Effects of nonlinear unsteady aerodynamics on performance, stability and control of an F-18 configuration

Large-amplitude forced oscillation data for an F-18 configuration are analyzed with two modeling methods: Fourier functional analysis to form the indicial integrals, and a generalized dynamic aerodynamic model for stability and control analysis. The indicial integral is first applied to calculate the pitch damping parameter for comparison with the conventional forced oscillation test. It is shown that the reduced frequency affects the damping much more strongly than the test amplitude. Using the indicial integral models in a flight simulation code for an F-18 configuration, it is found that the configuration with unsteady aerodynamics becomes unstable in pitch if the pitch rate is high, in contrast to the quasi-steady configuration which depends mainly on the instantaneous angle of attack. In a pitch-up maneuver in the post-stall regime the configuration with unsteady aerodynamics can stay at a high pitch attitude and angle of attack without losing altitude for a much longer duration than the quasi-steady model. However, the speed will decrease faster because of higher drag.; The newly developed generalized dynamic aerodynamic model is of the nonlinear algebraic form with the coefficients being determined from a set of large amplitude oscillatory experimental data by using least-square fitting. The resulting model coefficients are functions of the reduced frequency and amplitude. The new aerodynamic models have been verified with data in harmonic oscillation with a smaller amplitude and in constant pitch-rate motions. The new algebraic models are especially useful in stability and control analysis, and are used in bifurcation analysis and control studies for the same F-18 HARV configuration. The results show significant differences in the equilibrium surfaces and dynamic stability. It is also shown that control gains developed with the conventional quasi-steady aerodynamic data may not be adequate when the effect of unsteady aerodynamics is significant.; A numerical longitudinal pilot-induced oscillation (PIO) prediction method is developed. This method is based on modeling the PIO phenomena as limit cycle oscillations and the pilot action as feedback control. Not only the PIO susceptibility but also the PIO severity can be predicted by using the proposed method.