A Fully Coupled Multi-Aircraft DI Simulation Model

Current Navy simulations for representing Dynamic Interface (DI) operations are often restricted to include only one aircraft interacting with a ship airwake structure. Phase I work identified extensions to Continuum Dynamics, Inc.'s CHARM module for computing free vortex wake structures from rotorcraft that permit multiple aircraft interactional aerodynamic effects to be modeled simultaneously. These extensions will be implemented under Phase II, and then the module will be integrated into the Navy's FLIGHTLAB code currently used in prediction of rotary-wing aircraft responses in the DI environment. The coupled software will be validated through comparison with rotary-wing data sets from a variety of sources. The combined codes promise to significantly advance the analysis options available to the Navy DI test engineer.