Real Time Predictive Flutter Analysis and Continuous Parameter Identification of Accelerating Aircraft.

Abstract : This is a four-part final report on the research supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research Center under Grant F49620-98-1-0112, Real Time Predictive Flutter Analysis and Continuous Parameter Identification of Accelerating Aircraft. Flutter clearance, which is part of any new aircraft or fighter weapon system development, is a lengthy and tedious process from both computational and flight testing viewpoints. An automated approach to flutter clearance that increases flight safety and reduces flight hours requires as a stepping stone the development of a real time flutter prediction capability. Such a fast analysis tool can be designed if the coupled fluid/structure aeroelastic system is represented by a simplified mathematical model that can be quickly adapted to changes in flight atmospheric conditions, aircraft mass distribution (weapon systems), fuel loading, and Mach number, and if the current parallel processing technology is exploited.