Performance characterization of the generic aircraft model in the NTU flight simulator

• Main Author: Li, Jeremy Liyan.
• Other Authors: Go Tiauw Hiong
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Aeronautical engineering::Flight simulation
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/16167
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

A study was done to evaluate the performance of the C130 model in the NTU flight simulator. The comparison was made between the performance characteristics of the generic C130 aircraft model in theory and through flight tests to affirm whether the simulator model is operating as expected. A further comparison was made with the actual C130B/C130E aircraft performance characteristics to see how well the generic model mimics the actual C130 aircraft. The scope of the performance evaluation covered the specific range, fuel flow, time to climb, stall speeds, time to descend and takeoff ground run. From the comparison of the theoretical data with the simulator data, the difference of 7% for time to climb, 5% for time to descend, 8% for stall speeds, 16% for takeoff run, 70% for specific range and 40% for fuel flow was obtained. The takeoff run difference is attributed to the usage of an average acceleration for the calculation of the simulation takeoff run. These differences are considered to be acceptable hence it can be said that the aerodynamics simulation model is working as required. From the comparison of the theoretical data with the simulator data for time to climb and takeoff run, since the theoretical calculations also involve the engine thrust model, it can be said that the engine thrust simulation model is working as required. From the comparison of the theoretical data with the simulator data for specific range and fuel flow, the difference is too large to be attributed to simplification of the lift and drag coefficients. Hence it can be concluded that there is an incorrect simulation of the fuel flow simulation model. From the comparison of the simulator data with the actual C130B/C130E data, a difference of 50% for time to climb, 2% for stall speeds and 14% for ground run distance was obtained.