IMPROVED HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK CONTROLLABILITY THROUGH VORTEX MANIPULATION

THE OBJECTIVE OF THE PROPOSED STUDY IS TO TEST THE FEASIBILITY OF A UNIQUE AND INNOVATIVE AIRCRAFT CONTROL CONCEPT. THE CONCEPT INVOLVES USING SMALL PNEUMATIC OR MECHANICAL DEVICES TO MANIPULATE THE ORIENTA-TION, TRAJECTORY AND BREAKDOWN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DOMINANT VORTEX SYSTEM THAT DEVELOP ON TYPICAL FIGHTER AIRCRAFT AT HIGH ANGLES OF ATTACK. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THIS CONCEPT CAN HARNESS THE TREMENDOUS ENERGY THAT IS CONTAINED IN THE VORTEX SYSTEMS EMANATING FROM THE FORCEBODY AND THE STRAKE-WING AREA AND CAN TRANSFORM THIS ENERGY INTO USUABLE PITCH, YAW AND ROLL CONTROL POWER. THE MECHANICAL DEVICES ARE INHERENTLY LOW HINGE MOMENT AND THE PNEUMATIC DEVICES REQUIRE SMALL MASS-FLUX OWING TO THE FLUIDIC AMPLICATION AFFORDED BY THE VORTEX MANIPULATION.