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Basic Aerodynamics PDF
Basic Aerodynamics PDF
Suppose we have the forces and moments specified about some reference
location for the aircraft, and we want to restate them about some new origin.
~L
N~
Mref
~L
N~
Mnew
xref
xnew
Cm ref
x x
ref
= new
cN
mean
a .c.
CL + CM
new
The Aerodynamic Center is defined as that location xac about which the pitching
moment doesnt change with angle of attack.
How do we find it?
1
Aerodynamic Center
x xref CL CM ac
= ac
+
By definition:
CM ac
=0
Solving for the above
xac xref
c
CM ref CL
=
, or
xac xref
c
CM ref
c
CL
xref
Example:
Consider our AVL calculations for the F-16C
xref = 0 - Moment given about LE
Compute
CM ref
CL
differences. I picked = 30 to = 30 .
x
This gave ac 2.89 .
c
x
CM
Plotting CM vs about ac shows
0.
c
CM
0 @ xac = 2.89 , but
16.100 2002
Aerodynamic Center
Center of pressure is that location where the resultant forces act and about which
the aerodynamic moment is zero.
Changing new to cp and ref to NOSE to correspond to AVL:
CM NOSE
xcp
c
So if:
CM NOSE
xcp xNOSE
C L + C M cp
c
CM NOSE
CL
CM NOSE
,
CL
CL
this will be true. This means that
CM 0 at CL = 0 .
16.100 2002
Cm
-10
-5
-3.5
-3
-2.5
-2
-1.5
-1
-0.5
0.5
1.5
Alpha
10
15
Xref = 0
Xref = Xac = 2.89
20
A.C. (% MAC)
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
0.5
0.6
0.7
0.8
Mach Number
0.9
1.1
1.2
Rigid Wing
Washout Wing
1.3
Wind Tunnel Test Aerodynamic Center Characteristics for Washout and Rigid Wings (Altitude
= 10,000 ft.)