Indian Institute of Technology Bombay Aerospace Engineering

AE 305 Flight Mechanics II Tutorial 3

AE 717 Aircraft Flight Dynamics March 18, 2023

1. For the data shown in Figure 1, find the stick-fixed neutral point location. Also, if we
wish to fly at a speed of 125 ft/sec at sea-level then what would be the trim-lift coefficient
and elevator angle to trim? Assume air density at sea-level to be 0.002377 slug/f t3 .

Figure 1: Cmcg vs CL curve

Sol:- The slope of given Cm vs CL curve from Fig. 1, we get

dCm
= −0.15
dCL
The neutral point for the flying vehicle can be found by utilizing the relationship Cmα =
Clα (h − hn ), where hn is the neutral point for the aircraft. Simplifying this relationship,
we get

Cmα dCm
= = −0.15 = (h − hn ) ⇒ hn = h + 0.15 = 0.25 + 0.15 = 0.40
Cl α dCL
For aircraft to trim at 125 ft/s, trim lift coefficient can be computed as
2W 2 × 2750
CLtrim = 2
= = 0.82269
ρV S 0.002377 × 180 × 1252
The coefficient Cmδe can be obtained using lines corresponding δe = −15◦ and δe = 5◦ is

0.15
Cmδe = = −0.0075
−15 − 5
AE 308 & AE 775 Tutorial 3 March 18, 2023

Note that the moment coefficient can be written as

Cm = Cm0 + Cmα α + Cmδe δe
dCm dCL
= Cm 0 + α + Cmδe δe
dCL dα
dCm
= Cm 0 + CL + Cmδe δe
dCL
We can note from the Fig. 1 that for δe = 5◦ , Cm = 0 for CL = 0. Thus, substituting the
same we get
Cm0 = −Cmδe δe = −(−0.0075 × 5) = 0.0375
As the Cm = 0 at trim condition, the elevator angle to trim the aircraft at CLtrim can be
computed as,
dCm
Cm0 + C
dCL Ltrim 0.0375 − 0.15 × 0.82269
δetrim = − =− = −11.45◦ .
Cm δe −0.0075

2. For a large jet transport airplane (wing body plus tail configuration), Cm vs α curve
is given in Figure 2. The lift coefficient for the airplane is given as CL = 0.03 + 0.08α,
Where α in degrees. Consider the limits of elevator deflection as: −25◦ ≤ δe ≤ 20◦ and
αstall = 20◦ , the CG is located at 0.29 chord (that is h = 0.29). Determine the location of
dδetrim
neutral point, Cmδe ,CLδe , , and most forward CG location.
dCLtrim
Hint: The forward most CG location corresponds to the trim at stall angle of attack and
maximum up elevator deflection.

Figure 2: Cm vs α curve

Sol:- From CL = 0.03 + 0.08α, we can conclude that CLα = 0.08. The CG is located at
29% of the chord from the leading edge.
From Fig. 2, we can compute Cmα as

0.12
Cm α = − = −0.008/◦
15

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AE 308 & AE 775 Tutorial 3 March 18, 2023

Therefore, we know that Cmα can be written as

Cmα
Cmα = CLα (h − hn ) ⇒ hn = h − = 0.29 + 0.1 = 0.39
CLα

The coefficient Cmδe can be computed as using corresponding to δe = −12◦ and δe = −6◦ ,
as
0.12 − 0.08
Cmδe = = −0.0067/◦ .
−12 − (−6)

Furthermore, the coefficient CLδe can be computed as follows

dCL dCL dα dCm 0.08 × 0.00667

CLδe = = × × =− = 0.066/◦
dδe dα dCm dδe −0.008
The variation in elevator trim angle w.r.t to the trim lift coefficient is given by
dδetrim Cm α 0.008
=− = ≈ −1000
dCLtrim CLα Cmδe − Cmα CLδe −0.08 × 0.0067 + 0.008 × 0.066
⋆Approximation is taken above calculation units

dδ
Note that a large value of dCeLtrim corresponds to the higher sensitivity of the trim elevator
trim
angle w.r.t to the trim lift coefficient. Such a configuration may not be desirable.
The forward-most CG location can be calculated, using the hint provided, as

0 = Cm0 + CLα (h − hn )αstall + Cmδe δeup,max

Cm0 + Cmδe δeup,max
⇒ hF M CG = hn − = 0.26
CLα αstall

3. For a tailed aircraft with weight of 22700 N and wing area of 19 m2 which is flying at a
trim speed of 61 m/s at sea-level. The value of zero-lift moment coefficient is 0.06, while
the values of other parameters are as given below.

CLδe = 0.016/deg, Cmδe = 0.0176/deg, CLα = 0.08/deg, Cmα = −0.0133/deg.

The coefficients related to the elevator hinge moment are given by

Che0 = 0, Cheα = 0.003/deg, Cheδe = 0.006/deg, Cheδt = 0.003/deg

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AE 308 & AE 775 Tutorial 3 March 18, 2023

(a) Calculate the trim tab deflection necessary to trim the aircraft such that the pilot
does not need to apply any control force.
(b) If the trim tab deflection is −5◦ , compute the control force required by the pilot
to maintain a trimmed flight? Assume that the value of G = G1 − G2 = 5 rad/m,
where G1 and G2 denote elevator and boost gearings, respectively. The elevator chord
length and surface area are c¯e = 0.61m and Se = 3.72m2 , respectively.
Sol:- The trim value of lift coefficient is computed as
2W 2 × 22700
CLtrim = 2
= = 0.52
ρV S 1.225 × 612 × 19
The trim values of angle of attack and elevator deflection can be computed as
Cm0 CLδe + Cmδe CLtrim
αtrim =
CLα Cmδe − Cmα CLδe
0.06 × 0.016 + 0.0176 × 0.52
= = 6.8541◦
−0.08 × 0.0176 + 0.0133 × 0.016
Cm CL + Cmα CLtrim
δetrim =− 0 α
CLα Cmδe − Cmα CLδe
0.06 × 0.08 − 0.0133 × 0.52
=− = −1.7704◦
−0.08 × 0.0176 + 0.0133 × 0.016
The trim tab deflection can be obtained as
Che0 + Cheα αtrim + Cheδe δetrim
δttrim = − = −3.3133◦
Cheδt
As the trim tab deflection is given as 5◦ , the hinge moment coefficient is computed as
Che = Cheδt (δt − δttrim )
= −0.003 × (−5 − (−3.3133)) = 0.005061
The control force required by the pilot can be obtained as
P = GHe = GChe Se c¯e q∞
= 5 × 0.005061 × 0.61 × 3.72 × 0.5 × 1.225 × 612 = 130.871N

4. An airplane is flying in a straight and level flight trim condition with speed V = 100 m/s .
With this speed, it enters into a coordinated level turn of radius R = 500 m. Determine
the rates of change of the wind and airplane orientation angles.

Sol:- Since the velocity always points towards the aircraft nose along the circular path in
a coordinated turn, the rate of change of the sideslip angle β̇ = 0.
In the X–Y plane, thus:
V
χ̇ = β̇ + ψ̇ = 0 + ψ̇ = = 0.2rad/sec
R

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AE 308 & AE 775 Tutorial 3 March 18, 2023