AERODYNAMICS OF AIRCRAFT

Dr.Subhendu Saha Scientist F Aeronautical Development Agency Bangalore

Flying - A Very Natural Occurrence

Natural flight on this planet has been in existence for millions of years. True flight in the natural world is accomplished only by insects, birds, and bats. They are the only animals who are able to propel themselves through the air for a sustained period of time by flapping their wings. Although their wings and appearances are similar, their structures and flight characteristics are different.

Flight is fascinating! Natural flight inspired humankinds attempts to fly, but it took hundreds of years to achieve this and cost many lives. Though we still cannot fly like birds, but we can now fly with them.

First Mechanical Flight

Wright Brothers made the worlds first manned, powered, controlled, heavier than-air flight on 17 December 1903 at Kitty Hawk, USA.

Birds Flight Birds and other flying creatures, with their light weight, great strength, and complex biological design, can use their wings to create both lift and thrust, as well as to maintain control.

Mechanical Flight Men had to invent different approach for flight separated the functions of lift and thrust. Wings to produce lift; Engines to produce thrust.

Aircraft Wing Planforms - Straight Wing

Aircraft Wing Planforms - Oblique Wing

Aircraft Tail/Fin Configurations - Twin Fin

Aircraft Tail/Fin Configurations Horizontal Tailless

Aircraft Tail/Fin Configurations - Vertical Tailless

Flight with Balanced Forces Cruise (Steady, Level Flight)

Aircraft Stability

Factors affecting Lift

Shape & Flow Inclination Effects on Lift

Effect of Angle-of-Attack : Greater the angle, greater the lift (until wing stalls)

Effect of Shape : higher the flow turning, greater the lift

Aircraft Speed : Role of CL

Speed at given CL

Drag
Drag is the resistance an aircraft experiences in moving forward through the air. It is a force which directly opposes the motion of the aircraft. As the work of overcoming the drag is performed by the engine, it is desirable to have it as small as possible.

Shape Effects on Drag

The shape of an object has a very great effect on the amount of drag.

Components of Drag

The Light Combat Aircraft - LCA

Air to Air Close Air Combat Combat Air Patrol (CAP) Beyond Visual Range Combat Air to Ground Close Air Support Interdiction Air to Sea Anti-shipping

LCA Configuration
Tailless compound delta planform. Three segment leading edge slats scheduled as f(M,) to improve L/D, delay pitch-up and improve high- maneuvering. Two segment elevons at trailing edge primary control surfaces in roll & pitch.

Wing shielded side mounted bifurcated air intakes.

Longitudinally unstable configuration to improve aerodynamic performance (maneuverability and agility).
optimized to obtain minimum supersonic drag high rates of roll and pitch short takeoff and landing characteristics

Extensive wind tunnel testing and Computational Fluid Dynamic analyses led to the optimized aerodynamic configuration.

Features of Flow-field around LCA

Flow field dominated by strong tip vortices formed by separating shear layers Highly nonlinear viscous flow field Flow complexities multiply as the angle of attack increase Beneficial effect : L = Llinear + Lnonlinear Associated unfavourable effects : shock-wave boundary layer interactions vortex breakdown pitch overshoots

Prediction of Flow-field with Weapons

Unstructured grid

Surface pressure distribution

Internal-External Flow

Store Separation Studies

Simulation of trajectory of a missile fired from aircraft

Simulation of trajectory of a bomb

Simulation of drop-tank trajectory

THANK YOU