An experimental study to determine the flow and the subsonic static and dynamic stability characteristics of aircraft operating at high angles-of-attack

Abstract : A comprehensive series of experiments were conducted in the Tracor Hydronautics Ship Model basin (HSMB) to determine the subsonic static and dynamic stability characteristics of a 3.5-foot span, 60-degree delta-high-wing fuselage model operating at high angles-of-attack up to 68-degrees. In addition, typical results of flow visualization studies for a range of Reynolds numbers from 200,000 to 1.6 million are presented. Also, the motions, force and moment coefficients resulting from a simulated pitchup maneuver are presented. This paper describes the HSMB, Large Amplitude Horizontal Planar Motion Mechanism System (LAHPMM), 60-deg delta-wing fuselage model, model-support systems, and the data acquisition and processing system used in the investigation. The advantages of performing tests in the HSMB using the LAHPMM technique over existing wind tunnel techniques, such as curved flow and combined oscillation, for determination of the dynamic stability derivatives are presented and discussed. The results of the present investigation are compared with static and dynamic stability results, obtained in the mid 1950's from the NACA Langley Stability Tunnel, for a similar delta-wing-fuselage model operating over a range of reduced frequencies and angles-of-attack up to 36 deg. In general, the comparisons show that the results are in good agreement.