On the feasibility of low-speed aircraft maneuvers involving extreme angles of attack

“Supermaneuvers” are rapid dynamic motions of high-performance aircraft with angles of attack peaking near 90°. This paper studies the feasibility of such maneuvers from the standpoint of whether the required moments can be developed by aerodynamic controls and/or rotation of the engine thrust vector. Generic supermaneuvers are reconstructed, based on published examples of optimal point-mass trajectories. Euler's equations of rigid-body motion, together with assumed values of geometric and inertial properties, are used to estimate the moment histories from kinematic data in the literature. After justifying the assumption of quasi-steady aerodynamics, published information on the relevant airloads is assembled and employed to estimate time histories of rolling, pitching and yawing moments needed from the controls. Three detailed examples are presented. Several conclusions are arrived at regarding feasibility, of which the most important is that thrust-vector control will be a necessary feature of aircraft designed to take advantage of these novel tactics.

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