A new automatic, very efficient method for the analysis of flight flutter testing data

Abstract

This article presents a new data processing method, based on higher order dynamic mode decomposition, to analyze actual flight test experimental data. The new methodology (i) is fast and efficient, (ii) is automatic, (iii) provides a clean spectrum in terms of the frequencies and damping rates of the flutter modes, and (iv) reconstructs the spatial distribution of the modes over the aircraft surface. The method gives useful and interesting information for predicting flutter and is suitable to analyze flight test data in real time.