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High-lift system performance will have a large impact on airplane noise and weight. Successful completion of PCD1 activities provided greater understanding of aerodynamic characteristics and configuration features important to high-lift system performance including: 1) Reynolds number effects (Ref. H); 2) Propulsion/airframe integration effects; and 3) Planform effects, canard/3-surface, alternate high-lift concepts, etc. PCD2 plans are aimed at achieving technology development performance goals and increasing technology readiness level for Technology Concept.

During the past years, there was an extensive program under way at the Langley Research Center to upgrade the flow quality in several of the large wind tunnels. This effort has resulted in significant improvements in flow quality in these tunnels and has also increased the understanding of how and where changes in existing and new wind tunnels are most likely to yield the desired improvements. As part of this ongoing program, flow disturbance levels and spectra were measured in several Langley tunnels before and after modifications were made to reduce acoustic and vorticity fluctuations. A brief description of these disturbance control features is given for the Low-Turbulence Pressure Tunnel, the 4 x 7 Meter Tunnel, and the 8 Foot Transonic Pressure Tunnel. To illustrate typical reductions in disturbance levels obtained in these tunnels, data from hot-wire or acoustic sensors are presented. A concept for a subsonic quiet tunnel designed to study boundary layer stability and transition is also presented. Techniques developed at Langley in recent years to eliminate the high intensity and high-frequency acoustic disturbances present in all previous supersonic wind tunnels are described. In conclusion, the low-disturbance levels present in atmospheric flight can now be simulated in wind tunnels over the speed range from low subsonic through high supersonic.

A limited experimental investigation was conducted in the Langley 4- by 7-Meter Tunnel to explore the effects of aft-fuselage-mounted advanced turboprop installations on the low-speed stability and control characteristics of a representative transport aircraft in a landing configuration. In general, the experimental results indicate that the longitudinal and lateral-directional stability characteristics for the aft-fuselage-mounted single-rotation tractor and counter-rotation pusher propeller configurations tested during this investigation are acceptable aerodynamically. For the single-rotation tractor configuration, the propeller-induced aerodynamics are significantly influenced by the interaction of the propeller slipstream with the pylon and nacelle. The stability characteristics for the counter-rotation pusher configuration are strongly influenced by propeller normal forces. The longitudinal and directional control effectiveness, engine-out characteristics, and ground effects are also presented. In addition, a tabulated presentation of all aerodynamic data presented in this report is included as an appendix.

Factors affecting the bailout characteristics from the space shuttle orbiter at low-subsonic speeds were investigated. In the 12-foot low-speed tunnel and the 4 by 7-meter tunnel with 0.03-scale models. The effect of crew-model exit velocity, body position, and body weight were studied with egress from the main side hatch with the orbiter upright and from the upper cabin hatch with the orbiter inverted. Crew model drag and flow field measurements around the orbiter were estimated. The high-angle-of-attack trim characteristics of the orbiter was determined by force tests in an attempt to improve bailout conditions. A computer simulation was made to evaluate the maneuver necessary to attain the high-angle-of-attack trim.

An investigation was conducted of various jet exit vane configurations in the open test section of the Langley 4- by 7-Meter Tunnel to determine their effectiveness in reducing flow pulsations. The data consist of the instantaneous velocity fluctuations measured with hot-wire anemometers located at the tunnel centerline, 39.5 ft (12.0) downstream of the jet exit. The data are presented in the form of measured root-mean-square turbulence levels in the test section and a time series analysis for the baseline jet exit configuration (without vanes) and forthe most effective vane configuration, which consisted of triangular vanes alternating into and out of the flow around the jet exit.

The mean velocity profiles in both the horizontal and vertical planes of symmetry at specific locations throughout the tunnel circuit to identify the most promising means for improving the flow in the 4 by 7 meter wind tunnel were measured. In the base line tunnel flow surveys, the flow patterns near the end of the test section indicate a uniform mean velocity distribution. Downstream of the test section, unsymmetrical flow patterns result in low velocities along the inner walls and in flow separation along the inner wall of the diffuser upstream of the drive fan and along the outer wall of the large diffuser downstream of the drive fan. A set of trailing-edge flaps attached to the five flow-control vanes located just downstream of the first corner were installed. These flaps are successful in making the tunnel flow more symmetrical and in eliminating the regions of separation in the diffusers upstream and downstream of the drive fan. Previously announced in STAR as N84-15117

An experimental investigation was recently conducted in the NASA-Langley Research Center 4- by 7-Meter Tunnel to explore the effects of aft-mounted advanced turboprop installations on the low-speed stability and control characteristics of a representative transport aircraft configuration. For the conditions investigated, the experimental results indicate that the longitudinal and directional stability of the configuration was not adversely affected by aft-pylon-mounted single-rotation tractor or counter-rotation pusher propeller installations. The results indicate that for the single-rotation tractor configuration the propeller induced aerodynamics are dominated by the interaction of the propeller slipsteam with the pylon, and that the propeller contribution to the stability characteristics for the counter-rotating pusher configuration is dominated by propeller normal forces. The longitudinal and directional control effectiveness, engine-out characteristics, and ground effects are also presented.

Investigations have been conducted with the aim of improving circuit mean flow characteristics and test section turbulence intensity in the NASA Langley 4 x 7-m wind tunnel. Flow deflectors were instaled to displace the airstream and provide more symmetrical velocity distributions. The periodic flow pulsations of the open test section configuration were addressed by modifications of either the test section entrance, using triangular vanes, or the test section exit, using an alternative flow collector geometry; the latter proved more effective.

The design of a high lift system for the NASA advanced LFC airfoil designed by Pfenninger is described. The high lift system consists of both leading and trailing edge flaps. A 3 meter semispan, 1 meter chord wing model using the above airfoil and high lift system is under construction and will be tested in the NASA Langley 4 by 7 meter tunnel. This model will have two separate full span leading edge flaps (0.10c and 0.12c) and one full span trailing edge flap (0.25c). The performance of this high lift system was predicted by the NASA two dimensional viscous multicomponent airfoil program. This program was also used to predict the characteristics of the LFC airfoils developed by the Douglas Aircraft Company and Lockheed-Georgia Aircraft Company.