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A career in vortices and edge forces

Part of: RAeS Lanchester Lecture Papers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 January 2016

J. Lamar
J. Lamar*
Affiliation:
Lamar Engineering Consultantship, Newport News, Virginia, USA
*
[email protected]
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Abstract

This lecture recognises the background and distinguished work of Frederick William Lanchester, and notes that my background has a few similarities with his. These include a shared interest in wings, lift and vortices. My career at the NASA Langley Research Center spans the time-frame from America’s Super Sonic Transport through 2009. An early emphasis involved wind-tunnel testing of research aircraft models and the development of computer codes for subsonic aerodynamics of wing planforms. These attached-flow codes were applied to various configurations, including those with variable-sweep, dihedral, and more than one planform in both the analysis- and design-modes. These codes were used to provide a connection between leading-edge-forces and the associated additional lift on delta-wings with shed-vortex systems through the leading-edge suction analogy of Edward C. Polhamus. Subsequently, I extended the suction analogy to configurations with side-edges to predict the vortical-flow aerodynamics on complex configurations, including wing-strake combinations. These analysis codes could also be used in a design-by-analysis mode for configurations with leading-edge shed vortices. Later, I was involved in vortical-flow flight research with the F-106B and the F-16XL aircraft at cruise and maneuver conditions. Associated CFD predictions, generated by me and other members of the RTO/AVT-113 task group, have increased our understanding of the flight flow-physics measured on the F-16XL aircraft.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 116 , Issue 1176 , February 2012 , pp. 101 - 152
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2012 

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