Department of Mechanical Engineering, Unit Catalogue 2009/10 |
ME30041: Aircraft stability & control |
 Credits:
| 6 |
| Level:
| Honours |
| Period: | Semester 1 |
| Assessment:
| CW 15%, EX 85% |
| Supplementary Assessment: | ME30041 - Re-assessment (where allowed by programme regulations) |
| Requisites:
| Before taking this unit you must take ME20022 |
| Description: | Aims: * To give an understanding of the principles of aircraft stability and the significance of the permitted centre of gravity limits which must be considered when loading an aircraft. * To enable the student to understand and analyse both flight test and wind tunnel results pertaining to aircraft static stability. Learning Outcomes: After taking this unit the student should be able to: * Estimate stability margins for any given conventional or tail-less aircraft. * Analyse and interpret both wind tunnel and flight test results concerned with aircraft static stability and trim. Skills: Problem solving; numeracy; working independently. Content: Rigid aircraft behaviour. Basic specification of forces and moment on an aircraft. Properties of aerofoils and controls. Static stability criterion. Static and manoeuvre margins, both stick fixed and stick free. Flight test measurements and wind tunnel analysis. Springs and weights in the elevator circuit. Power assistance for the pilot and artificial feel. Dynamic stability: an introduction. Stability derivatives. Topics for self study that could be examined. |