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002 Chapter 1 L2

This document discusses the concepts of static and dynamic stability in aircraft flight dynamics. It defines static stability as a system returning to its original position after a small disturbance, while dynamic stability requires the system to eventually return through potentially oscillating motions. Static stability is assessed by immediate forces and moments after disturbance, while dynamic stability requires analyzing subsequent motions using equations of motion. The document then provides examples of static and dynamic stability classifications and reiterates key terms like body axes systems, attitude, angle of attack, and angle of sideslip used in flight dynamics analysis.

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Ιωάννης Γεωργίου Μάντης
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87 views10 pages

002 Chapter 1 L2

This document discusses the concepts of static and dynamic stability in aircraft flight dynamics. It defines static stability as a system returning to its original position after a small disturbance, while dynamic stability requires the system to eventually return through potentially oscillating motions. Static stability is assessed by immediate forces and moments after disturbance, while dynamic stability requires analyzing subsequent motions using equations of motion. The document then provides examples of static and dynamic stability classifications and reiterates key terms like body axes systems, attitude, angle of attack, and angle of sideslip used in flight dynamics analysis.

Uploaded by

Ιωάννης Γεωργίου Μάντης
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Flight dynamics II

Stability and control

Prof. E.G. Tulapurkara

Chapter 1
Lecture 2
Introduction - 2
Topics
1.3.3 Static stability and dynamic stability
1.3.4 Recapitulation of some terms body axes system, earth fixed axes
systems, attitude, angle of attack and angle of sideslip

1.3.3 Static stability and dynamic stability


In the cases illustrated by Fig.1.6 a, b, c and d, it is observed that, as
soon as the the system is disturbed, it tends to return to the undisturbed position.
Such systems are called statically stable.
For the case in Fig.1.6e, the tendency of the system, immediately after
the disturbance, is to turn away from the equilibrium position. Such a system is
said to be statically unstable.
When the tendency of the system, after the disturbance, is to stay in the
disturbed position, then it is said to have neutral static stability.
Even when the system has a tendency to go towards the undisturbed position
(cases 1.6a, b, c and d), it may not return to the equilibrium position as in the
cases shown in Fig.1.6 b & c namely divergent oscillation and undamped
oscillation. Only when the system finally returns to the equilibrium position, the
system is said to be dynamically stable. Otherwise, it is dynamically unstable.
With this criterion, the damped oscillation and subsidence are the only
dynamically stable cases.
Remarks:
i) The definitions of the terms static stability and dynamic stability are as follows:
Static Stability: A system is said to be statically stable when a small disturbance
causes forces and moments that tend to move the system towards its
undisturbed position. If the forces and moments tend to move the system away

Dept. of Aerospace Engg., IIT Madras

Flight dynamics II
Stability and control

Prof. E.G. Tulapurkara

from the equilibrium position, then the system is said to be statically unstable. In
the case of a system having neutral static stability, no forces or moments are
created as a result of the disturbance.
Dynamic Stability: A system is said to be dynamically stable if it eventually
returns to the original equilibrium position after being disturbed by a small
disturbance.
ii) It is obvious from the above discussion that for a system to be dynamically
stable, it must be statically stable. Table 1.1 categories the cases in Fig.1.6 as
regards the static stability and dynamic stability.
Case
Damped oscillation
Divergent oscillation
Undamped oscillation
Subsidence
Divergence
Neutral stability

Figure
1.6a
1.6b
1.6c
1.6d
1.6e
1.6f

Static stability
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
No
No

Dynamic stability
Yes
No
No
Yes
No
No

Table 1.1 Static and dynamic stability


iii) The distinction between static stability and dynamic stability is of special
significance in aeronautical applications as the analysis of static stability is much
simpler than that of the dynamic stability. This can be explained as follows.
The disturbance to an airplane in flight due to a gust may change its angle of
attack () or sideslip () or bank ( ) or the thrust output. Now, these changes
may produce changes in aerodynamic forces and moments. If these forces and
moments tend to bring the airplane to the original state, then the airplane is
statically stable. Thus, to assess the static stability, one needs only to examine
the aerodynamic / propulsive forces and moments brought about at the time the
disturbance is applied. On the other hand, to examine the dynamic stability of the
airplane, one has to consider the subsequent motion which involves
accelerations and hence, the inertia forces. Further, the dynamic stability
analysis requires solution of the equations of motion taking into account the
changes, with time, in aerodynamic forces and moments due to changes in ,,

Dept. of Aerospace Engg., IIT Madras

Flight dynamics II
Stability and control

Prof. E.G. Tulapurkara

, and the linear and angular velocities etc. of the airplane. These quantities

denoting changes in aerodynamic forces and moments due to aforesaid changes


are called aerodynamic / stability derivatives. Hence, in aeronautical engineering
practice first the static stability is ensured by providing adequate areas of
horizontal tail and vertical tail and the dihedral angle. Subsequently, the dynamic
stability analysis is carried out to ensure that there is adequate damping.

1.3.4 Recapitulation of some terms body axes system, earth fixed axes
system, attitude, angle of attack and angle of sideslip
At this stage a brief discussion on body axes system, attitude, angle of
attack and angle of sideslip would be helpful and is reproduced here, from flight
dynamics-I, for ready reference.
I) Body axes system
To formulate and solve a problem in dynamics we need a system of axes.
To define such a system, we note that an airplane is nearly symmetric in
geometry and mass distribution about a plane which is called the plane of
symmetry (Fig.1.7). This plane is used for defining the body axes system. Figure
1.8 shows a system of axes (OXbYbZb) fixed on the airplane which moves with
the airplane and hence called body axes system. The origin O of the body axes
system is the center of gravity (c.g.) of the body which, by assumption of
symmetry, lies in the plane of symmetry. The axis OXb is taken as positive in the
forward direction. The axis OZb is perpendicular to OXb in the plane of symmetry,
positive downwards. The axis OYb is perpendicular to the plane of symmetry
such that OXbYbZb is a right handed system.

Dept. of Aerospace Engg., IIT Madras

Flight dynamics II
Stability and control

Prof. E.G. Tulapurkara

Fig.1.7 Plane of symmetry and body axis system

Fig.1.8 Body axes system, forces, moments and linear and angular velocities

Dept. of Aerospace Engg., IIT Madras

Flight dynamics II
Stability and control

Prof. E.G. Tulapurkara

Figure 1.8 also shows the forces and moments acting on the airplane and
the components of linear and angular velocities. The quantity V is the velocity
vector. The quantities X, Y, Z are the components of the resultant aerodynamic
force, along OXb, OYb and OZb axes respectively.

L , M, N are the rolling

moment, pitching moment and yawing moment respectively about OXb, OYb and
OZb; the rolling moment is denoted by L to distinguish it from lift (L) . Figure 1.8
also shows the positive directions of L , M and N. The convention is that an
aerodynamic moment is taken positive in clock-wise sense when looking along
the axis about which the moment is taken. u,v,w are the components , along
OXb, OYb and OZb of the velocity vector (V). The angular velocity components
are indicated by p,q,r.
II) Earth fixed axes system
In flight dynamics a frame of reference attached to the earth is taken as a
Newtonian frame (Fig.1.9).

Fig.1.9 Earth fixed and body fixed co-ordinate systems

Dept. of Aerospace Engg., IIT Madras

Flight dynamics II
Stability and control

Prof. E.G. Tulapurkara

III) Attitude
In this course the airplane is treated as a rigid body. In section 1.5.2 of
flight dynamics-I, it has been shown that a rigid body has a six degrees of
freedom and hence, six coordinates are needed to describe the position of the
airplane with respect to an earth fixed system. In flight dynamics, the six
corrdinates employed to prescribe the position are (a) the three coordinates
describing the instantaneous position of the c.g. of the airplane with respect to
the earth fixed system and (b) the attitude of the airplane described by the
angular orientations of OXbYbZb system with respect to the OXeYeZe system. This
is done with the help of Euler angles. In section 7.5.2 it is shown that to arrive at
the OXbYbZb system, we need to rotate the EXeYeZe system through only three
angles which are called Euler angles.
At this stage, simpler cases are considered. When an airplane climbs
along a straight line its attitude is given by the angle between the axis OXb
and the horizontal (Fig.1.10 ). When an airplane executes a turn, the projection of
the OXb axis, in the horizontal plane makes an angle with reference to fixed
horizontal axis (Fig.1.11). When an airplane is banked, the axis OYb makes an
angle with respect to the horizontal and the axis OZb makes an angle with
vertical (Fig.1.12).

Dept. of Aerospace Engg., IIT Madras

Flight dynamics II
Stability and control

Prof. E.G. Tulapurkara

Fig.1.10 Airplane in a climb

Fig.1.11 Airplane in a turn view from top

Dept. of Aerospace Engg., IIT Madras

Flight dynamics II
Stability and control

Prof. E.G. Tulapurkara

Fig.1.12 Angle of bank ( )


IV) Flight path:
The flight path, also called the trajectory, means the path or the line along
which the c.g. of the airplane moves. The tangent to this curve at a point gives
the direction of flight velocity at that point on the flight path. The relative wind is in
a direction opposite to that of the flight velocity.
V) Angle of attack and angle side slip
The concept of the angle of attack of an airfoil is well known. While
discussing the forces acting on an airfoil, we take the chord of the airfoil as the
reference line and the angle between the chord line and the relative wind is the
angle of attack (). The aerodynamic forces namely lift (L) and drag (D),
produced by the airfoil, depend on the angle of attack () and are respectively
perpendicular and parallel to relative wind direction (Fig.1.13).

Dept. of Aerospace Engg., IIT Madras

Flight dynamics II
Stability and control

Prof. E.G. Tulapurkara

Fig.1.13 Angle of attack and forces on a airfoil


In the case of an airplane, the flight path, as mentioned earlier, is the line
along which c.g. of the airplane moves. The tangent to the flight path is the
direction of flight velocity (V). The relative wind is in a direction opposite to the
flight velocity. If the flight path is confined to the plane of symmetry, then the
angle of attack would be the angle between the relative wind direction and the
fuselage reference line (FRL) or OXb axis (see Fig.1.14). However, in a general
case the velocity vector (V) will have components both along and perpendicular
to the plane of symmetry. The component perpendicular to the plane of
symmetry is denoted by v. The projection of the velocity vector in the plane of

Fig.1.14 Flight path in the plane of symmetry


Dept. of Aerospace Engg., IIT Madras

Flight dynamics II
Stability and control

Prof. E.G. Tulapurkara

symmetry would have components u and w along OXb and OZb axes (Fig.1.15).
With this background, the angle of sideslip and angle of attack are defined below.

Fig.1.15 Velocity components in a general case and definition of


angle of attack and sideslip
The angle of sideslip () is the angle between the velocity vector (V) and
the plane of symmetry i.e.
= sin-1 (v/ |V|); where |V| is the magnitude of V.
The angle of attack () is the angle between the projection of velocity
vector (V) in the XB - ZB plane and the OXb axis or

= tan-1

w
= sin-1
u

w
|V|2 -v 2

= sin-1

w
u2 +w 2

Remark:

It is easy to show that, if V denotes magnitude of the velocity (V) , then


u = V cos cos , v= V sin ; w = V sin cos .

Dept. of Aerospace Engg., IIT Madras

10

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