Search Results

During the conceptual design phase, the aircraft stability and control derivatives (aerodynamic coefficients) can be estimated by using fast computational means. Aerodynamic potential codes like the Vortex Lattice Method (VLM) or the Doublet Lattice Method (DLM) are very easy to use and are capable of estimating these coefficients accurately as well as providing remarkable insight into wing aerodynamics and components interaction. Compared to the VLM, the DLM (originally used for aeroelastic computations) allows prediction of the steady as well as unsteady stability and control derivatives. The relationships involving these coefficients and the airplane's dynamic behaviour are well known, like for example the one relating the pitch damping derivative and the damping ratio of the Short Period mode.