V Configuration

Generally, performance of aircraft is optimized within the limits of adequate Handling Qualities. The dominant challenges in designing flying wings exist in their paradigm relating stability margin and the effectiveness of controls. The project, undertaken at Airbus Future Projects Office, provides a qualitative assessment of the Handling...

On the Necessary Degrees of Freedom for Helicopter and Wind Turbine Low-Frequency Mode Modeling

Optimum cruise performance of subsonic transport aircraft