High resolution simulation of full aircraft control at flight Reynolds numbers

This paper documents some of the early results of a three year project to develop a computational method for accurately determining static and dynamic stability and control characteristics of fighter and transport aircraft with various weapons configurations as well as the aircraft response to pilot input. In this first year of the project computational data is gathered for a rigid F-16 with no control surface movement in forced motion that approximates flight test maneuvers and wind-tunnel testing techniques. The data is then post-processed to determine the resulting static and dynamic stability characteristics. Static and rigid body motion simulations of the Blended Wing Body bomber/transport concept are performed and compared to detailed experimental data to validate the numerical approach. The main benefits of this effort are: 1) early discovery of complex aerodynamic phenomena that are typically only present in dynamic flight maneuvers and therefore not discovered until flight test, and 2) rapid generation of an accurate aerodynamic database to support aircraft and weapon certification by reducing required flight test hours and complementing current stability and control testing.