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Modeling of Flexible Aircraft for 3D Motion-based Flight Simulators

This thesis compares the results of two of the more popular flexible aircraft modeling formulations, the mean-axes method and the fixed-axes method, for application in real-time motion simulators. First, the time-domain equations of motion for an elastic body using the fixed-axes are derived. Subsequently, the mean-axes equations are derived by making a few assumptions from the fixed-axis equations. The two formulations are then implemented for a scaled-up beam model of a Cessna Citation aircraft, with the deformations represented by the modal expansion of the whole aircraft from their respective constrained and free-free finite element solutions. Time-domain results, consisting of the acceleration, velocity, and attitude of a point on the aircraft body, are obtained in both models at two beam-stiffness configurations using a quasi-steady aerodynamic model for a single maneuver at one flight condition. The two methods produced similar results with the fixed-axes formulation producing slightly more accurate results.

Identiferoai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:OTU.1807/25761
Date10 January 2011
CreatorsLi, Nestor
ContributorsGrant, Peter R.
Source SetsLibrary and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada
Languageen_ca
Detected LanguageEnglish
TypeThesis

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