On the development of flight-test equipment in relation to the aircraft spin

Abstract

A review of the development of flight test equipment throughout aviation history is presented, focusing specifically on the stall spin. The primitive, yet, ingenious solutions devised in the early twentieth century by the pioneers of this field, paved the way for the advancement in knowledge of the complex aerodynamic properties inherent during a spin. Both in Britain and the US, the dangers associated with stalling and spinning were acknowledged shortly after the birth of aviation, with pilots and academics alike seeking to investigate the causes. Initially, the goal was to design safer aircraft, with more predictable handling, dynamic manoeuvrability, and precise controllability. Both nations were able to independently develop equipment packs which were to become standard for airborne investigations of the spin and other manoeuvres in the following years. These early studies laid the foundations on which we're still building today, now using state-of-the-art technology to enhance our knowledge of spin dynamics ever further.

Unsteady aerodynamics analysis and modelling of a Slingsby Firefly aircraft: Detached-Eddy Simulation model and flight test validation

“…The phenomenon of stall and spin has received continuous attention from the aeronautical industry since the early days of flight [1]. An aircraft spin is an autorotating descent in a helical pattern about the vertical axis [2]. A spin develops when the aircraft is stalled, i.e.…”

A review of experimental techniques to predict aircraft spin and recovery characteristics

“…The six-component balance mounted internal to the model is used to measure the requisite aerodynamic forces and moments. The measurements are made over a wide range of angles of attack, sideslips and rotation rates for various controls deflections to buildup aerodynamic data for subsequent investigations of aircraft spin and recovery characteristics (Bennett and Lawson, 2018).…”

A review and historical development of analytical techniques to predict aircraft spin and recovery characteristics

“…In an aggravated stall, one wing is stalled more than the other as shown in Figure 1(a). The more stalled wing experiences less lift and more drag as compared to other and this imbalance of forces initiates autorotation and subsequent rapid decent of the aircraft (Bennett and Lawson, 2018).…”