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Low Speed Testing

Dynamic Testing Success Stories:

Simulation Dev. &

Support

Boeing T-45 Goshawk Inverted Spin/Spiral Mode and Hinge Moment Testing

Flight Test Support

Model Fabrication
Wind Tunnel
Consulting
Hardware Dev.

The Boeing (formerly McDonnell Douglas) T-45 Goshawk design was based on
the British Aerospace Hawk land-based aircraft with design modifications that
made the aircraft more suitable for carrier-based operations.
Bihrle's involvement in the T-45 began with an investigation of the aircraft's
basic high angle-of-attack and spin characteristics. Flight-test experience with
the British Hawk aircraft had indicated that the aircraft was very reluctant to spin
and that attempts to intentionally spin the aircraft usually resulted in a spiral
with rapidly increasing airspeed. Bihrle's results indicated that the T-45 would
exhibit similar characteristics. Flight test of the actual T-45 aircraft subsequently
verified these predictions as well as an oscillatory-divergent nature that if allowed to build would couple into a negative
angle of attack post-stall gyration.
Flight tests of the T-45 exhibited some unusual characteristics in the inverted
angle-of-attack region. These included an inverted spiral mode where the pilot
had difficulty controlling the rudder. Also, unlike the upright modes, the inverted
modes occurred at large angles of sideslip. The inability of the T-45 pilot to
deflect the rudder as needed complicated the technique required to recover from
the inverted spin/spiral modes. The pilot was unable to deflect the rudder against
the spin as desired even while developing an average 400-lb load on the rudder
pedal.
Bihrle, at the Navy's request, conducted an investigation on understanding the
spin/spiral behavior and the implications of alternate control sequencing on spin entry and recovery as well as the
feasibility of implementing a powered rudder. Wind tunnel tests were conducted to collect the aerodynamic data
necessary to extend the simulation database for an accurate representation of the aircraft's inverted characteristics,
including the spin/spiral modes at large sideslip angles. Bihrle's simulation and spin mode analysis indicated that the
application of full rudder against this spin would lead to quick recovery. As a powered rudder actuator was considered
to alleviate the controllability problem, McDonnell Douglas required hinge moment data for the rudder during
conditions representative of the spiral mode. Bihrle conducted additional wind tunnel tests to measure rudder hinge
moments at inverted angles of attack for selected rudder deflections over a range of sideslip angles and rotation rates.
A unique two- component hinge moment strain gauge balance was created for this effort. This hinge moment balance
was mounted completely within the model's vertical fin, avoiding airflow disturbance. The design also allowed the
rudder to be set at any deflection angle. Rudder hinge moments were also obtained by integrating the vertical tail
surface pressure measurements made by pressure tapping the vertical tail including the rudder, which corroborated
the hinge moment balance results.
The rudder hinge moment data from these tests were used
to improve the T-45 simulation, which previously contained
minimal hinge moment modeling at inverted angles of
attack and sideslip, and was therefore unable to properly
model this rudder condition. In addition, the rudder hinge
moments acquired with a deflectable internal strain gauge
balance and from the integrated pressure data correlated
well with flight data. Based on these results,
recommendations were made to provide a consistent
recovery technique for all upright and inverted T-45
spin/spiral modes as well as the validity of a powered
rudder for the aircraft.

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