Research papers

Analysis of aircraft control strategies for microburst encounter

Analyses have indicated that improved control strategies could reduce the threat posed by the presence of microburst-type wind shear during aircraft takeoffs and landings.

A simplified model of the turbulent microburst

A simple model was developed to describe the low altitude shear associated with a microburst (or small downburst) in the atmosphere. Such microbursts are thought to be the cause of convective radial flows near the ground…

Airborne Doppler radar detection of low altitude windshear

NASA and the FAA, as part of a joint research effort aimed at the development of airborne sensor technology for low altitude windshear detection during aircraft takeoffs and landings, are giving attention to the potentia…

Lightning attachment patterns and flight conditions experienced by the NASA F-106B airplane from 1980 to 1983

The direct lightning strike data and associated flight conditions recorded from 1980 to 1983 during 742 thunderstorm penetrations with a NASA F-106B in Oklahoma and Virginia are studied with an emphasis on aircraft prote…

Effects of digital altimetry on pilot workload

A series of VOR-DME instrument landing approaches was flown in the DC-9 full-workload simulator to compare pilot performance, scan behavior, and workload when using a computer-drum-pointer altimeter (CDPA) and a digital …

Crew procedures and workload of retrofit concepts for microwave landing system

Crew procedures and workload for Microwave Landing Systems (MLS) that could be retrofitted into existing transport aircraft were evaluated. Two MLS receiver concepts were developed.

Human workload in aviation

The application of human-factors analysis techniques to the evaluation of aircraft-crew workloads is discussed in an introductory overview.

Human factors issues associated with the use of speech technology in the cockpit

The human factors issues associated with the use of voice technology in the cockpit are summarized. The formulation of the LHX avionics suite is described and the allocation of tasks to voice in the cockpit is discussed.…

A methodology for the assessment of manned flight simulator fidelity

A relatively simple analytical methodology for assessing the fidelity of manned flight simulators for specific vehicles and tasks is offered.

Analysis procedures and subjective flight results of a simulator validation and cue fidelity experiment

A joint experiment to investigate simulator validation and cue fidelity was conducted by the Dryden Flight Research Facility of NASA Ames Research Center (Ames-Dryden) and NASA Langley Research Center.

Rotorcraft digital advanced avionics system (RODAAS) functional description

A functional design of a rotorcraft digital advanced avionics system (RODAAS) to transfer the technology developed for general aviation in the Demonstration Advanced Avionics System (DAAS) program to rotorcraft operation…

Yaw and spin effects on high intensity sound generation and on drag of training projectiles with ring cavities

Projectiles containing axisymmetric ring cavities constitute aeroacoustic sources. These produce high intensity tones which are used for coding in the SAWE (Simulation of Area Weapons Effects) system.

Laminar Flow Aircraft Certification

Various topics telative to laminar flow aircraft certification are discussed. Boundary layer stability, flaps for laminar flow airfoils, computational wing design studies, manufacturing requirements, windtunnel tests, an…

Flight test investigation of certification issues pertaining to general-aviation-type aircraft with natural laminar flow

Development of Natural Laminar Flow (NLF) technology for application to general aviation-type aircraft has raised some question as to the adequacy of FAR Part 23 for certification of aircraft with significant NLF.

Digital system bus integrity

This report summarizes and describes the results of a study of current or emerging multiplex data buses as applicable to digital flight systems, particularly with regard to civil aircraft.

A representational basis for the development of a distributed expert system for Space Shuttle flight control

A new representation of malfunction procedure logic which permits the automation of these procedures using Boolean normal forms is presented.

Human factors of advanced technology (glass cockpit) transport aircraft

A three-year study of airline crews at two U.S. airlines who were flying an advanced technology aircraft, the Boeing 757 is discussed.

Hazard evaluation and operational cockpit display of ground-measured windshear data

Information transfer issues associated with the dissemination of wind shear alerts from the ground are studied. The two issues specifically addressed are the effectiveness of different cockpit presentations of ground-mea…

Advanced helicopter cockpit and control configurations for helicopter combat missions

Two piloted simulations were conducted by the U.S. Army Aeroflightdynamics Directorate to evaluate workload and helicopter-handling qualities requirements for single pilot operation in a combat Nap-of-the-Earth environme…

Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA): Analysis of the hydraulics/water spray boiler subsystem

The results of the Independent Orbiter Assessment (IOA) of the Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) and Critical Items List (CIL) are presented.

An experimental investigation of the flap-lag-torsion aeroelastic stability of a small-scale hingeless helicopter rotor in hover

A small scale, 1.92 m diam, torsionally soft, hingeless helicopter rotor was investigated in hover to determine isolated rotor stability characteristics.

Investigation of technology needs for avoiding helicopter pilot error related accidents

Pilot error which is cited as a cause or related factor in most rotorcraft accidents was examined. Pilot error related accidents in helicopters to identify areas in which new technology could reduce or eliminate the unde…

Guidance automation for nap-of-the-earth flight

Low-Altitude/Nap-of-the-Earth (NOE) rotorcraft flight in adverse weather has been identified as a major technology void by both military and civil agencies because of its direct relationship to the needs of the military'…

The analysis of airline flight records for winds and performance with application to the Delta 191 accident

Advanced analytical methods applied to airline digital flight records and ATC radar tracking data are providing new insights into atmospheric disturbances that cause serious operating problems for aircraft.

Gas turbine rotor/case structural response to rotating stall: Experimental documentation and analytical approach

The forcing functions and structural responses characterizing gas turbine rotor/case system vibration due to rotating stall in an axial flow compressor are described.

A simulation study of the low-speed characteristics of a light twin with an engine-out

Potential safety advantages provided by the two engines on a light twin aircraft are not realized in practice as evidenced by recent engine-failure accident statistics.

The effects of pilot stress factors on handling quality assessments during US/German helicopter agility flight tests

Flight tests were conducted with two helicopters to study and evaluate the effects of helicopter characteristics and pilot and task demands on performance in nap-of-the-Earth flight.

The effectiveness of an oculometer training tape on pilot and copilot trainees in a commercial flight training program

A study was designed to evaluate the effectiveness of a video tape detailing the various aspects of instrument scanning by experienced pilots on performance by pilots and copilots undergoing flight training in a Boeing 7…

Evolution of downdrafts and rotation in an Illinois thunderstorm

Multiple-Doppler radar observations of a non-severe Illinois thunderstorm with nearly rectilinear vertical wind shear and storm motion related to the wind at a height of 2.5 km are discussed.

FMP study of pilot workload. Qualification of workload via instrument scan

Various methods of measuring a pilot's mental workload are discussed. Scanning the various flight instruments with good scan pattern and other verbal tasks during instrument landings is given special attention for measur…

Analysis of general aviation single-pilot IFR incident data obtained from the NASA aviation safety reporting system

Data obtained from the NASA Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) data base were used to determine problems in general aviation single pilot IFR operations.

Rockets for spin recovery

The potential effectiveness of rockets as an auxiliary means for an aircraft to effect recovery from spins was investigated. The advances in rocket technology produced by the space effort suggested that currently availab…

Freestream turbulence effects on the development of a rotor wake

The effect of freestream turbulence on the development of a three-dimensional wake of a compressor rotor blade was studied experimentally.

An investigation of reports of Controlled Flight Toward Terrain (CFTT)

Some 258 reports from more than 23,000 documents in the files of the Aviation Safety Reporting System (ASRS) were found to be to the hazard of flight into terrain with no prior awareness by the crew of impending disaster…

Ferrographic and spectrographic analysis of oil sampled before and after failure of a jet engine

An experimental gas turbine engine was destroyed as a result of the combustion of its titanium components. Several engine oil samples (before and after the failure) were analyzed with a Ferrograph as well as plasma, atom…

Dual-fuel, dual-throat engine preliminary analysis

A propulsion system analysis of the dual fuel, dual throat engine for launch vehicle applications was conducted. Basic dual throat engine characterization data were obtained to allow vehicle optimization studies to be co…

Dual throat engine design for a SSTO launch vehicle

A propulsion system analysis of a dual fuel, dual throat engine for launch vehicle application was conducted. Basic dual throat engine characterization data are presented to allow vehicle optimization studies to be condu…

Sunspots and the physics of magnetic flux tubes. VI - Convective propulsion. VII - Heat flow in a convective downdraft

The effect of negative aerodynamic drag in an ideal fluid subject to convective instability is considered. It is shown that a cylinder moving in such a fluid is propelled forward in its motion by the convective forces an…

Sunspots and the physics of magnetic flux tubes. VIII - Overstability in a magnetic field in a downdraft

The dynamical properties of convective overstability in a vertical magnetic field with a downdraft are considered. A variety of effects is illustrated.

Some human factors issues in the development and evaluation of cockpit alerting and warning systems

A set of general guidelines for evaluating a newly developed cockpit alerting and warning system in terms of human factors issues are provided.

Flight-deck automation: Promises and problems

The state of the art in human factors in flight-deck automation is presented. A number of critical problem areas are identified and broad design guidelines are offered.

A queueing model of pilot decision making in a multi-task flight management situation

Allocation of decision making responsibility between pilot and computer is considered and a flight management task, designed for the study of pilot-computer interaction, is discussed.

Development and evaluation of a prototype in-flight instrument flight rules (IFR) procedures trainer

An in-flight instrument flight rules (IFR) procedures trainer capable of providing simulated indications of instrument flight in a typical general aviation aircraft independent of ground based navigation aids was develop…

Single pilot IFR operating problems determined from accidental data analysis

The accident reports examined were restricted to instrument rated pilots flying in IFR weather. A brief examination was made of accidents which occurred during all phases of flight and which were due to all causes.

ATC simulation of helicopter IFR approaches into major terminal areas using RNAV, MLS, and CDTI

The introduction of independent helicopter IFR routes at hub airports was investigated in a real time air traffic control system simulation involving a piloted helicopter simulator, computer generated air traffic, and ai…

Flight investigation of a four-dimensional terminal area guidance system for STOL aircraft

A series of flight tests and fast-time simulations were conducted, using the augmentor wing jet STOL research aircraft and the STOLAND 4D-RNAV system to add to the growing data base of 4D-RNAV system performance capabili…

Head-up transition behavior of pilots during simulated low-visibility approaches

Each of 13 commercial pilots from four airlines flew a total of 108 manual flight director approaches in a moving base simulation of a medium-sized turbojet (95,000 lb gross weight) which had a day and night Redifon exte…

Fog dispersion

The concept of using the charged particle technique to disperse warm fog at airports is investigated and compared with other techniques.

The role of the research simulator in the systems development of rotorcraft

The potential application of the research simulator to future rotorcraft systems design, development, product improvement evaluations, and safety analysis is examined.

Civil helicopter wire strike assessment study. Volume 2: Accident analysis briefs

A description and analysis of each of the 208 civil helicopter wire strike accidents reported to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) for the ten year period 1970-1979 is given.