Design and development of an F/A-18 inlet distortion rake: A cost and time saving solution

An innovative inlet total pressure distortion measurement rake has been designed and developed for the F/A-18 A/B/C/D aircraft inlet. The design was conceived by NASA and General Electric Aircraft Engines personnel. This rake has been flight qualified and flown in the F/A-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California. The eight-legged, one-piece, wagon wheel design of the rake was developed at a reduced cost and offered reduced installation time compared to traditional designs. The rake features 40 dual-measurement ports for low- and high-frequency pressure measurements with the high-frequency transducer mounted at the port. This high-frequency transducer offers direct absolute pressure measurements from low to high frequencies of interest, thereby allowing the rake to be used during highly dynamic aircraft maneuvers. Outstanding structural characteristics are inherent to the design through its construction and use of lightweight materials

Design and development of an F/A-18 inlet distortion rake: A cost and time saving solution

An innovative inlet total-pressure distortion measurement rake has been designed and developed for the F/A-18 A/B/C/D aircraft inlet. The design was conceived by NASA and General Electric Aircraft Engines (Evendale, Ohio). This rake has been flight qualified and flown in the F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV) at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center. The rake's eight-legged, one-piece wagon wheel design was developed at a reduced cost and offers reduced installation time compared with traditional designs. The rake features 40 dual measurement ports for both low- and high-frequency pressure measurements with the high-frequency transducer mounted at the port. The high-frequency transducer offers direct absolute pressure measurements from low frequency to the highest frequency of interest, thereby allowing the rake to be used during highly dynamic aircraft maneuvers. Outstanding structural characteristics are inherent to the design through its construction and use of lightweight materials