Flight tests were performed on an F-16 airplane carrying on each wing an AIM-9J wingtip missile, a GBU-8 bomb near midspan, and an external fuel tank. Baseline flights with the GBU-8 mounted on a standard pylon established that this configuration is characterized by an antisymmetric limited amplitude flutter oscillation within the operational envelope. The airplane was then flown with GBU-8 mounted on the decoupler pylon. The decoupler pylon is a NASA concept of passive wing-store flutter suppression achieved by providing a low store-pylon pitch frequency. The decoupler pylon successfully suppressed wing-store flutter throughout the flight envelope. A 37 percent increase in flutter velocity over the standard pylon was demonstrated. Maneuvers with load factors to 4g were performed. Although the static store displacements during maneuvers were not sufficiently large to be of concern, a store pitch alignment system was tested and performed successfully. One GBU-8 was ejected demonstrating that weapon separation from the decoupler pylon is normal.


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    Title :

    Flight Test of Passive Wing/Store Flutter Suppression


    Contributors:
    F. W. Cazier (author) / M. W. Kehoe (author)

    Publication date :

    1986


    Size :

    28 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




    Flight test of passive wing/store flutter suppression

    Cazier, F. W., Jr. / Kehoe, M. W. | NTRS | 1986


    Passive wing/store flutter suppression

    Foughner, J. T., Jr. / Reed, W. H., III / Runyan, H. L., Jr. | NTRS | 1980



    Flight test of a decoupler pylon for wing/store flutter suppression

    Cazier, F. W., Jr. / Kehoe, M. W. | NTRS | 1986