This paper presents an aeromechanics investigation of tiltrotor aircraft through the conversion regime of flight. The effects of the rotors-on-wing, rotors-on-empennage and wing-on-empennage interactions were investigated singularly and collectively to assess their impacts on trim behaviour, performance and conversion boundaries. The rotors-on-wing download was found to be dominant in the prediction

On the basis of air heater characteristics, a new computational model was developed in this paper, which was aimed at investigating acoustics and instabilities in air heaters. This model included the effects of mean flow, viscosity, entropy waves, non-linear acoustics and realistic boundary conditions. In addition, it was practical for air heaters with hundreds of injectors, complex configurations

This paper proposes an alternating elliptical impingement chamber in the leading edge of a gas turbine to restrain the cross flow and enhance the heat transfer, and investigates the detailed flow and heat transfer characteristics. The chamber consists of straight sections and transition sections. Numerical simulations are performed by solving the three-dimensional (3D) steady Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes

During early phases of wing design, analytic and low-fidelity methods are often used to identify promising design concepts. In many cases, solutions obtained using these methods provide intuition about the design space that is not easily obtained using higher-fidelity methods. This is especially true for aerostructural design. However, many analytic and low-fidelity aerostructural solutions are limited

This paper proposes a procedure to improve the accuracy of the light aircraft 6 DOF simulation model by implementing model tuning and aerodynamic database correction using flight test data. In this study, the full-scale flight testing of a 2-seater aircraft has been performed in specific longitudinal manoeuver for model enhancement and simulation validation purposes. The baseline simulation model database

This paper develops a three-dimensional guidance and control algorithm to ensure that a manoeuverable target is preserved by a quadrotor in a long-term tracking scenario. The proposed guidance approach determines the desired altitude of the quadrotor to adjust the field of view (FOV) to the union of two desired trusted and critical regions. The dimensions of the desired trusted region depend on the

Most modern aircraft employ discrete ailerons for roll control. The induced drag, rolling moment, and yawing moment for an aircraft depend in part on the location and size of the ailerons. In the present study, lifting-line theory is used to formulate theoretical relationships between aileron design and the resulting forces and moments. The theory predicts that the optimum aileron geometry is independent

Active flow control for aerofoils has been proven to be an effective way to improve the aerodynamic performance of aircraft. A conceptual hybrid design with surfaces embedded with Shape-Memory Alloy (SMA) and trailing Macro Fibre Composites (MFC) is proposed to implement active flow control for aerofoils. A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model has been built to explore the feasibility and potential

In this paper we present a novel approach to calculate Block Time and Fuel (BTF) consumed for an aircraft model during a flight. The BTF model computes the ground distance between the origin and destination airports, derives the flight’s cruise altitude and by integrating two institutional data sets calculates the duration and the fuel consumed for the whole of taxi-out, take-off, climb, cruise, descent

With the development of China’s economy, China’s aviation market has expanded, and related industries have also developed rapidly. For the long-term development of the industry, many countries and enterprises began to make demand forecasts with different levels for the product market. The same is true for China’s civil aircraft-related industries. There are a variety of predictive models, but not all

The full-wing solar-powered UAV has a large aspect ratio, special configuration, and excellent aerodynamic performance. This UAV converts solar energy into electrical energy for level flight and storage to improve endurance performance. The UAV only uses a differential throttle for lateral control, and the insufficient control capability during crosswind landing results in a large lateral distance

The design and development of Stratospheric Airships for High-Altitude Long-Endurance missions (HALESAs) has generated interest worldwide. Conventional airships usually have a single-lobed axisymmetrical envelope shape. In contrast, several non-axisymmetric envelope configurations have been proposed for the HALESAs, such as flattened single lobed and multi lobed. This paper describes a methodology

New alternative jet fuels have provided many advantages in the aviation industry, especially in terms of economics and environment. However, fuel–seal compatibility is one of the major issues that restricts alternative fuel advancement into the market. Thus, to help understand and solve the problem, this study examines the swelling effect of prepared and non-prepared O-rings in different fuels and

Particulate deposits in aero-engine turbines change the profile of blades, increase the blade surface roughness and block internal cooling channels and film cooling holes, which generally leads to the degradation of aerodynamic and cooling performance. To reveal particle deposition effects in the turbine, unsteady simulations were performed by investigating the migration patterns and deposition characteristics

The addition of wedge-like fairings onto the side of missiles and space launch vehicles, to shield devices such as cameras and reaction jet nozzles, creates additional drag, particularly when in supersonic and hypersonic freestream flow. An experimental and computational study was performed to obtain aerodynamic data on simple representative configurations to test the accuracy of simple theories for

Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) are believed by many to be the future of aerial strike/reconnaissance capability. This belief led to the design of the UCAV 1303 by Boeing Phantom Works and the US Airforce Lab in the late 1990s. Because UCAV 1303 is expected to take on a wide range of mission roles that are risky for human pilots, it needs to be highly adaptable. Geometric morphing can provide

In this study, prediction of aircraft Estimated Time of Arrival (ETA) is proposed using machine learning algorithms. Accurate prediction of ETA is important for management of delay and air traffic flow, runway assignment, gate assignment, collaborative decision making (CDM), coordination of ground personnel and equipment, and optimisation of arrival sequence etc. Machine learning is able to learn from

The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) audits its Member States for safety oversight and monitors its Effective Implementation (EI). The global average EI was 68.83% in 2019, with 46% audited Member States achieving 75% EI (2022 target); however, an ICAO (2016 – 2018) audit highlighted six Annex 13 non-compliance issues. One issue was that more than 60% of Member States do not have a

The use of a submerged inlet is advantageous in modern aircrafts because of its low drag resistance, small radar cross section and ease of maintenance. Although it is well known that the forebody boundary layer deteriorates the aerodynamic performance of a submerged inlet, the level of impact has not yet been fully quantified. To quantify the forebody boundary-layer effect, a submerged diverter was

This paper presents a new flight trajectory optimisation method, based on genetic algorithms, where the selected optimisation criterion is the minimisation of the total cost. The candidate flight trajectories evaluated in the optimisation process are defined as flight plans with two components: a lateral flight plan (the set of geographic points that define the flight trajectory track segments) and

Dry wind-tunnel (DWT) flutter test systems model the unsteady distributed aerodynamic force using various electromagnetic exciters. They can be used to test the aeroelastic and aeroservoelastic stability of smart aircraft or high-speed flight vehicles. A new parameterised modelling method at the full system level based on the generalised force equivalence for DWT flutter systems is proposed herein

The rotating instability in a contra-rotating axial flow compressor is investigated by experiments. Twenty-four pressure sensors were installed on the casing to capture the unsteady flow in the rotor tip region simultaneously. A double-phase-locking technique suitable for the contra-rotating compressor was proposed to characterise the static pressure contours of the rotor tip. The mean and root-mean-square

The importance of fuel injection methods and their atomisation characteristics has been well described in literature. Also, there are a large number of studies in literature detailing the impact of bulk properties of conventional fuels on atomisation and spray characteristics. However, there is a lack of knowledge on how different alternative fuels, and specifically aromatic species, impact spray and

A multi-agent engagement scenario is considered in which a high-value aircraft launches two defenders to intercept two homing missiles aimed at the aircraft. Under the assumption that all aircrafts have first-order linear dynamic characteristics, a combined multiple-mode adaptive estimation (MMAE) and a two-way cooperative optimal guidance law are proposed for the target–defenders team. Considering

This paper presents a performance analysis on a novel engine concept, currently under development, in order to achieve hybrid air-breathing rocket technology. A component-level approach has been developed to simulate the performance of the engine at Mach 5, and the thermodynamic interaction of the different working fluids has been analysed. The bypass ramjet duct has also been included in the model

Carrier-based unmanned aerial aircraft (UAV) structure is subjected to severe tensile load during takeoff, especially the drawbar, which affects its fatigue performance and structural safety. However, the complex structural features pose great challenges for the engineering design. Considering this situation, a structural design, fatigue analysis, and parameters optimisation joint working platform

Real-time flight data from the Automatic Dependent Surveillance–Broadcast (ADS-B) has been integrated, through a data interface, with a flight performance computer program to predict aviation emissions at altitude. The ADS-B, along with data from Mode-S, are then used to ‘fly’ selected long-range aircraft models (Airbus A380-841, A330-343 and A350-900) and one turboprop (ATR72). Over 2,500 flight trajectories

Flight delays may be decreased in a predictable way if the Weibull wind speed parameters of a runway, which are an important aspect of safety during the take-off and landing phases of aircraft, can be determined. One aim of this work is to determine the wind profile of Hasan Polatkan Airport (HPA) as a case study. Numerical methods for Weibull parameter determination perform better when the average

A state-of-the-art review of all the developments, standards and regulations associated with the use of major unmanned aircraft systems under development is presented. Requirements and constraints are identified by evaluating technologies specific to urban air mobility, considering equivalent levels of safety required by current and future civil aviation standards. Strategies, technologies and lessons

Emergency search and rescue on the sea is an important part of national emergency response for marine perils. Optimal route planning for maritime search and rescue is the key capability to reduce the searching time, improve the rescue efficiency, as well as guarantee the rescue target’s safety of life and property. The main scope of the searching route planning is to optimise the searching time and

A simple yet physically comprehensive and accurate method for the estimation of the cruise fuel burn rate of turbofan powered transport aircraft operating in a general atmosphere was developed in part 1. The method is built on previously published work showing that suitable normalisation reduces the governing relations to a set of near-universal curves. However, to apply the method to a specific aircraft

Turbulence and gusts cause variations in the aerodynamic forces and moments applied to the structure of aircraft, resulting in passenger discomfort and dynamic loads on the structure that it must be designed to support. By designing Gust Load Alleviation (GLA) systems, two objectives can be achieved: first, realizing higher passenger comfort; and second, reducing the dynamic structural loads, which

In the development process of high-speed aircraft, the head of the aircraft is subject to high temperatures and high speed flows, supporting the maximum heat flow and thus requiring a reliable cooling system. A new type of head cooling system is proposed herein. An internal flow channel model of the heat transfer in a ball head made from high-temperature alloy steel is constructed, then an experimental

Air traffic controller training is highly regulated but lacks prescribed common assessment criteria and methods to evaluate trainees at the level of basic training and consideration of how trainees in fluence flight efficiency. We investigated whether there is a correlation between two parameters, viz. the trainees’ assessment score and fuel consumption, obtained and calculated after real-time human-in-the-loop

This paper presents a framework to support decision-making in aircraft conceptual design optimisation under uncertainty. Emphasis is given to graphical visualisation methods capable of providing holistic yet intuitive relationships between design, objectives, feasibility and uncertainty spaces. Two concepts are introduced to allow interactive exploration of the effects of (1) target probability of

Accurate navigation is required in many Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) applications. In recent years, GNSS Precise Point Positioning (PPP) has been recognised as an efficient approach for providing precise positioning services. In contrast to the widely used Real-Time Kinematic (RTK), PPP is independent of reference stations, which greatly broadens its scope of application. However, the accuracy and

Visualising the loads that a structure can tolerate provides a key insight into the structural design process, especially for materials and structures that are governed by complex failure criteria. This paper proposes a general method for efficient construction of performance envelopes in load space, and demonstrates the approach with two examples. The performance envelope identifies all possible failure

For advanced operational aircraft, the two-dimensional (2-D) thrust-vectoring (TV) nozzle effectively improves the flight mobility and post-stall manoevrability. However, its flow capacity decreases when deflecting and cooling air is injected, which impacts the engine’s operating state, including decreasing the fan surge margin and increasing the turbine inlet temperature. Therefore, in order to improve

Aileron to Rudder Interconnect (ARI) gain is implemented on most fighter aircraft, primarily to reduce the side slip produced due to adverse yaw from pilot lateral control stick input and to improve the turn rate response. A systematic and non-iterative design procedure for ARI gain is proposed herein based on the evaluation of a transfer function magnitude at the aircraft roll mode frequency. The

In this paper, recent developments in quasi-3D aerodynamic methods are presented. At their core, these methods are based on the lifting-line theory and vortex lattice method, but with a relaxed set of hypotheses, while also considering the effect of viscosity (to a certain degree) by introducing a strong non-linear coupling with two-dimensional viscous aerofoil aerodynamics. These methods can provide

A trajectory optimisation procedure is addressed to generate a reference trajectory for Satellite Launch Vehicles (SLVs). Using a grid-based discrete scheme, a Modified Minimum Cost Network Flow (MCNF)-based algorithm over a large-scale network is proposed. By using the network grid around the Earth and the discrete dynamic equations of motion, the optimum trajectory from a launch point to the desired

In conventional linear parameter-varying (LPV) modelling and gain scheduling control design for turbojet engines, the linearisation is performed at a set of equilibrium points, and the validity of such LPV models is ensured near the equilibria. However, the linear model can only provide an approximate description of the engine’s state when the system operates away from equilibrium. In this paper, it

Shock control bumps can be used to control and weaken the shock waves that form on engine intakes at high angles of attack. In this paper, it is demonstrated how shock control bumps applied to an engine intake can reduce or eliminate shock-induced separation at high incidence, and also increase the incidence at which critical separation occurs. Three-dimensional Reynolds-average Navier–Stokes (RANS)

To establish flutter onset boundaries on the flight envelope, it is required to determine the flutter onset dynamic pressure. Proper selection of a flight flutter prediction technique is vital to flutter onset speed prediction. Several methods are available in literature, starting with those based on velocity damping, envelope functions, flutter margin, discrete-time Autoregressive Moving Average (ARMA)

A formation control and obstacle avoidance algorithm has been introduced in this paper for the V-shape formation flight of fixed-wing UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) using the potential functions method. An innovative vector approach has been suggested to fix the conventional challenge in employing the artificial potential field (APF) approach (the creation of local minimums). A method called variable

Research on flight emissions at airports is very important for environmental policymaking. This study analysed the trend of aircraft air pollutant emissions at mainland China airports from 1990 to 2017, mainly focusing on standard landing and take-off (LTO) cycles. Total flight movements increased 29-fold from 1990 to 2017 at Chinese airports. Over the same period, the emissions of NOx, SOx, CO, hydrocarbons

Aircraft performance parameters play a critical role in maintaining economic and environmental sustainability in aviation. Furthermore, the ability to calculate aircraft performance parameters accurately for the cruise range contributes to aviation in areas such as the preliminary design of aircraft and air traffic management. This study is focused on cruise range performance, as this is critical to

A contra-rotating fan offers several aerodynamic advantages that make it a potential candidate for future aircraft engine configurations. Stall in a contra-rotating axial fan is interesting since instabilities could arise from either or both of the rotors. In this experimental study, a contra-rotating axial fan is analysed under clean or distorted inflow conditions to understand its performance and

The stability and control derivatives are essential parameters in the flight operation of aircraft, and their determination is a routine task using classical parameter estimation methods based on maximum likelihood and least-squares principles. At high angle-of-attack, the unsteady aerodynamics may pose difficulty in aerodynamic structure determination, hence data-driven methods based on artificial

A first attempt is made to use recently developed, non-conventional Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models with Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), Radial Basis Function (RBF) and Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Interference System (ANFIS) architectures to predict the fuel flow rate of a commercial aircraft using real data obtained from Flight Data Records (FDRs) of the cruise, climb and descent phases. The training

Accurate prediction of supersonic and hypersonic turbulent flows is essential to the design of high-speed aerospace vehicles. Such flows are mainly predicted using the Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) approach in general, and in particular turbulence models using the effective viscosity approximation. Several terms involving the turbulent kinetic energy (k) appear explicitly in the RANS equations

Stratospheric airships are promising aircraft, usually designed as a non-rigid airship. As an essential part of the non-rigid airship, the envelope plays a significant role in maintaining its shape and bearing the external force load. Generally, the envelope material of a flexible airship consists of plain-weave fabric, composed of warp and weft fibre yarn. At present, biaxial tensile experiments are

Recent research on Flight-deck Interval Management (FIM), a modern technology for increasing safety and improving airspace and runway utilisation through self-spacing, has led to the development of a new rule-based logic for FIM, namely Interval Management – Speed Planning (IM-SP). In an initial benchmark study, IM-SP showed good spacing performance with a significant reduction in speed commands, a

Microwaves are a form of electromagnetic radiation commonly used for telecommunications, navigation and food processing. More recently microwave technologies have found applications in fibre-reinforced polymer composites, which are increasingly used in aircraft structures. Microwave energy can be applied with low power (up to milliwatts) for non-destructive testing and high power (up to kilowatts)

Multi-dimensional aerodynamic database technology is widely used, but its model often has the curse of dimensionality. In order to solve this problem, we need projection to reduce the dimension. In addition, due to the lack of traditional method, we have improved the traditional flow field reconstruction method based on artificial neural networks, and we proposed an array neural network method. In

This study investigates and proposes a fire detection and suppression system for a smart air cargo container. A series of smoke spread and fire evolution numerical models are executed to assess the performance of container-based fire detection in various fire scenarios. This is to identify the worst case and optimise the location and threshold setting of fire detection sensors, achieving the shortest

To improve the endurance performance of long-endurance Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), a smart morphing method to adjust the UAV and flight mode continuously during flight is proposed. Using this method as a starting point, a smart morphing long-endurance UAV design is conducted and the resulting improvement in the endurance performance studied. Firstly, the initial overall design of the smart morphing

In this article, we investigate the horizontal trajectory tracking problem for an underactuated stratospheric airship subject to nonvanishing external disturbances and model uncertainties. By transforming the tracking errors into new virtual error variables, we can specify the transient and steady-state tracking performance of the resulting nonlinear system quantitatively, which means that under the

Targeting higher efficiencies and lower fuel consumption of turbomachines, heat transfer and profile loss are research topics of particular interest. In contrast to that, the interaction of both was, so far, rarely investigated, but gains in importance in recent research activities. The profile loss of engine components can be characterised by the airfoil wakes at the blade rows utilising established

One of today’s most propitious immersive technologies is virtual reality (VR). This term is colloquially associated with headsets that transport users to a bespoke, built-for-purpose immersive 3D virtual environment. It has given rise to the field of immersive analytics—a new field of research that aims to use immersive technologies for enhancing and empowering data analytics. However, in developing