Effective Design of Highly Maneuverable Tailless Aircraft

The correct design of unusual aircraft configurations is critical to achieving proper closed-loop flight dynamics. This paper is a guide based on decades of design experience on how the proper incorporation of yaw control power effects (their magnitude and bandwidth) within the iterative conceptual design process is critical to a successful aircraft design from a dynamics standpoint. Also critical is the open-loop level of stability. Factors that must be accounted for in designing tailless aircraft are also covered. These include the use of high-fidelity simulations with higher-order actuator models, time delays, and frequently excluded second-order effects for effective vehicle modeling and simulation.