Aircraft Dynamics-Aerodynamics Aspects and Wind Tunnel Techniques,

The dynamic behaviour of modern fighter aircraft depends much more on the unsteady aerodynamics considerations than in the past. Until quite recently an aircraft designer would display only a passing interest in that subject, concentrating probably on classical problems such as aeroelasticity and flutter. Dynamic stability parameters were most often determined by low angle-of-attack calculation methods, without much recourse to experiments indeed suitable facilities were rather scarce and the priority habitually assigned to dynamic stability testing very low indeed. The results obtained from those few dynamic experiments that were performed were most often used to confirm that there were no particular problems present rather than to be applied as one of the design parameters or inputs. And yet, for most of the aircraft of the past, such a modest level of investment in unsteady aerodynamics and dynamic characteristics of aircraft was, in fact, quite adequate, and many excellent aircraft were successfully designed in this fashion.