AE413 - Airplane Stability and Control

(Required Course for aeronautics and propulsion tracks)

(Students in astronautics track take AE 426 instead)
Credit hours: 3
Lecture hours per week: 3

Laboratory hours per week: 0

20142015 Catalog Course Description:

Development of longitudinal, lateral and directional stability and control equations.
Controlsurfacedesign. Controleffectivenessandsizerequirements. Dynamiccontrol
theory.Handlingcharacteristicsandmaneuveringstabilityofaircraft.
Prerequisites: None.
Corequisite: AE302.
Goals:
This course is designed to give the student a physical and theoretical understanding of the
handling characteristics of an airplane and to provide the knowledge base required to
integrate stability and control into the airplane design process.
Learning Outcomes:
1. Make assumptions, approximations and estimate static longitudinal, lateral and
directional stability and control characteristics of aircraft.
2. Explain and identify aircraft handling qualities requirements as specified in the FARs
and Military Specifications.
3. Estimate maneuvering stability characteristics of an aircraft and describe their effects
on airplane flying qualities.
4. Design an aircraft to meet stability and control requirements.
5. Discuss the airplane equations of motion.
Textbook:
B. Pamadi, Performance, Stability, Dynamics, and Control of Airplanes, 2nd Ed., AIAA,
2004.
Required Supplemental Materials:
D. E. Hoak, The USAF Stability and Control Digital Datcom, Users Manual, April 1979
(PDF and Soft Cover)
Prerequisite Knowledge by Topic:
1. Rigid body dynamics.
2. Fluid dynamics.
3. Incompressible and compressible aerodynamics.
4. Airplane performance.
5. Differential equations.
Topics Covered:
1. Introduction to static stability.
Define an airplanes six degrees of freedom. Discuss the forces and moments acting on an
airplane.
Describe airplane coordinate systems. Explain simplifying assumptions and the decoupling
of longitudinal and lateral motions.

2. Flying qualities requirement: FAR and military specifications.

Compare and contrast the civilian and military flying qualities requirements.
Explain and identify airplane handling requirements: stalls, high angle of attack flight
problems and spins.
3. Static longitudinal stability.
Explain aerodynamic chord and center.
Explain longitudinal static stability criteria.
Compare and contrast static stability requirements in terms of coefficient of lift, angle of
attach and Mach number.
Make approximations and assumptions.
Calculate airplane longitudinal stability.
Explain neutral points, static margin and balance condition.
Design wing and tail for performance and stability.
4. Static directional and lateral stability.
Explain side-force, side-slip, yaw, dihedral angles and dihedral effects.
Discuss directional and lateral coupling effects.
Describe weathercock tendencies and dutch rolls.
Calculate directional and lateral stability.
Design vertical tails, dorsal fins and ventral fins.
5. Static longitudinal control.
Discuss ground effect and its effect on longitudinal stability.
Discuss stick-free stability, elevator requirements and direct-lift control systems.
Calculate stick-free neutral point.
Design longitudinal controls.
6. Static directional and lateral control.
Explain side-slip conditions during crosswind takeoff and landing, asymmetric thrust, and
acrobatic maneuvers.
Describe side-slip and forward-slip maneuvers.
Discuss yaw dampers, differential spoilers, aileron reversal, rudder lock phenomena, and
minimum controllable speed in asymmetric thrust condition.
Design directional and lateral controls.
7. Power effects, maneuvering stability and dynamic responses.
Explain power effects on stability derivatives and flight stability.
Discuss pitch and roll phenomena.
Calculate maneuver points.
Explain the significance of the maneuver points and their effect relative to airplane wing
loading and altitude, elevator angle per load factor, elevator force per load factor and
speed stability.
Explain the fundamental dynamic modes of motion.
Contribution to BSAE Student Outcomes:
SO 1: Engineering responsibilities and methodology.
Assessment: Projects, teamwork.
SO 7: Aerodynamics and aeronautics.
Assessment: Examinations, quizzes, homework.
Course Monitor: Glenn P. Greiner

Date: August 31, 2012