Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
The United States Air Force Stability and Control DATCOM is a collection, correlation, codification, and recording of best knowledge, opinion, and judgment in the area of aerodynamic stability and control prediction methods. [1]
In February 1976, work commenced to automate the methods contained in the USAF Stability and Control DATCOM, specifically those contained in sections 4, 5, 6 and 7.The work was performed by the McDonnell Douglas Corporation under contract with the United States Air Force in conjunction with engineers at the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory in Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
Most aircraft trimmed for straight-and-level flight, if flown stick-fixed, will eventually develop a tightening spiral-dive. [2] If a spiral dive is entered unintentionally, the result can be fatal. A spiral dive is not a spin; it starts, not with a stall or from torque, but with a random perturbation, increasing roll and airspeed.
Stability derivatives, and also control derivatives, are measures of how particular forces and moments on an aircraft change as other parameters related to stability change (parameters such as airspeed, altitude, angle of attack, etc.). For a defined "trim" flight condition, changes and oscillations occur in these parameters.
[2] [1] Equally, the system is commonly disengaged prior to landing, as it could inhibit the control authority to the pilot at the critical moment of touchdown. On several modern aircraft that are outfitted with a yaw damper, these systems become engaged automatically once the aircraft has surpassed a set altitude (e.g. 200 feet); older ...
Stability is the ability of the aircraft to counteract disturbances to its flight path. According to David P. Davies, there are six types of aircraft stability: speed stability, stick free static longitudinal stability, static lateral stability, directional stability, oscillatory stability, and spiral stability. [5]: 164
Flight dynamics in aviation and spacecraft, is the study of the performance, stability, and control of vehicles flying through the air or in outer space. [1] It is concerned with how forces acting on the vehicle determine its velocity and attitude with respect to time.
A flight control mode or flight control law is a computer software algorithm that transforms the movement of the yoke or joystick, made by an aircraft pilot, into movements of the aircraft control surfaces. The control surface movements depend on which of several modes the flight computer is in.