The Fundamentals of Flutter

Abstract

A NUMBER of attempts have already been made to present a simple and easily understood account of wing flutter 1,2,3,4,5,6, but it appears that the subject is still obscure and difficult to many. Accordingly another elementary presentation of the subject is given in this paper, and the problem is approached in a new way. Emphasis is placed on explaining how flutter can happen; that is, on the physical mechanism by which an aeroplane wing can become a species of air engine and extract energy from the passing air. This explanation is greatly helped by experiments with a mechanism which has been called the “flutter engine”, consisting of a rigid aerofoil so arranged that when placed in an airstream it can oscillate and drive a flywheel.

Citation

Duncan, W.J. (1945), "The Fundamentals of Flutter", Aircraft Engineering and Aerospace Technology, Vol. 17 No. 1, pp. 16-20. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb031209