Study on the affecting factors of bow wave effect modeling in hose-drogue refueling system

Abstract

In the docking process of aerial refueling hose-drogue system, the bow wave effect of an approaching receiver aircraft will produce a strong aerodynamic effect on the drogue which intensify the deviation of drogue and increase the difficulty of the coupling. This paper presents a receiver aircraft’s bow wave effect modeling method previously developed by the authors is continued to study, which based on potential flow theory and considers the major shape characteristics of the receiver aircraft. This method is used in a simulation system, which combined with the hose-drogue dynamic model and tanker downwash model. The model of the receiver aircraft, which includes the fuselage, cockpit, main wing and other structural factors, is simulated respectively. The motion law of drogue under different bow wave model is analyzed. The results show that the fuselage, cockpit and main wing structure have significant influence on the bow wave effect.