Flight Mechanics

Lecture 26

Aircraft Dynamic Stability

- Flight Modes

Dynamics and Control Laboratory, University of Central Florida

 Flight Mechanics

 This Lecture – longitudinal modes (more)

• Phugoid (long period) motion
• Short period motions

Dynamics and Control Laboratory, University of Central Florida

 Flight Mechanics

 Stick Fixed Longitudinal Motion (Phugoid and short period modes)

 Xu Xw 0 −g 
• Example of the 747 airplane, longitudinal motion  Zu Zw U1 0 
A = 
 −6.8 × 10−3 1.4 × 10−2 0 −3.2 × 101   M u + M w Z u M w + M w Z w M q + M w u0 0
   
−9.1 × 10−2 −3.1 × 10−1 7.7 × 102 0  0 0 1 0
 A=  
 1.2 × 10−4 −1.0 × 10−3 −4.3 × 10−1 0 
 
 0 0 1 0 

λ1,2 =
−0.0033 ± 0.067 j
λ −ξωn ± j ωn 1 − ξ 2 =
= −ξωn ± j ωd
 eig ( A ) 1,2
λ3,4 =
−0.3719 ± 0.888 j

 mode 1: ωn =
λ =
0.067, ωd =
Im(λ ) ==
0.067, ζ − Re(λ ) / ωn =
0.049

 mode 2: ωn = λ = 0.927, ωd = Im(λ ) ==0.888, ζ − Re(λ ) / ωn =

0.386 These are the dominant
2π modes of a longitudinal
T = 93.7 sec
 mode 1, period, long period (phugoid): =
ωd motion
2π
 mode 2, period, short period: T = 7.08 sec
=
ωd
0.693
t1/ 2
 mode 1: time-to-half: = = 211.0sec
ζωn
0.693
t1/ 2
 mode 2: time-to-half: = = 1.8sec
ζωn
Dynamics and Control Laboratory, University of Central Florida
 Flight Mechanics

 Stick Fixed Longitudinal Motion (Phugoid modes)

• Let’s look the simplified equation of motion

 Xu −g
 ∆u     ∆u 
 ∆θ  =  − Z u 0   ∆θ 
 
• Eigenvalue  u0 

λ − Xu g
gZ u
Zu =0 λ 2 − X uλ − 0
=
λ u0
u0

• Roots are eigenvalues:

1st approximation results:
gZ
X u ± X u2 + 4 u
u0 Xu X gZ
λ1,2 = =± ( u )2 + u gZ u
2 2 2 u0 ωn = −
p
u0
Xu X gZ X gZ X u
= ± ( u )2 + u = u ± j − u 1 + ( u )2 0
2 2 u0 2 u0 2 gZ u Xu
ζn = −
p
2ωn p

Dynamics and Control Laboratory, University of Central Florida

 Flight Mechanics

 Stick Fixed Longitudinal Motion (Phugoid modes)

 Xu Xw 0 −g 
1st approximation results: 
 Zu Zw U1 0 
A=
gZ u  M u + M w Z u M w + M w Z w M q + M w u0 0
ω p= −  
 0 0 1 0
u0
X
ζp = − u
2ω p

Test approximations as 747 example at 774 ft/s velocity

=ωn 0.067,
= ζ 0.049
 −6.8 × 10−3 1.4 × 10−2 0 −3.2 × 101 
  g = 32.2
 −9.1 × 10−2 −3.1 × 10−1 7.7 × 102 0 
A= g ( −0.091)
 1.2 × 10−4 −1.0 × 10−3 −4.3 × 10 −1
0  ωp =
− = 0.0615
  774
 0 0 1 0  −0.0068
ζp =
− = 0.055
2 ⋅ 0.0615
 Interesting Aspects:
(1)Subsonic approximation has nothing to do with airplane, so period of phugoid is same for all planes!!!
because it is actually constant energy flight, but gravity causes interchange between kinetic and
potential
(2)Damping ratio is basically inversely proportional to L/D, so high lift wings are good to everything but
phugoid damping

Dynamics and Control Laboratory, University of Central Florida

 Flight Mechanics

Dynamics and Control Laboratory, University of Central Florida

 Flight Mechanics

 Stick Fixed Longitudinal Motion (Short Period Modes)

• Let’s look the equation of motion

 Zα  Zα
1 λ− −1
 ∆α   u0   ∆α  u0
 ∆q  =    =0
   M + M Zα  ∆q Z
 α M q + M α    −( M α + M α α ) λ − ( M q + M α )

α
u0  u0

Zα Z
λ 2 − ( M q + M α + )λ + M q α − M α =
0
u0 u0

Zα Z Z
λsp = ( M q + M α + ) / 2 ± [( M q + M α + α ) 2 − 4( M q α − M α )]1/ 2 / 2
u0 u0 u0

Zα = u0 Z w
Z Z
ωnsp [( M q α − M α )]1/ 2
= ζn −[ M q + M α + α ]/(2ωnsp )
= M α = u0 M w
u0 sp
u0
M α = u0 M w

Dynamics and Control Laboratory, University of Central Florida

 Flight Mechanics

 Stick Fixed Longitudinal Motion (Short Period Modes)

• Let’s look the equation of motion Replace u0 by U1

Zα Zα
ωnsp [( M q
= − M α )]1/ 2 ζn =
−[ M q + M α + ]/(2ωnsp )
u0 sp
u0

Test approximations as 747 example at 774 ft/s velocity

 −6.8 × 10−3 1.4 × 10−2 0 −3.2 × 101 

 −2 
− 9.1 × 10 −3.1 × 10−1 7.7 × 102 0
A=  =ωn 0.927,
= ζ 0.386
 1.2 × 10−4 −1.0 × 10−3 −4.3 × 10−1 0 
 
 0 0 1 0 
 Xu Xw 0 −g 
(0.31)(0.43) 
=ωnsp [(774 0.001)]1/ 2 0.952
− (774)( −= Zu Zw U1 0
774  
M u + M w Z u M w + M w Z w M q + M w U1 0
 
(0.31)  0 0 1 0
ζ n = −[ −0.43 − 0 − 774 ]/[2(0.952)] = 0.389
sp
774 Zα = u0 Z w
M α = u0 M w
M w = 0
M α = u0 M w

Dynamics and Control Laboratory, University of Central Florida

 Flight Mechanics

 Flying Qualities
• The designer is responsible of providing an airplane with optimum performance (safe and easy to fly)
• So, need to know what degree of stability and control is required for the pilot to consider the airplane
safe and flyable

• The flying qualities are specified in terms of three levels

Level 1: Flying qualities clearly adequate for the mission flight phase
Level 2: Flying qualities adequate to accomplish the mission flight phase but with some increase in pilot
workload and / or degradation in mission effectiveness or both
Level 3: Flying qualities such that the airplane can be controlled safely but pilot work load is excessive
and / or mission effectiveness is inadequate or both

• The flying qualities expected by the pilot depend on the type of aircraft and the flight phase

Dynamics and Control Laboratory, University of Central Florida

 Flight Mechanics

• A wide used pilot opinion is Cooper-Harper scale

Dynamics and Control Laboratory, University of Central Florida

 Flight Mechanics

Dynamics and Control Laboratory, University of Central Florida

 Flight Mechanics

 This Lecture – longitudinal modes (more)

• Purely pitch motion

• The Influence of Stability Derivatives On the Longitudinal Modes of Motion

Dynamics and Control Laboratory, University of Central Florida

 Flight Mechanics

 Pure Pitching Motion (this is what you normally can do in wind tunnel)
 Center of gravity is constrained to move in a straight line at constant speed
 The aircraft is free to pitch about its center of gravity

This equation is not derived from the 6DOF equation

∑ pitching moments
= ∑ M
= cg I yθ
Constrained motion
M
= M 0 + ∆M
θ= θ 0 + ∆θ
Due primarily to the interaction of the
wing wake on an aft surface
 The moment is a function of ∆α , ∆α , ∆q , and ∆δ e
∂M ∂M ∂M ∂M
∆M = fn(∆α , ∆α , ∆q, ∆δ e ) ∆M = ∆α + ∆α + ∆q + ∆δ e
∂α ∂α ∂q ∂δ e
 If we align the body and fixed frames so that they coincide at t=0 (this is true only when the c.g. is constrained)

∆α =∆θ
∆θ =∆q =∆α

∂M ∂M ∂M ∂M
∆α + ∆α + ∆q + ∆δ e =I y ∆α
∂α ∂α ∂q ∂δ e

Dynamics and Control Laboratory, University of Central Florida

 Flight Mechanics

 Pure Pitching Moment

∂M ∂M ∂M ∂M
∆α + ∆α + ∆q + ∆δ e =I y ∆α
∂α ∂α ∂q ∂δ e

∂M ∂M ∂M ∂M
∆α + ( + ) ∆α + ∆δ e = I y ∆α ∂M
∂α ∂α ∂q ∂δ e / I y  M α
∂α
∂M
/ Iy  Mq
∂M ∂M ∂M ∂M ∂q
( / I y ) ∆α + [( / Iy) + ( / I y )]∆α + ( / I y ) ∆δ e =∆α
∂α ∂α ∂q ∂δ e ∂M
/ I y  M δe
∂δ e
M α ∆α + ( M α + M q ) ∆α + M δ e ∆δ e =∆α ∂M
/ I y  Mα
∂α

∆α − ( M α + M q ) ∆α − M α ∆α= M δ e ∆δ e

Dynamics and Control Laboratory, University of Central Florida

 Flight Mechanics

 Pure Pitching Moment

∆α − ( M α + M q ) ∆α − M α ∆α= M δ e ∆δ e

• Homogeneous equation
 characteristic equation

λ 2 − ( M α + M q )λ − M α =
0 λ 2 + 2ζωn λ + ωn2 =
0
 undamped natural frequency  damping ratio

ωn= −Mα −( M α + M q )
ζ =
2 −Mα
• Non-homogeneous equation (solution may not be taught in this class)

∆α + 2ζωn ∆α + ωn2 ∆α= M δ e ∆δ e

 Laplace transform
s 2 ∆α ( s ) + 2ζωn s∆α ( s ) + ωn2 ∆α ( s ) =M δ e ∆δ e ( s )
 Transform equation

∆α ( s ) M δe
= 2
∆δ e ( s ) ( s + 2ζωn s + ωn2 )

Dynamics and Control Laboratory, University of Central Florida

 Flight Mechanics

 Pure Pitching Moment

• Non-homogeneous equation
 Transform equation
∆α ( s ) M δe
= 2
∆δ e ( s ) ( s + 2ζωn s + ωn2 )
 Step response

M δe ∆δ e
∆α ( s ) =
( s 2 + 2ζωn s + ωn2 ) s
 Inverse Laplace transform

M δ e ∆δ e ωn2
∆α ( s ) =
ωn
2
s( s 2 + 2ζωn s + ωn2 )
M δ ∆δ e ωn2
∆α (t ) =e 2 L−1[ ]
ωn s( s 2 + 2ζωn s + ωn2 ) Change in trim angle of attack
M δ e ∆δ e ω 2
= − L−1[ n
] M δ e ∆δ e
Mα s( s 2 + 2ζωn s + ωn2 ) ∆α trim 
ωn2
ωn2
= ∆α trim L [ 2
−1
] Check the laplace transfer table
s( s + 2ζωn s + ωn2 )

Dynamics and Control Laboratory, University of Central Florida

 Flight Mechanics

90deg

Dynamics and Control Laboratory, University of Central Florida

 Flight Mechanics

 Influence of Stability Derivatives on the Longitudinal Modes of Motion

 The type of response we obtain from solving the differential equations of motion depends on the
magnitude of the stability coefficients.

 Obviously responses can be changed

1. Control surface position (controls)
2. Wing characteristics (design)
3. Simultaneous --- multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO)

 Influence of stability derivatives on the long- and short- period motions

Stability derivative Mode affected How affected

M q + M α Damping of short-period
mode of motion
Mα Frequency of short-period
mode of motion

Xu Damping of long-period
mode of motion

Zu Frequency of long-period
mode of motion

Dynamics and Control Laboratory, University of Central Florida