A low-cost ($100) differential pressure-based commercial off-the-shelf angle-of-attack data acquisition system was designed, successfully reduced to practice, and wind-tunnel and flight tested. For the underwing-mounted probe studied, the calibration curve, based on the ratio of , is linear throughout the aircraft angle of attack if the probe is located between an estimated 25 and 60% of the local wing chord. A physics-based determination of angle of attack was successful, provided that a reasonably accurate aircraft lift curve is determined. Calculation of the lift curve slope was within of the value determined by flight test using an alpha/beta probe. The repeatability of the data from the commercial off-the-shelf system was excellent. Unnormalized differential pressure (), which is dynamic pressure dependent, does not provide adequate accuracy throughout the aircraft angle-of-attack range. Hence, systems similar to that tested, which use unnormalized differential pressure and a linear calibration, are basically only stall warning devices.
Low-Cost Accurate Angle-of-Attack System
Journal of Aircraft ; 55 , 2 ; 660-665
2018-03-01
Conference paper , Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
Low Cost Accurate Angle of Attack System
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