Aircraft Performance, Stability and control with experiments in Flight

Questions
Q1. If only the elevator size of a given aircraft is decreased; keeping horizontal tail area
unchanged; then the aircraft will have
a) increased both static stability and elevator control power
b) increased static stability and reduced elevator control power
c) no change in static stability but decreased elevator control power
d) None of the above.

Q2. When aircraft speed decreases from transonic to subsonic speed, the aerodynamic
centre of the wing moves forward, and therefore the Neutral point (stick fixed) of
the aircraft shifts
a) AFT
b) FWD
c) No effect.

Q3. When an aircraft trim speed is changed from 60 m/s to 100 m/s maintaining the
same altitude, the elevator will float
a) More
b) less
c) No effect.

Q4. If only the horizontal tail contribution was considered for 𝐶𝑚 𝛿 𝑒 derivative, than
how many times will 𝐶𝑚 𝛿 𝑒 become if tail arm 𝑙𝑡 is doubled.
a) two times
b) three times
c) four times
d) remains same.

Q5. Load factor for an aircraft in steady descend (gliding mode) is

a) >1
b) <1
c) =1
d) =1.414

1
Q6. High wing configurations (increase/ decrease)static longitudinal stabilityof an
aircraft
Q7. Most forward C.G. location is more restrictive in (Power on/ Propeller wind
milling) condition
Q8. To reduce the floating tendency of an elevator, hinge line has to be moved
(AFT/FWD)
Q9. In figure below, which aircraft will have higher stability margin
a) A
b) B
c) Equal for A and B

Q10. Which airplane has more control power

a) A
b) B
c) Equal for A and B

2
Q11. For an aircraft, following data was obtained in flight for propeller-wind milling
case. Given that prop-wind milling stick fixed neutral point ,𝑁𝑜 = 0.45 and
𝛿𝑒𝑚𝑎𝑥 = ±20°

a) During the landing phase, C.G. was estimated to be at 0.22𝐶 , calculate the
maximum lift coefficient at which the equilibrium can be maintained
during landing (assume No ground effect).
b) If the ground effects were also included, will it permit equilibrium at higher
or lower lift coefficient compared to (a) above. Explain briefly

3
Q12. For an aircraft in pull up maneuver, the following expression was obtained by
a student for C.G. location of 0. 3𝐶
𝑑𝐹𝑠 𝑑𝐶𝑚
= 120 − 12.0
𝑑𝑛 𝑝𝑢𝑙𝑙 𝑢𝑝 𝑑𝐶𝐿 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝑒

For the aircraft, stick fixed stability margin was 0.25 and stick free stability margin
was 0.2.

c) Find stick free maneuvering point 𝑁𝑚′

𝑑𝐹
d) Find C.G. limits permitted if the magnitude of stick force per 'g'( 𝑑𝑛𝑠 ) is to

remain within 10 and 30 N per g.

Q13. Consider the following airplane in propeller-off condition being tested in a

wind-tunnel.

weight = 700 𝑘𝑔 ARw =6, span wing = 6 𝑚;

wing MAC= 1.2 𝑚, ARtail =4, span tail = 2 𝑚
𝛼0 = −2° (𝑤𝑖𝑛𝑔)
𝑖𝑤 = 0 𝑖𝑡 = +2°

2-d lift curve slope of wing and tail = 0.1 per degree
Distance between tail A.C.(aerodynamic center) and C.G. of the aircraft is 6.5 𝑚
Elevator Area = 0.5𝑚2
Elevator chord = 0.25𝑚
𝛿𝑒0 = 3°

𝜏 = 0.4

𝜕𝜖
= 0.5
𝜕𝛼

𝜂𝑡 = 0.9

G=1.5 rad/m

Ch δ e = −.007 per degree

Ch α = −.005 per degree

Ch δ = −.003 per degree

t

4
The following Cm v/s CL curve were obtained for elevator fixed and elevator free case

Find:
(a) Stick fixed and stick free Neutral point.
(b) What is the trim airspeed for stick fixed case?
(c) If the aircraft was to be trimmed at airspeed of 200 KMPH, find the tab setting
𝒅𝑭
required and also calculate the magnitude of 𝒅𝑽𝒔 for the C.G. location of 𝟎. 𝟐𝒄.
Assume 𝑪𝒎𝜹𝒆 does not change.

Q14. For an airplane (W/S = 400 N/m2) flying at some altitude ( = 0.8
Kg/m3), the following data were recorded.

V(m/sec) X c.g. = 0.20 X c.g. = 0.25

50 2.0 pull 1.0 pull Pull +ve

57.3 0.0 0.0

70.71 4.0 push 2.0 push Push -ve

Find the stick free neutral point.

5
 Q15. For an aircraft having X c.g. = 0.3, the stick force per ‘g’ for level turn at
0 dF s
 = 60 was 50 N per ‘g’ = 50 . If the stick force per ‘g’ required by the pilot
dn
needs to be within 15 to 35 N per ‘g’, find the permissible C.G. range. Given :
N0′ = 0.4, Nm
′
= 0.5 . Solve the problem graphically.

Q16. An airplane was flight tested at an altitude ( = 0.8 Kg/m3) and

following information on stick force Fs in newton (N) were available:

Wing loading = 400 Kg/m2 , wing lift curve slope = 0.1deg-1

Speed(m/s) Alpha(deg) Fs N at X c.g. = 0.3 Fs N at X c.g. = 0.35

1. 120 8 3.8 pull 2.8 pull

2. 120 12 8.0 pull 6.0 pull

Find the stick free maneuver point. Solve the problem graphically.

Q17. Derive from the Abinitio for steady cruise flight conditions the following,
3
𝐶𝐿2
(a) 𝑉 at = 0.76 ∗ 𝑉 𝐿
𝐶𝐷 𝐷 𝑚𝑎𝑥
𝑚𝑎𝑥

1
𝐶𝐿2
(b) 𝑉 at = 1.32 ∗ 𝑉 𝐿
𝐶𝐷 𝐷 𝑚𝑎𝑥
𝑚𝑎𝑥

Q18. How 𝑉𝑚𝑎𝑥 for a level cruise will change with respect to the following

𝑇𝑚𝑎𝑥
(a) 𝑊

𝑊
(b) 𝑆

(c) 𝐶𝐷0 and 𝐾

6
Q19. Show that the sink rate 𝑉𝑣 for a glider is given by
𝑊
𝑆
𝑉𝑣 = 2∗
𝐶𝐿3
𝜌 𝐶𝐷2

Q20. Show that for sustained level turn (𝑇 = 𝐷)

1 1
𝜌 𝑉2 𝑇 𝜌 𝑉2𝐶
2 ∞ ∞ 2 ∞ ∞ 𝐷0
𝑛𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝑊
− 𝑊
𝐾 𝑊 𝑚𝑎𝑥
𝑆 𝑆