Scaled Model Technology for Flight Research of General Aviation Aircraft

Our proposed future Phase II activities are aimed at developing a scientifically based "tool box" for flight research using scaled models. These tools will be of great use for GA companies in the design, development, and FAA approval of future general aviation (GA) aircraft, in particular also when novel technologies such as active flow control, circulation control, etc. are being considered. We will demonstrate that time, cost, and risk associated with the development and flight testing of future GA aircraft and GA relevant technologies, can be greatly reduced by performing part of the flight research program using dynamically scaled models. As part of the proposed activities we will design, construct, and perform flight research with a 1/3 dynamically scaled model of the Cirrus SR22.