Flight control system damage simulation using freely flying models

Abstract This article deals with a damage simulation of flight control systems during a flight. As a subject of flight tests the model of a classic aerodynamic aircraft scheme is considered. This aircraft has highly swept wings a moderate wing elongation and all-moving horizontal tail surfaces. The diagrams of flight parameters from flight tests of the freely flying models with loss of a control surface in flight are given. The investigation results for the failures leading to a sharp drop in the stiffness of the control units in the pitch channel are given. The damage investigation in horizontal flight and in complex manoeuvres is given.