Low speed experiment on longitudinal and lateral aerodynamic characteristics of the low aspect ratio flying wing calibration model.

longitudinal and lateral aerodynamic characteristics of the low aspect ratio flying wing calibration model are investigated in a low speed wind tunnel. Normal force measuring experiment is conducted to gain the longitudinal aerodynamic characteristics and yaw control characteristics, and the PIV test is also conducted to investigate the flow mechanism of the low aspect ratio flying wing. The results indicate that the leading-edge separation vortex appears on the wing's spine surface when the attack angle is at 6 degree. The vortex intensity increases and the vortex core shifts to the symmetric plane of flying wing with the increase of attack angle. Increasing the attack angle further, the vortex core becomes unsteady and begins to oscillate, finally break entirely. The broken position shifts from the ending edge to the leading edge. Yaw control characteristics of low aspect ratio flying wing is also studied in this paper. The results indicate that the flying wing is static stabile at the test attack angle. When the attack angle is less than 6 degree, it is controllable in yaw direction. And when attack angle is more than 6 degree, the yaw control ability decreases because the control surface may lays in the wake region of broken leading-edge vortex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]