Abstract
The bell-spanload, or bell-shaped lift distribution, gives proverse yaw for outer aileron deflections, a key factor in controlling a tailless vehicle. Study of bell-spanload applications have been limited to swept wings with elevon control schemes, relying on a well-tuned proverse yaw response for a differential elevon deflection. In examining unswept wings, symmetric outer control surface deflections have minimal associated pitching moment, allowing their use in adjusting the lift distribution to optimize for a wide range of flight conditions. Lateral-directional control of bell-spanloads can be improved by the use of an additional set of ailerons inboard of the mid-span vortices. The inboard ailerons provide traditional adverse yaw which serves as a linearly independent control vector relative to the existing proverse yaw outer surfaces; the two vectors are sufficient to define a parallelogram-shaped controllable region in the roll-yaw control space.
Document Type
Final Report
Class Name
Mechanical Engineering and Material Sciences Independent Study
Date of Submission
12-14-2017
Recommended Citation
Hainline, Kevin and Agarwal, Ramesh K., "Aerodynamic Study of Stability and Control of Straight Flying-Wings" (2017). Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Independent Study. 49.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/mems500/49