This article first appeared in the April 1971 Flight Test News.
The Naval Air Test Center began participation in February in a Joint Test program with the Air Force Flight Test Center and the NASA Flight Research Center to develop methods of dynamic (non-steady) performance flight test techniques. The method consists of using highly accurate accelerometers to measure aircraft accelerations during acceleration, deceleration, “roller coasters” or similar maneuvers, from which the aircraft performance parameters can be deduced. In recent years, several contractors and government agencies have investigated dynamic methods as an improved means of determining aircraft lift/drag and excess thrust characteristics. Dynamic methods offer potential advantages of increased data. Because of these reasons, dynamic performance methods are being considered as the prime method of future aircraft performance investigation programs.
The purpose of the one-year joint program at Edwards Air Force Base is to refine and document dynamic methods to the point where they may be employed routinely in future test programs. Of primary importance is that aspect of performance testing which yields increased data for flight regimes which permit only limited testing due to high fuel consumption rates. These areas are supersonic flight, (range, endurance, excess thrust, turning performance), and transonic flight (drag rise, engine performance). Standard static test techniques are not employed in these areas because of the numerous flights required to define parameters and establish a correlation in the data.
This article first appeared in the April 1971 Flight Test News.
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