AE 2861 Homework 10 Assigned – 1 Dec 2021

Due – 8 Dec 2021

YOU MUST SHOW ALL WORK

1. Consider a conventional airplane model (having a wing, horizontal tail, and fuselage). It is
tested in a wind tunnel at sea-level standard conditions and at a flight velocity of 100 m/s.

• Tail characteristics: The distance from the tail aerodynamic center to the cg of the
vehicle is 1 m, planform area of the tail is 0.4 m2, and the tail is set such that the angle
between tail zero lift line and wing zero line it = 2 degrees. The tail has a lift curve slope
!"
of 0.12 per degree. Estimates of 𝜀! and are 0 and 0.42, respectively. Tail elevator is
!#
locked.
• Wing characteristics: Wing is 1.5 m2 in planform area, chord is 0.45 m.
• Other vehicle characteristics: Moment coefficient about the center of gravity when the
model without a tail (i.e., just the wing-fuselage) is at zero angle of attack is measured
as -0.003. The aerodynamic center of the wing-fuselage lies 0.02 chord lengths ahead
(forward of) the center of gravity.

a) When this model (without a tail, i.e., just the wing-fuselage) is put at an absolute angle
of attack of 5 degrees the lift is measured as 4134 N. At this same angle of attack of 5
degrees, calculate the moment about the center of gravity that this vehicle (complete
vehicle - with tail included) experiences.

b) Does this vehicle (complete vehicle – with tail) have longitudinal (pitch) static stability
and balance? (Show why or why not).

c) Find the neutral point and the static margin of the vehicle (complete vehicle) if the
center of gravity is 26% of a chord length aft of (behind) the wing leading edge.

2. Consider an aerospace vehicle in stable, equilibrium flight. This vehicle has the following
characteristics:

• Weight = 22,000 N
• Moment coefficient about aerodynamic center, wing body, Cmac,wb = -0.03
• Lift curve slope of tail at = 0.12/deg
• h-hac,wb = 0.02
• The distance between vehicle cg and tail aerodynamic center lt = 6.5m
• Wing planform area = 20.6 m2 (rectangular wing)
• Tail planform area = 5 m2
• Wing span = 12.0 m (rectangular wing)
!"
• = 0.35
!#
 !"
• = 0 degrees
!#
• αe (equilibrium angle of attack) = 6.0 degrees
• Flight velocity, 𝑉∞ = 50.0 m/s
• Free stream density 𝜌∞ = 1.225 kg/m3

a) Find the required tail setting angle it for this vehicle, based on the given information.
b) What is the static margin of the vehicle?
c) How far back (towards rear of vehicle) must the center of gravity (cg) be moved for this
vehicle to have neutral stability? Give your answer 0 in meters.