SPRING MID SEMESTER EXAMINATION-2019

Subject: Aircraft Stability and Control [3010], Semester: 6th

Full Marks: 20 Time: 1.5 Hours
Answer any FIVE questions including question No.1 which is compulsory.
The figures in the margin indicate full marks.
Candidates are required to give their answers in their own words as far as practicable and all parts of a question
should be answered at one place only.

1. (a) Define (a) Trim condition, (b) Static Margin [1]

(b) Write the definition of static longitudinal stability, lateral and directional stability of the [1]
aircraft.

(c) The contribution of the horizontal tail to the pitching moment coefficient about the centre
of gravity (Cm,CG) of an aircraft is given by Cm,tail = 0.2 - 0.0215α, where α is the angle of
attack of the aircraft. What will be the contribution of the tail to the aircraft longitudinal [1]
stability.

(d) The trim curves of an aircraft are of the form Cm,CG = (0.05-0.2δe) - 0.1CL, where the [1]
elevator deflection angle δe is in radians. Calculate the change in elevator deflection
needed to increase the lift coefficient from 0.4 to 0.9.

2. Show that the tractor configuration will have destabilizing effect while pusher configuration will [4 ]
have stabilizing effect of the roll stability of the aircraft.

3. Derive the formula of wing contribution to the static longitudinal stability of the airplane. [4]

4. Show that (i) Sweep forward is a destabilizing effect in airplane’s static stability. [2]

(ii) Dihedral provides stabilizing effect in airplane’s static stability. [2]

5. (a) An airplane model with a symmetric airfoil was tested in a wind tunnel Cm0 was estimated to
be 0.08 and 0 respectively. For elevator setting (δe) of 50 up and 50 down. Calculate estimated
value of the elevator control power(dCm/dδe) of the model. [4]

6 A wing body alone configuration airplane with a wing loading of W/S = 1000 N/m2 is flying in
cruise condition at a speed v = 80 m/s at sea level (air density at sea level = 1.23 kg/m3). The
zero lift pitching moment coefficient of the airplane is Cm,acwb = Cm0 = -0.06 and the location of
airplane aerodynamic centre from the wing leading edge is Xac = 0.25c. (c = chord length).
[2]
Calculate (i) Airplne trim lift coefficient,
[2]
(ii) Distance of centre of gravity of the aircraft from wing leading edge.
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