The Autonomous Formation Flight research project has been implemented at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center to demonstrate the benefits of formation flight and develop advanced technologies to facilitate exploiting these benefits. Two F/A-18 aircraft have been modified to precisely control and monitor relative position, and to determine performance of the trailing airplane. Flight test maneuvers and analysis techniques have been developed to determine the performance advantages, including drag and fuel flow reductions and improvements in range factor. By flying the trailing airplane through a matrix of lateral, longitudinal, and vertical offset positions, a detailed map of the performance benefits has been obtained at two flight conditions. Significant performance benefits have been obtained during this flight test phase. Drag reductions of more than 20 percent and fuel flow reductions of more than 18 percent have been measured at flight conditions of Mach 0.56 and an altitude of 25,000 ft. The results show favorable agreement with published theory and generic predictions. An F/A-18 long-range cruise mission at Mach 0.8 and an altitude of 40,000 ft has been simulated in the optimum formation position and has demonstrated a 14-percent fuel reduction when compared with a controlled chase airplane of similar configuration.


    Access

    Access via TIB

    Check availability in my library


    Export, share and cite



    Title :

    Flight Test Techniques Used to Evaluate Performance Benefits During Formation Flight


    Contributors:
    R. J. Ray (author) / B. R. Cobleigh (author) / M. J. Vachon (author) / C. SaintJohn (author)

    Publication date :

    2002


    Size :

    25 pages


    Type of media :

    Report


    Type of material :

    No indication


    Language :

    English




    Flight Test Techniques used to Evaluate Performance Benefits During Formation Flight

    Ray, Ronald / Cobleigh, Brent / Vachon, M. et al. | AIAA | 2002


    Flight Test Techniques Used to Evaluate Performance Benefits During Formation Flight

    Ray, Ronald J. / Cobleigh, Brent R. / Vachon, M. Jake et al. | NTRS | 2002


    AIAA-2002-4492 Flight Test Techniques used to Evaluate Performance Benefits During Formation Flight

    Ray, R. / StJohn, C. / Cobleigh, B. et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2002


    Performance Flight Test Techniques

    O. D. Godwin / F. D. Frazier / R. E. Durnin | NTIS | 1964