Chapter: Engineering Successes, new invention technology, Research project papers,
Slideslip-to-Bank Maneuver: A New Flight Test Technique
Slideslip-to-Bank Maneuver:
A New Flight Test Technique
This engineering team
has combined two typical flight test techniques into a single maneuver enabling
crosswind limit calculations, even in calm flight conditions. This new and
innovative flight test maneuver combines the 'Steady-Heading Sideslip' and 'Bank-to-Bank
Roll' maneuvers into a test technique the team has named the
'Slideslip-to-Bank' maneuver. It is useful
for simulating
crosswinds and for calculating the maximum crosswind limit in which a plane can
land safely. The team developed the maneuver in order to validate a crosswind
model for a modified experimental airplane for which no crosswind limits were
available.
Work to date: During flight tests at
10,000 feet, the team gathered high-quality flight data, evaluated
aircraft response, and measured trends for various crosswind scenarios. The new
flight test technique combines the 'Steady-Heading Sideslip' maneuver, which
simulates crosswinds and measures rudder effectiveness, and the 'Bank-to-Bank'
maneuver, which collects data along a plane's rolling axis and validates the
rolling model.
The resulting maneuver is an accurate predictor of residual roll
rate capability in the presence of sideslip.
Looking ahead: The team would like to perform the maneuver on
other airplanes to achieve validation.
Engineering Successes
Armstrong's Research and Engineering Directorate is responsible
for the overall engineering content of flight research projects. Our engineers
provide technical expertise in aerodynamics; guidance, navigation, and control;
propulsion; static and dynamic structures; flight hardware and software; flight
and ground test instrumentation and data systems; and system engineering and
integration. They apply their expertise across the spectrum of Armstrong's many
activities and also support the development and continual evolution of
engineering tools and test techniques. Here are highlights from a few recent
and particularly notable engineering success stories.
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