Accession Number:

ADA478854

Title:

Demonstrative Maneuvers for Aircraft Agility Predictions

Descriptive Note:

Master's Thesis, Sep 2007-Mar 2008

Corporate Author:

AIR FORCE INST OF TECH WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB OH DEPT OF AERONAUTICS AND ASTRONAUTICS

Personal Author(s):

• Hall, David M.

Report Date:

2008-03-01

Pagination or Media Count:

112.0

Abstract:

This study was motivated by a need to develop a reliable method of predicting the agility characteristics of various aircraft. To fully investigate the agility of an aircraft, maneuvers which push the limits of an aircrafts maneuvering capabilities must be simulated. In these cases, classic trajectory optimization techniques either require too many assumptions for a realistic solution or require a good guess of the final solution before the problem is even attempted. This study investigated both the utility of pseudospectral optimization methods for robust trajectory optimization as well as the potential for demonstrating differences in aircraft agility characteristics of several specific maneuvers. Three variations of a basic F-16 mathematical model were simulated for various maneuvers specifically designed to demonstrate aircraft maneuvering limits.

Descriptors:

• *MANEUVERABILITY
• *AIRCRAFT
• *MANEUVERS
• OPTIMIZATION
• TRAJECTORIES
• RELIABILITY
• SOLUTIONS(GENERAL)
• LIMITATIONS

Subject Categories:

• Aerodynamics
• Aircraft

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE