ALBERT

Description: In cooperation with personnel from the Boeing ANP Laboratory and NASA Langley, a performance test was conducted using the Reference-H 1.675% model ("NASA Modular Model") without nacelles at the NASA Langley 16-Ft Transonic Tunnel. The main objective of the test was to determine the drag reduction achievable with leading-edge and trailing-edge flaps deflected along the outboard wing span at transonic Mach numbers (M = 0.9 to 1.2) for purpose of preliminary design and for comparison with computational predictions. The obtained drag data with flap deflections for Mach numbers of 1.07 to 1.20 are unique for the Reference H wing. Four leading-edge and two trailing-edge flap deflection angles were tested at a mean-wing chord-Reynolds number of about 5.7 million. An outboard-wing leading-edge flap deflection of 81 provides a 4.5 percent drag reduction at M = 1.2 A = 0.2), and much larger values at lower Mach numbers with larger flap deflections. The present results for the baseline (no flaps deflected) compare reasonably well with previous Boeing and NASA Ref-H tunnel tests, including high-Reynolds number NTF results. Viscous CFD simulations using the OVERFLOW thin-layer N.S. method properly predict the observed trend in drag reduction at M = 1.2 as function of leading-edge flap deflection. Modified linear theory properly predicts the flap effects on drag at subsonic conditions (Aero2S code), and properly predicts the absolute drag for the 40 and 80 leading-edge deflection at M = 1.2 (A389 code).

Description: Fuelled by a need to reduce viscous drag of airframes, significant advances have been made in the last decade to design lifting surface geometries with considerable amounts of laminar flow. In contrast to the present understanding of practical limits for natural laminar flow over lifting surfaces, limited experimental results are available examining applicability of natural laminar flow over axisymmetric and nonaxisymmetric fuselage shapes at relevantly high length Reynolds numbers. The drag benefits attainable by realizing laminar flow over nonlifting aircraft components such as fuselages and nacelles are shown. A flight experiment to investigate transition location and transition mode over the forward fuselage of a light twin engine propeller driven airplane is examined.

Description: Correlation of in-flight boundary-layer transition experiments with linear boundary-layer stability theory contributes both to the validation of the numerical methods as well as the analysis of the measured transition process. Transition results obtained in a recent flight experiment, in which the extent of laminar flow and the transition process on the wing of a business-jet fitted with an instrumented glove section were determined, are analyzed. The experiment was conducted at freestream Mach numbers from 0.55 to 0.82, chord Reynolds numbers from 10 to 20 x 10 to the 6th, and leading-edge sweep angles 17 deg to 20 deg. The growth of both Tollmien-Schlichting and crossflow instabilities are predicted using the e exp n method for several flight conditions and the calculated n-factors at transition onset are correlated. Comparison of the measured dominant boundary-layer disturbance frequencies and the predicted unstable frequencies shows fair agreement for several of the flight conditions studied.

Description: As part of a multiphased program for subsonic transport high-lift flight research, flight tests were conducted on the Transport Systems Research Vehicle (B737-100 aircraft) at the NASA Langley Research Center, to obtain detailed flow characteristics of the high-lift flap system for correlation with computational and wind-tunnel investigations. Pressure distributions, skin friction, and flow-visualization measurements were made on a triple-slotted flap system for a range of flap deflections, chord Reynolds numbers (10 to 21 million), and Mach numbers (0.16 to 0.36). Experimental test results are given for representative flap settings indicating flow separation on the fore-flap element for the largest flap deflection. Comparisons of the in-flight flow measurements were made with predictions from available viscous multielement computational methods modified with simple-sweep theory. Computational results overpredicted the experimentally measured pressures, particularly in the case involving separation of the fore lap, indicating the need for better modeling of confluent boundary layers and three-dimensional sweep effects.

Description: Flight tests are being conducted as part of a multiphased subsonic transport high-lift research project for correlation with ground based wind tunnel and computational results. The NASA Langley TSRV 737-100 airplane is utilized to obtain flow characteristics at full-scale Reynolds numbers to contribute to the knowledge of several dominant high-lift flow issues such as boundary layer transition, confluent boundary layer development, and 3D flow separation. Recent test results obtained for a full-chord wing section including the slat, main-wing, and flap elements are presented.

Description: Three planar, untwisted wings with the same elliptical chord distribution but with different curvatures of the quarter-chord line were tested in the Langley 8-Foot Transonic Pressure Tunnel (8-ft TPT) and the Langley 7- by 10-Foot High-Speed Tunnel (7 x 10 HST). A fourth wing with a rectangular planform and the same projected area and span was also tested. Force and moment measurements from the 8-ft TPT tests are presented for Mach numbers from 0.3 to 0.5 and angles of attack from -4 degrees to 7 degrees. Sketches of the oil-flow patterns on the upper surfaces of the wings and some force and moment measurements from the 7 x 10 HST tests are presented at a Mach number of 0.5. Increasing the curvature of the quarter-chord line makes the angle of zero lift more negative but has little effect on the drag coefficient at zero lift. The changes in lift-curve slope and in the Oswald efficiency factor with the change in curvature of the quarter-chord line (wingtip location) indicate that the elliptical wing with the unswept quarter-chord line has the lowest lifting efficiency and the elliptical wing with the unswept trailing edge has the highest lifting efficiency; the crescent-shaped planform wing has an efficiency in between.

Description: Flight experiments are being conducted as part of a multiphased subsonic transport high-lift research program for correlation with wind-tunnel and computational results. The NASA Langley Transport Systems Research Vehicle (B737-100 aircraft) is used to obtain in-flight flow characteristics at full-scale Reynolds numbers to contribute to the understanding of 3-D high-lift, multi-element flows including attachment-line transition and relaminarization, confluent boundary-layer development, and flow separation characteristics. Flight test results of pressure distributions and skin friction measurements were obtained for a full-chord wing section including the slat, main-wing, and triple-slotted, Fowler flap elements. Test conditions included a range of flap deflections, chord Reynolds numbers (10 to 21 million), and Mach numbers (0.16 to 0.40). Pressure distributions were obtained at 144 chordwise locations of a wing section (53-percent wing span) using thin pressure belts over the slat, main-wing, and flap elements. Flow characteristics observed in the chordwise pressure distributions included leading-edge regions of high subsonic flows, leading-edge attachment-line locations, slat and main-wing cove-flow separation and reattachment, and trailing-edge flap separation. In addition to the pressure distributions, limited skin-friction measurements were made using Preston-tube probes. Preston-tube measurements on the slat upper surface suggested relaminarization of the turbulent flow introduced by the pressure belt on the slat leading-edge surface when the slat attachment line was laminar. Computational analysis of the in-flight pressure measurements using two-dimensional, viscous multielement methods modified with simple-sweep theory showed reasonable agreement. However, overprediction of the pressures on the flap elements suggests a need for better detailed measurements and improved modeling of confluent boundary layers as well as inclusion of three-dimensional viscous effects in the analysis.

Description: The paper concentrates on the computational analysis of both the Tollmien-Schlichting and crossflow-type instabilities using the results of a boundary-layer transition flight experiment on a smooth swept test surface. In addition, the effect of nonadiabatic wall conditions is analyzed using the measured surface temperature distribution on the boundary-layer development and stability growth. The computational methods utilized in analyzing the boundary-layer stability characteristics are discussed: one approach analyzes the Tollmien-Schlichting and crossflow instabilities independently with maximum Tollmien-Schlichting n-factors near nine and maximum crossflow n-factors near six at transition onset for separate cases, while the second approach analyzes the instabilities for maximum growth regardless of the type. As much as a 27-percent increase in n-factor is found at transition onset due to an increased Tollmien-Schlichting instability.

Description: An improvement in the lift and drag characteristics of a lifting surface is achieved by attaching a serrated panel to the trailing edge of the lifting surface. The serrations may have a saw-tooth configuration, with a 60 degree included angle between adjacent serrations. The serrations may vary in shape and size over the span-wise length of the lifting surface, and may be positioned at fixed or adjustable deflections relative to the chord of the lifting surface.

Description: A NASA-sponsored flight experiment program has been conducted with a twin-engined, propeller-driven general aviation aircraft, in order to ascertain the transition location and mode over the nonaxisymmetric fuselage forebody. Attention is given to the transition instrumentation layout and the flight test plan matrix. The results obtained for transition in varying freestream and propeller conditions will furnish insights into transition mechanisms and the significance of crossflow instability during transition in realistic nonaxisymmetric fuselage forebodies at angles of attack and sideslip.