Aeronautical engineering

The Flight dynamics course is intended to introduce students to description and prediction of aircraft motions. Attention is given to mathematical models and techniques for controllability and stability analyses, and evaluation of flying qualities with brief discussion of control augmentation systems. Topics include equations of motion, configuration aerodynamics, analysis of linear systems, and longitudinal/lateral-directional motions. Definitions, principal flight control system, reference frames.(4 h) Nonlinear equations of motion of rigid aircraft. Transformation matrices, Euler angles. Attitude and trajectory determination. (3 h) Longitudinal static stability, pitch stiffness, stick-fixed neutral point. Longitudinal control, hinge moment. Stick-free stability. Trim tabs, control force and control force gradient. Use of tabs. Maneuverability, elevator and control force per g. (12 h) Lateral-directional static stability. Yaw stiffness, roll stiffness. Directional and lateral control. (5 h) Linearized equations of motion for small excursions from nominal flight conditions. Bryan formulation, definition of stability and control derivatives. Decomposition in longitudinal and lateral-directional equations. Equations in state-space form, Laplace transform. Longitudinal modes. General theory of static stability. Simple approximations of short period and phugoïd characteristic motions. Response to longitudinal controls. Effects of center of gravity position and density gradient on longitudinal stability. Lateral-directional modes. Simple approximations of Dutch Roll, spiral mode and roll mode characteristic motions. The lateral stability diagram for the Dutch Roll and spiral modes. Response to aileron and rudder controls. (22 h) Flying and handling qualities, pilot opinion rating, flying qualities requirements. Stability augmentation. (11 h) In class exercises (18 h) Team/homework assignments (final report required) (11 h)

Fundamental concepts of dimensional analysis; measurement units, International System of Units (SI), United States customary units. Principal features of standard atmosphere. Formulation of the fundamental equations of rigid body. The basic performance of the aircraft in straight horizontal flight and maneuvering flight. Basic concepts on profile, wing, and complete aircraft aerodynamics in subsonic, transonic, and (hints) supersonic flows. Learn the basics of linear algebra, eigenvalues and eigenvectors, Laplace transform. Fundamentals of linear and stationary, continuous-time, dynamical systems: transfer function, impulse and step responses, frequency response.

Official textbook - B. Etkin, L.D. Reid, Dynamics of Flight, Stability and Control, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1996.

The course is divided into lectures, exercises that involve the resolution of numerical problems and exercises during which problems of greater complexity are solved in small groups. There will also be seminars on applications of the knowledge acquired in the course to technical problems specific to the labour market.

Although not compulsory, attendance at classes and participation in activities in small groups of students is recommended.

TESTING TOOLS The assessment is carried out through a written and oral exam, and assignment reports written by teams of students. The written part of the exam consists of two sections, the first on theoretical questions and the second with exercises. The first section, which lasts about 40 minutes, includes questions on all topics of the course, while the second deals with the solution of one or more problems. The duration of the second section is between 30 and 60 minutes, depending on the number of exercises. In the second section textbooks, notes and manuals can be used. The final grade is expressed as follows - Assignments 15% - First section written exam 20% - Second section written exam 20% - Oral exam 45% ASSESSMENT METHODS In addition to asking to “prove that” and, for the part of exercises, to require variations on problems solved in class, the exam requires that the student is able to integrate the skills acquired in the course and apply them in more complex, open-ended problems. A typical exam consists of: verifying conceptual understanding of course topics; verification of the ability to analyze the stability and command responses of the aircraft; verification of the ability to mathematically model the aero-mechanics characteristics of an aeronautical system; verifying the knowledge of methods of stability analysis, of the effects of the main inertial and aerodynamic parameters on the vehicle stability; verifying the knowledge of rationale and main requirements on flight qualities; verifying the knowledge and comprehension of flight dynamics at high incidence. The assessment is supported by the evaluation of the reports on assignments where problems of greater complexity are faced (development and application software codes, simple testing exercises), with wide autonomy and with a work organization defined by the students within each team. GRADINGS For the first section of the written exam and for the oral exam: minimum knowledge (rated between 18 and 20); average knowledge (21-24); good ability to apply knowledge (25-27); ability to apply knowledge to problems of some complexity, to demonstrate in-depth comprehension of the course arguments, ability to reason logically, also proposing original solutions (28-30 with honors) For the second section: the ability to solve only partially the problems, having identified the solution procedure (18-23); the ability to satisfactorily solve the problems, exposing with adequate clarity the method of solution, and deriving, in part or completely, the expected results (24-27); ability to solve the exercises without any error, exposing with excellent clarity procedure and results, even for complex problems (28-30 with honors). For the assignments (each member of each team receives the same grade as the others): minimum ability (18-20), average (21-24), good (25-27): to structure and solve problems of a certain complexity having identified the appropriate solution methodology, to work in a team, to draw up a technical report. Ability to propose and apply original methodologies for finding the solution, ability to develop in-depth analyzes, and think independently (28-30 with honors).

• R.F. Stengel, Flight Dynamics, Princeton University Press, Princeton 2014 • M.V. Cook, Flight Dynamics Principles: A Linear Systems Approach to Aircraft Stability and Control, Butterworth-Heinemann, 2013 • B.N. Pamadi, Performance, Stability, Dynamics and Control of Airplanes, AIAA Education Series, 1998 • M.J. Abzug, E.E. Larrabee, Airplane Stability and Control, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 1997.

The course is divided into lectures, exercises that involve the resolution of numerical problems and exercises during which problems of greater complexity are solved in small groups. There will also be seminars on applications of the knowledge acquired in the course to technical problems specific to the labour market.