Static Stability of Aircraft designed in X Plane

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on conducting a stability analysis of an aircraft designed in X Plane, specifically addressing the determination of the Aerodynamic Centre and the Moment Coefficient about the Centre of Gravity. Key methods referenced include Hans Multhopp's technique for finding the aerodynamic center and the USAF Stability and Control Data Compendium (DATACOM) for stability characteristics. The analysis requires understanding the relationships between various coefficients such as C_{D_u}, C_{y_\beta}, and C_{L_\alpha} to establish static stability.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of aerodynamic principles and stability analysis
  • Familiarity with X Plane simulator software
  • Knowledge of airfoil characteristics, specifically NACA 0009 and Boeing Subsonic
  • Basic grasp of moment coefficients and their significance in aircraft design
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the USAF Stability and Control Data Compendium (DATACOM) for methods on stability characteristics
  • Study Hans Multhopp's method for determining the aerodynamic center
  • Explore Roskam's Aircraft Design books for detailed stability analysis techniques
  • Learn about the significance of various stability coefficients in aircraft design
USEFUL FOR

Aerospace engineers, students in aeronautical engineering, and anyone involved in aircraft design and stability analysis will benefit from this discussion.

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HI Everyone.

First of all, I'm not an aeronautical or mechanical engineer. I'm an electronics engineer but I'm currently doing a group project where I'm required to carry out a stability analysis on an aircraft that we've designed using the simulator software, X Plane.

I apologise in advance if any of these questions are stupid...

I know where the aircraft centre of gravity is but
How do I determine the Aerodynamic Centre of my aircraft?

I know that during steady flight, I must prove that all resultant moments acting around the centre of gravity should = 0, and
I've got Cm vs Alpha graphs for the tail airfoil (NACA 0009) and I'm in the process of trying to get the same graphs off X plane for the wing airfoils (Boeing Subsonic) but these will give me 2 completely separate moment coefficients for 2 different airfoils.

How do I get the Moment Coefficient about the Centre of Gravity from these?

Any help would be very gratefully received.

Thanks
 
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You might look at the USAF Stability and Control Data Compendium (DATACOM) which lists methods for determining S&C characteristics. http://www.pdas.com/datcomrefs.html has a PDF copy of the report, and also FORTRAN source code for Digital DATCOM.

Hans Multhopp created a method for determining the aerodynamic center. Roskam's Aircraft Design books discuss the method in Part 6, and there is a NACA technical report by Multhopp, but I don't remember the report number. Multhopp's method is accurate to about 10%. (It also is extremely tedious and a pain to do.)

For static stability you'll want to show that C_{D_u}> 0, C_{y_\beta} < 0, C_{L_\alpha} > 0, C_{l_\beta} < 0, C_{l_p} < 0, C_{m_\alpha} < 0, C_{m_q} < 0, C_{n_\beta} > 0, and C_{n_r} < 0. (These are at steady state, with body-axis velocities U_1,V_1,W_1 and angular rates P_1,Q_1,R_1.)
 

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