Research on Simulation Method of Propeller Power in the Model Free-flight Test

Abstract

It is necessary to simulate effects of propeller power accurately, when the stall performance of propeller aircraft is simulated by scaled free-flight test. Based on the analysis of similarity criterion of the model's free flight stall test and the similarity criterion of the propeller's dynamic model, the similarity criterion relation to be followed in the free flight stall test of the propeller model is deduced. Actual free-flight test is performed to examine the method by aircraft model with four turbo-prop engines. The free-flight test result shows that the method can reflect the state of propeller power operation at the stall, the stall speed and stall characteristics accurately and agree with the results obtained by wind tunnel test. It can provide important data support for aircraft stall test flight, and provide theory and test method for domestic research on free flight test of propeller model.

Keywords

• propeller power
• free-flight
• similarity criterion
• slip stream
• stall characteristics