Wing/body kinematics measurement and force and moment analyses of the takeoff flight of fruitflies

In the paper, we present a detailed analysis of the takeoff mechanics of fruitflies which perform voluntary takeoff flights. Wing and body kinematics of the insects during takeoff were measured using Based on the measured data, high-speed video techniques. inertia force acting on the insect was computed and aerodynamic force and moment of the wings were calculated by the method of computational fluid dynamics. Subtracting the aerodynamic force and the weight from the inertia force gave the leg force. The following has been shown. In its voluntary takeoff, a fruitfly jumps during the first wingbeat and becomes airborne at the end of the first wingbeat. When it is in the air, the fly has a relatively large ＂initial＂ pitch-up rotational velocity （more than 5 000~/s） resulting from the jumping, but in about 5 wingbeats, the pitch-up rotation is stopped and the fly goes into a quasi-hovering flight. The fly mainly uses the force of jumping legs to lift itself into the air （the force from the flapping wings during the jumping is only about 5%-10% of the leg force）. The main role played by the flapping wings in the takeoff is to produce a pitch-down moment to nullify the large ＂initial＂ pitch-up rotational velocity （otherwise, the fly would have kept pitching-up and quickly fallen down）.

Effects of Deck Motion and Ship Airwake on Ski-Jump Takeoff Performance of Carrier-Based Aircraft

We first analyzed the force and motion of naval aircraft during launching process.Further,we investigated the ship deck with the form of a ramp and established deck motion model and ship airwake model.Finally,we conducted simulations at medium sea.Results showed that the effects of deck motion on takeoff varied with initial phases,and airwake could help reducing aircraft′s sinkage.We also found that the deck motion played a major role in the effects caused by the interaction of deck motion and ship airwake.

Hover performance estimation and validation of battery powered vertical takeoff and landing aircraft

Battery powered vertical takeoff and landing(VTOL) aircraft attracts more and more interests from public, while limited hover endurance hinders many prospective applications. Based on the weight models of battery, motor and electronic speed controller, the power consumption model of propeller and the constant power discharge model of battery, an efficient method to estimate the hover endurance of battery powered VTOL aircraft was presented. In order to understand the mechanism of performance improvement, the impacts of propulsion system parameters on hover endurance were analyzed by simulations, including the motor power density, the battery capacity, specific energy and Peukert coefficient. Ground experiment platform was established and validation experiments were carried out, the results of which showed a well agreement with the simulations. The estimation method and the analysis results could be used for optimization design and hover performance evaluation of battery powered VTOL aircraft.

Engine-Out Takeoff Path Optimization for Large Civil Aircraft

Maximum regulated takeoff weights and hence payloads of large commercial jets are limited by government regulations which take into account local airport conditions as well as a variety of safety factors. One of the challenging conditions that must be met is linked to a minimum obstacle clearance in the unlikely event of an engine failure on the runway at the worst possible time. This requirement becomes an overriding factor for airports surrounded by challenging terrain, and therefore a well defined takeoff path out of these airports has the potential to transform a financially unsustainable operation into a commercially viable one. The research described in this paper represents an ongoing attempt to resolve this important problem and makes use of recent advances in robot path planning techniques.

Theoretical and Experimental Investigations of Gyroplane Jump Takeoff Dynamics

A nonlinear and time-varying gyroplane jump takeoff dynamics model considering the unsteady ground effect and the rapid blade-pitch increase(RBPI) is developed and validated against the experiment data.The precisions of the proposed model,an experienced Hollmann model and three other simplified models are compared by displaying the height and rpm time histories of those models and the experimental data.The mean square errors(MSE) of the height histories and maximum height errors(MHE) between those models are calculated and given out.The statistics provide a kind of evaluation method of importance of the unsteady ground effect,RBPI,and the induced velocity on jump takeoff performance in vertical phase.The impact of the unsteady ground effect and RBPI on the thrust and induced velocity of the experimental rotor of a small scale platform is analyzed.The study indicates that the proposed model agrees better with the experimental data than other models.It is useful for predicting the gyroplane jump takeoff performance for design.

Mathematical Model for Takeoff Simulation of a Wing in Proximity to the Ground

Aircraft flying close to the ground benefit from enhanced efficiency owing to decreased induced drag and increased lift. In this study, a mathematical model is developed to simulate the takeoff of a wing near the ground using an Iterative Boundary Element Method （IBEM） and the finite difference scheme. Two stand-alone sub-codes and a mother code, which enables communication between the sub-codes, are developed to solve for the self-excitation of the Wing-In-Ground （WIG） effect. The aerodynamic force exerted on the wing is calculated by the first sub-code using the IBEM, and the vertical displacement of the wing is calculated by the second sub-code using the finite difference scheme. The mother code commands the two sub-codes and can solve for the aerodynamics of the wing and operating height within seconds. The developed code system is used to solve for the force, velocity, and displacement of an NACA6409 wing at a 4° Angle of Attack （AoA） which has various numerical and experimental studies in the literature. The effects of thickness and AoA are then investigated and conclusions were drawn with respect to generated results. The proposed model provides a practical method for understanding the flight dynamics and it is specifically beneficial at the pre-design stages of a WIG effect craft.

ANALYSISOFOPERATIONALCAUSESOFAIRPLANETAKEOFFACCIDENTS

The possibility and causes of flight accidents by operational error/deviation in takeoff are analyzed in this paper. The following three stages are each described individually: before liftoff, near liftoff and initial climb. Relations of accident/incident causal factors by operational error with intrinsical flight mechanics are discussed.

Modeling and Verification of Aircraft Takeoff Through Novel Quantum Nets

The formal modeling and verification of aircraft takeoff is a challenge because it is a complex safety-critical operation.The task of aircraft takeoff is distributed amongst various computer-based controllers,however,with the growing malicious threats a secure communication between aircraft and controllers becomes highly important.This research serves as a starting point for integration of BB84 quantum protocol with petri nets for secure modeling and verification of takeoff procedure.The integrated model combines the BB84 quantum cryptographic protocol with powerful verification tool support offered by petri nets.To model certain important properties of BB84,a new variant of petri nets coined as Quantum Nets are proposed by defining their mathematical foundations and overall system dynamics,furthermore,some important system properties are also abstractly defined.The proposed QuantumNets are then applied for modeling of aircraft takeoff process by defining three quantum nets:namely aircraft,runway controller and gate controller.For authentication between quantum nets,the use of external places and transitions is demonstrated to describe the encryptiondecryption process of qubits stream.Finally,the developed takeoff quantum network is verified through simulation offered by colored petri-net(CPN)Tools.Moreover,reachability tree(RT)analysis is also performed to have greater confidence in feasibility and correctness of the proposed aircraft takeoff model through the Quantum Nets.

Streamlining Takeoff and Estimating with BIM:A Case Study of a Construction Cost Estimating Course

Since the construction industry has been adopting Building Information Modeling(BIM)as the standard practice for design,engineering,and fabrication in the recent decade,many Construction Management(CM)programs at U.S.universities have started to introduce BIM for cost estimating in their curriculum.Although considered as the fifth dimension beyond 3D and schedule,BIM for cost estimating in many cases is still used merely as an alternative model-based quantity takeoff method to the traditional plan-based approach.The disconnection between automated quantity takeoff and cost estimating,however,still exists,and the benefits of the BIM process in a project life cycle can not be fully understood by CM students without realizing its impact in the preconstruction phase.To bridge these gaps in a CM curriculum,an Advanced Cost Estimating course for CM programs has been developed that focuses on integrating BIM in both the takeoff and estimating process.The new course streamlines the connection between model-based quantity takeoff and cost estimating with the help of a combination of multiple construction software programs.Through the integration between the software,quantity data from a BIM model can be seamlessly transferred to a construction cost database for bid pricing and reporting.This paper presents the development of the new Advanced Cost Estimating course as a case study,including its objectives,layout,and assessment methods,and provides empirical and valuable insights on how to integrate BIM in a cost estimating course for a CM curriculum.

Optimal Design and Force Control of a Nine-Cable-Driven Parallel Mechanism for Lunar Takeoff Simulation

Traditional simulation methods are unable to meet the requirements of lunar takeo simulations, such as high force output precision, low cost, and repeated use. Considering that cable-driven parallel mechanisms have the advantages of high payload to weight ratio, potentially large workspace, and high-speed motion, these mechanisms have the potential to be used for lunar takeo simulations. Thus, this paper presents a parallel mechanism driven by nine cables. The purpose of this study is to optimize the dimensions of the cable-driven parallel mechanism to meet dynamic workspace requirements under cable tension constraints. The dynamic workspace requirements are derived from the kinematical function requests of the lunar takeo simulation equipment. Experimental design and response surface methods are adopted for building the surrogate mathematical model linking the optimal variables and the optimization indices. A set of dimensional parameters are determined by analyzing the surrogate mathematical model. The volume of the dynamic workspace increased by 46% after optimization. Besides, a force control method is proposed for calculating output vector and sinusoidal forces. A force control loop is introduced into the traditional position control loop to adjust the cable force precisely, while controlling the cable length. The e ectiveness of the proposed control method is verified through experiments. A 5% vector output accuracy and 12 Hz undulation force output can be realized. This paper proposes a cable-driven parallel mechanism which can be used for lunar takeo simulation.

奖状560飞机“NO TAKEOFF”警告系统排故分析

“NO TAKEOFF”(不起飞)警告属于飞机指示告警系统的重要组成部分,用于提醒机组,飞机当前构型不符合起飞条件,要求机组采取措施及时中断起飞过程,待排除故障、修正构型,以保证飞机适航和飞行安全。本文以奖状560飞机NO TAKEOFF警告系统的工作原理为出发点,阐述其典型故障隔离的分析思路、排故流程,分享故障隔离实际经验,共同提升民航维修安全与效率。

Stable Vertical Takeoff of an Insect-Mimicking Flapping-Wing System Without Guide Implementing Inherent Pitching Stability

We briefly summarized how to design and fabricate an insect-mimicking flapping-wing system and demonstrate how to implement inherent pitching stability for stable vertical takeoff. The effect of relative locations of the Center of Gravity （CG） and the mean Aerodynamic Center （AC） on vertical flight was theoretically examined through static force balance considera- tion. We conducted a series of vertical takeoff tests in which the location of the mean AC was determined using an unsteady Blade Element Theory （BET） previously developed by the authors. Sequential images were captured during the takeoff tests using a high-speed camera. The results demonstrated that inherent pitching stability for vertical takeoff can be achieved by controlling the relative position between the CG and the mean AC of the flapping system.

Longitudinal Flight Dynamic Analysis on Vertical Takeoff of a Tailless Flapping-Wing Micro Air Vehicle

This paper first analyzed the longitudinal dynamic behavior during vertical takeoff without control of a Flapping-Wing Micro Air Vehicle （FW-MAV）. The standard linear flight dynamics based on small disturbances from trim condition was not applicable for our analysis because the initial flight condition, which was at rest on the ground, could be such a large disturbance from the trim condition that the linearization is invalid. Therefore, we derived linearized Equations of Motion （EoM） which can treat an untrimmed flight condition as a reference for disturbances. The Computational Fluid Dynamic （CFD） software ANSYS Fluent was used to compute the aerodynamic forces and pitching moments. Three flight modes were found： a fast subsidence mode, a slow subsidence mode and a divergence oscil- latory mode. Due to divergence oscillatory mode, the deviation from the reference flight grew with time; the FW-MAV tumbled without control. The simulation showed for the first 0.5 second after leaving the ground （the time that is long enough for delay of feedback control）, the FW-MAV flew up to a height of 6 cm with small horizontal and pitching motion, which is close to a vertical flight.

Multi-body dynamic system simulation of carrier-based aircraft ski-jump takeoff

The flight safety is threatened by the special flight conditions and the low speed of carrier-based aircraft ski-jump takeoff. The aircraft carrier motion, aircraft dynamics, landing gears and wind field of sea state are comprehensively considered to dispose this multidiscipline intersection problem. According to the particular naval operating environment of the carrier-based aircraft ski-jump takeoff, the integrated dynamic simulation models of multi-body system are developed, which involves the movement entities of the carrier, the aircraft and the landing gears, and involves takeoff instruction, control system and the deck wind disturbance. Based on Matlab/Simulink environment, the multi-body system simulation is realized. The validity of the model and the rationality of the result are verified by an example simulation of carrier-based aircraft ski-jump takeoff. The simulation model and the software are suitable for the study of the multidiscipline intersection problems which are involved in the performance, flight quality and safety of carrier-based aircraft takeoff, the effects of landing gear loads, parameters of carrier deck, etc.

Water takeoff performance calculation method for amphibious aircraft based on digital virtual flight

Owing to the strong coupling among the hydrodynamic forces,aerodynamic forces and motion of amphibious aircraft during the water takeoff process,the water takeoff performance is difficult to calculate accurately and quickly.Based on an analysis of the dynamics and kinematics characteristics of amphibious aircraft and the hydrodynamic theory of high-speed planing hulls,a suitable mathematical model is established for calculating the hydrodynamics of aircraft during water takeoff.A pilot model is designed to illustrate how pilots are affected by the lack of visual reference and the necessity to simultaneously control the pitch angle,flight velocity and other parameters during water takeoff.Combined with the aerodynamic model,engine thrust model and aircraft motion model,a digital virtual flight simulation model is developed for amphibious aircraft during water takeoff,and a calculation method for the water takeoff performance of amphibious aircraft is proposed based on digital virtual flight.Typical performance indicators,such as the liftoff time and liftoff distance,can be obtained via digital virtual flight calculations.A comparison of the measured flight test data and the calculation results shows that the calculation error is less than 10%,which verifies the correctness and accuracy of the proposed method.This method can be used for the preliminary evaluation of airworthiness compliance of amphibious aircraft design schemes,and the relevant calculation results can also provide a theoretical reference for the formulation of flight test plans for airworthiness certification.

The Dynamic Process of Economic Takeoff and Industrial Transformation

This paper studies the patterns and key determinants of staged economic development. We construct a two-sector dynamic general equilibrium model popu- lated with one-period lived non-overlapping generations, feasting endogenous en- hancement in modern technology and endogenous accumulation of labor skills and capital funds. We consider preference biases toward the traditional sector of necessi- ties, capital barriers to the modern sector, and imperfect substitution between skilled and unskilled workers. By calibrating the model to fit historic U.S. development, we find that modern technologies, saving incentives and capital scales/barriers are the most important determinants of the takeoff time. By evaluating the process of eco- nomic development, we identify that what shapes saving incentives is most crucial for the speed of modernization after taking off. We further establish that labor, capital and output are most responsive to the initial state of modern technologies, but least responsive to skill endowments, along the dynamic transition path.

System Life and Reliability Modeling of a Multiple Power Takeoffs Accessory Gearbox Transmission

A mathematical model for system life and reliability of a multiple power takeoffs aeroengine accessory gearbox transmission is presented.The geometry model of gear train is distributed into several subsystems by different transmitted powers.The lives of each component are combined to determine the units,subsystems and entire system lives sequentially according to a strict series probability model.The unit and subsystem interface models are defined to dispose the loads of common components.The algorithm verification is presented and a numerical example is given to illustrate the use of this program.The initial design could not fulfill the life requirement.A design modification shows that the gear train has a more balanced life distribution by strengthening the weak parts,and the overall life of entire system is increased above the design requirement.This program can help the designer to approach an optimal accessory gearbox transmission design efficiently.

Cormorant Webbed-feet Support Water-surface Takeoff:Quantitative Analysis via CFD

The bio-inspired aerial–aquatic vehicle off ers attractive perspectives for future intelligent robotic systems.Cormorant’s webbed-feet support water-surface takeoff is a typical locomotion pattern of amphibious water birds,but its highly maneuverable and agile kinetic behaviors are inconvenient to measure directly and challenging to calculate convergently.This paper presents a numerical Computational Fluid Dynamic(CFD)technique to simulate and reproduce the cormorant's surface takeoff process by modeling the three-dimensional biomimetic cormorant.Quantitative numerical analysis of the fluid flows and hydrodynamic forces around a cormorant’s webbed feet,body,and wings are conducted,which are consistent with experimental results and theoretical verification.The results show that the webbed feet indeed produced a large majority of the takeoff power during the initial takeoff stage.Prior lift and greater angle of attack are generated to bring the body off the water as soon as possible.With the discussion of the mechanism of the cormorant’s water-surface takeoff and the relevant characteristics of biology,the impetus and attitude adjustment strategies of the aerial–aquatic vehicle in the takeoff process are illustrated.

A Smooth Takeoff

Jet Airways introduces a new flight from Mumbai to San Francisco via Shanghai in hopes of becoming one of the top five international airlines in 2012 Jet Airways (India) Ltd., India’s second largest internatonal airline established in 1993, started its inaugural daily MumbaiShanghai-San Francisco flight on June 14,