Monnalisa: Modelling Nonlinear Aerodynamics of Lifting Surfaces

Abstract

The performance-improvement objectives sought in future commercial aircraft may require a significant evolution of the current configurations and technologies for aircraft tails. An "Advanced Rear End" component for the forthcoming generation of ultra-efficient aircraft might consist of a very compact rear fuselage and tail surfaces whose planform may significantly differ from the state of the art in terms of aspect ratio, taper ratio and sweep angle. The Cleasky 2 MONNALISA (MOdelling NoNlinear Aerodynamics of LIfting SurfAces) project aims at developing and validating an innovative, physics-based low-order method to predict the non-linear aerodynamic characteristics of lifting surfaces with controls whose geometry could significantly differ from the usual ones. The development and validation of the method relies on a high-resolution database scanning the extensive space of design parameters: sweep angle, aspect ratio, taper ratio, dihedral angle, shape of the leading edge and presence of ice. A recently validated approach, based on the most advanced techniques of uncertainty quantification, guarantees the reliability of the database of the aerodynamic characteristics that will drive the development of the method. A by-product of the project, the aerodynamic database will efficiently mix highly accurate experimental results, state-of-the-art, high-fidelity numerical simulations and low-fidelity simulations.