A Historical Overview of Flight Flutter Testing
tV - "J -_ r -.,..3 NASA Technical Memorandum 4720 /_ _<--> A Historical Overview of Flight Flutter Testing Michael W. Kehoe October 1995 (NASA-TN-4?20) A HISTORICAL N96-14084 OVEnVIEW OF FLIGHT FLUTTER TESTING (NASA. Oryden Flight Research Center) ZO Unclas H1/05 0075823 NASA Technical Memorandum 4720 A Historical Overview of Flight Flutter Testing Michael W. Kehoe Dryden Flight Research Center Edwards, California National Aeronautics and Space Administration Office of Management Scientific and Technical Information Program 1995 SUMMARY m i This paper reviews the test techniques developed over the last several decades for flight flutter testing of aircraft. Structural excitation systems, instrumentation systems, Maximum digital data preprocessing, and parameter identification response algorithms (for frequency and damping estimates from the amplltude response data) are described. Practical experiences and example test programs illustrate the combined, integrated effectiveness of the various approaches used. Finally, com- i ments regarding the direction of future developments and Ii needs are presented. 0 Vflutte r Airspeed _c_7_ INTRODUCTION Figure 1. Von Schlippe's flight flutter test method. Aeroelastic flutter involves the unfavorable interaction of aerodynamic, elastic, and inertia forces on structures to and response data analysis. Flutter testing, however, is still produce an unstable oscillation that often results in struc- a hazardous test for several reasons. First, one still must fly tural failure. High-speed aircraft are most susceptible to close to actual flutter speeds before imminent instabilities flutter although flutter has occurred at speeds of 55 mph on can be detected. Second, subcritical damping trends can- home-built aircraft. In fact, no speed regime is truly not be accurately extrapolated to predict stability at higher immune from flutter.
[Show full text]