Abstract
The determination of structural loads plays an important role in the certification process of new aircraft. Strain gauges are usually used to measure and monitor the structural loads encountered during the flight test program. However, a time-consuming wiring and calibration process is required to determine the forces and moments from the measured strains. Sensors based on MEMS provide an alternative way to determine loads from the measured aerodynamic pressure distribution around the structural component. Flight tests were performed with a research glider aircraft to investigate the flight loads determined with the strain based and the pressure based measurement technology. A wing glove equipped with 64 MEMS pressure sensors was developed for measuring the pressure distribution around a selected wing section. The wing shear force determined with both load determination methods were compared to each other. Several flight maneuvers with varying loads were performed during the flight test program. This paper concentrates on the evaluation of dynamic flight maneuvers including Stalls and Pull-Up Push-Over maneuvers. The effects of changes in the aerodynamic flow characteristics during the maneuver could be detected directly with the pressure sensors based on MEMS. Time histories of the measured pressure distributions and the wing shear forces are presented and discussed.
Highlights
IntroductionTail, fuselage and stabilizer are designed to withstand the forces and moments occurring during flight maneuvers in the designed flight envelope
Aircraft components like wing, tail, fuselage and stabilizer are designed to withstand the forces and moments occurring during flight maneuvers in the designed flight envelope
The pressure measurement technology based on MEMS sensors is evaluated under two aspects: First, the comparison between the shear force determined with the pressure measurements and the one determined with the strain gauges (SG)
Summary
Tail, fuselage and stabilizer are designed to withstand the forces and moments occurring during flight maneuvers in the designed flight envelope. Simulations with structural models are used to calculate the loads acting on each component Validation of these structural models with flight test data is required to successfully satisfy the certification criteria. For this reason, a flight test program is performed with various maneuvers, resulting in loads on the aircraft structure which should be in the admissible operating enveloped. The load model developed during the aircraft certification is important for later operational life. This concerns e.g. the evaluation of structural modifications as well as models for developing individual maintenance plans based on the actual usage of the airframe
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