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Maximum Altitude Sailplane Winch-Launch Trajectories

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 June 2016

B L Pierson
B L Pierson*
Affiliation:
Iowa State University
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Summary

A class of dynamic sailplane winch-launch trajectory problems for maximum altitude is formulated. Numerical solutions are presented for representative values of maximum allowed lift coefficient and cable acceleration. The optimal trajectory is shown to consist of a climb-dive-climb sequence. An inequality constraint on cable retraction speed is also imposed and results in more realistic trajectories.

Type
Research Article
Information
Aeronautical Quarterly , Volume 28 , Issue 2 , May 1977 , pp. 75 - 84
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society. 1977

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