Subscale flight testing used in conceptual design

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the latest subscale demonstrator aircraft developed at Linköping University. It has been built as part of a study initiated by the Swedish Material Board (FMV) on a Generic Future Fighter aircraft. The paper will cover different aspects of the performed work: from paper study realised by SAAB to the first flight of the scaled demonstrator. The intention of the paper is to describe what has been realised and explain how the work is may be used to fit within aircraft conceptual design.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach has been to address the challenges proposed by the customer of the demonstrator, how to design, manufacture and operate a scaled demonstrator of an aircraft study in conceptual design within five months. Similar research projects have been reviewed in order to perform the current work.

Findings

The results obtained so far have led to new questions. In particular, the project indicated that more research is needed within the area of subscale flight testing for usage in aircraft conceptual design, since a scaled demonstrator is likely to answer some questions but will probably open up new ones.

Research limitations/implications

The current research is just in its infancy and does not bring any final conclusion but does, however, offer several guidelines for future works. Since the aircraft study was an early phase concept study, not much data are available for validation or comparison. Therefore, the paper is not presenting new methods or general conclusions.

Practical implications

Results from a conceptual aircraft study and a realisation of a scaled prototype are presented, which show that scaled flight testing may be used with some restriction in conceptual design.

Originality/value

The value of this paper is to show that universities can be involved in prototype development and can work in close collaboration with industries to address issues and solutions within aircraft conceptual design.

Citation

Jouannet, C., Berry, P., Melin, T., Amadori, K., Lundström, D. and Staack, I. (2012), "Subscale flight testing used in conceptual design", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 84 No. 3, pp. 192-199. https://doi.org/10.1108/00022661211222058