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The Transformation of Aerodynamic Stability Derivatives by Symbolic Mathematical Computation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 June 2016

James C Howard
James C Howard*
Affiliation:
NASA-Ames Research Center
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Summary

The formulation of mathematical models of aeronautical systems for simulation or other purposes, involves the transformation of aerodynamic stability derivatives. It is shown that these derivatives transform like the components of a second order tensor having one index of covariance and one index of contravariance. Moreover, due to the equivalence of covariant and contravariant transformations in orthogonal Cartesian systems of coordinates, the transformations can be treated as doubly covariant or doubly contravariant, if this simplifies the formulation. It is shown that the tensor properties of these derivatives can be used to facilitate their transformation by symbolic mathematical computation, and the use of digital computers equipped with formula manipulation compilers. When the tensor transformations are mechanised in the manner described, man-hours are saved and the errors to which human operators are prone can be avoided.

Type
Research Article
Information
Aeronautical Quarterly , Volume 26 , Issue 2 , May 1975 , pp. 109 - 116
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society. 1975

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References

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