A study to determine methods of improving the subsonic performance of a proposed Personnel Launch System (PLS) concept

An investigation has been conducted in the Langley 7- by 10-Foot High Speed Wind Tunnel to determine the longitudinal and lateral directional aerodynamic characteristics of a series of personnel launch system concepts. This series of configurations evolved during an effort to improve the subsonic characteristics of a proposed lifting entry vehicle (designated the HL-20). The primary purpose of the overall investigation was to provide a vehicle concept which was inherently stable and trimable from entry to landing while examining methods of improving subsonic aerodynamic performance

Subsonic longitudinal and lateral-directional characteristics of a forward-swept-wing fighter configuration at angles of attack up to 47 deg

Subsonic lateral-direction and longitudinal characteristics of a forward-swept-wing fighter configuration were examined in wind-tunnel tests at Mach numbers of 0.2 and 0.5 for angles of attack from -7 to 47 deg. and over a sidelslip range of +/- 15 deg. The effects of a canard, strakes, vertical tail, and leading- and trailing-edge flaps are examined. The canard and strakes both reduce asymmetric moments and side forces at zero sideslip for angles of attack up to about 30 deg. The canard has a small influence on lateral-directional stability; however, strakes produce a substantial reduction in lateral stability for angles of attack greater than about 20 deg. The vertical tail improves directional stability for angles of attack up to 30 deg. Deflection of the leading-edge flap to 20 deg. at high angles of attack on the strake and canard configurations degrades lateral and directional stability. Deflection of the trailing-edge flap to 20 deg. on the canard configuration generally increases lateral and directional stability at high angles of attack. Leading- and trailing-edge flaps on the wing-body and canard configurations are effective for increased lift only for angles of attack up to about 40 deg. The leading-edge flap remains effective on the strake configuration over the entire angle-of-attack range tested

NACA Technical Notes

Results of an investigation at low speeds to determine the gust-alleviation capabilities (reduction in lift-curve slope) of spoilers and deflectors on a 35 degree swept-wing model of high aspect ratio and on a 1/4-scale model of the X-5 airplane with 35 degree swept wings indicate that deflector and spoiler-deflector types of controls can be designed to provide considerable gust alleviation for a swept-wing airplane while still maintaining stability and control

NACA Research Memorandums

Report presenting an investigation in the 300 mph 7- by 10-foot tunnel to determine the chordwise and spanwise load distribution on a thin 60 degree delta-wing-fuselage model equipped with double slotted and extended double slotted flaps. The effects of a canard on the loads of the wing with the extended double slotted flaps are also determined

NACA Research Memorandums

Report presenting an investigation to determine the aerodynamic characteristics of a spoiler-slot-deflector configuration in combination with a trailing-edge 29-percent-chord high-lift flap. The wing has a sweepback of 45 degrees at the quarter-chord line, an aspect ratio of 4, a taper ratio of 0.6, and an NACA 65A006 airfoil. Results are also presented regarding the effect of deflector projection on the aerodynamic characteristics of a spoiler-slot-deflector on the plain wing

NACA Technical Notes

Report presenting an investigation in the high-speed 7- by 10-foot tunnel to determine the effectiveness of a given deflector arrangement as a gust alleviator on a model of the Bell X-5 airplane with various wing sweep angles, Mach numbers, and angles of attack. Results regarding lift, drag, and pitching moment are provided