AERO2356 Assignment 1: Aircraft Longitudinal Stability
AERO2356 Flight Mechanics
Assignment 1
Aircraft Longitudinal Stability and Control (50 marks)
This Assignment worth 15% of the total AERO2356 course assessment
AERO2356 Assignment 1: Aircraft Longitudinal Stability
In all questions, please, explain your solution (in words), write corresponding equations (not just
answers) and indicate what is what. Please, calculate all relevant moments, not only coefficients,
and also, please, calculate distances in % and in meters.
Question A1
A wing-body model is tested in a wind tunnel with a flow of 120 m/s at standard sea-level
conditions. The wing area is 2 m2 and the mean aerodynamic chord length is 0.45 m. Measurements
of lift force, L, and moment about the centre of gravity, MCG are made using the wind tunnel force
balance.
A1(a) 6 marks
When the lift is zero, the moment about the centre of gravity is measured to be,
M CG = sum(student_number)/2 Nm.
At another angle of attack, the force balance measurements give, L = (first 4 digits of student
number) N and MCG = 20.67 Nm.
Calculate the location of the aerodynamic centre (illustrate your solution), and the moment
coefficient about the aerodynamic centre.
A1(b) 4 marks
A lead mass is added to the rear of the model which moves the centre of gravity rearward by 20% of
the mean wing chord. Calculate MCG when L = 4000 N.
A1(c) 15 marks
The lead mass is removed and a horizontal tail without an elevator is added to the model. The
distance from the airplane centre of gravity to the aerodynamic centre of the tail is 1.0 m. The area
of the tail is 0.4 m2 and the tail-setting angle is -2.0°. The tail has a lift-curve slope of 0.12 per degree.
Experimental measurements give the downwash in terms of angle of attack,
ε /α= sum(student_number)/100, i.e. the downwash is zero for zero angle of attack, ε0 = 0 For the
case where the angle of attack, α = 5.0°, and the lift, L= 4134 N:
1) Calculate MCG (6.5 marks)
2) Determine whether the model possesses longitudinal static stability. Calculate M0 (4.5
marks)
3) Calculate the location of the neutral point and the static margin if h = 0.26. Illustrate
your solution (4 marks)
A1(d) 8 marks
An elevator is added to the horizontal tail with the property 𝜕𝐶𝐿𝑇 /𝜕𝛿𝐸 =0.04 per degree. In two
ways calculate the elevator deflection angle required to trim the aircraft at an angle of attack of 8.0°.
Via C_M_ac and via C_M0. Answer must be the same of course.
AERO2356 Assignment 1: Aircraft Longitudinal Stability
A1(e) 17 mark
A Fokker 70 aircraft is trimmed for steady level flight at a speed of 200 m/s at an altitude of 10,000
m above sea level.
a1=sum(student_number)/10 per rad.
Relevant characteristics of the aircraft are tabulated below:
1) Calculate the lift coefficient of the aircraft. (2 marks)
2) Calculate the lift coefficient of the tailplane. (3 marks)
3) Calculate the lift force produced by the tailplane. (Assume dynamic pressure is same at
tail and wing) (2 marks)
4) Determine angle of attack of the tailplane with the tab undeflected. (5 marks)
5) Determine the elevator angle required to trim the aircraft with the tab undeflected. (3
marks)
6) Determine the stick position required to trim the aircraft with the tab undeflected. (2
marks)
