ROLLING MANEUVER LOAD ALLEVIATION USING ACTIVE CONTROLS

Rolling maneuver load alleviation (RMLA) has been demonstrated on the Active Flexible Wing wind-tunnel model in the NASA Langley Transonic D ynamics Tunnel (TDT). The objective was to develop a systematic approa ch for designing active control laws to alleviate wing loads generated during rolling maneuvers. Two RMLA control laws were developed that u tilized outboard control surface pairs (leading and trailing edge) to counteract the loads and used inboard trailing-edge control surface pa irs to maintain roll performance. Rolling maneuver load tests were per formed in the TDT at several dynamic pressures including two below and one 11% above the open-loop flutter dynamic pressure. Above open-loop flutter, the RMLA system was operated simultaneously with an active F lutter Suppression System. At all dynamic pressures for which baseline results were obtained, torsion moment loads were reduced for both RML A control laws. Results for bending moment load reductions were mixed; however, design equations developed in this study provided conservati ve estimates of load reduction in all cases.