Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur

National Programme on Technology Enhanced

Learning (NPTEL)

Introduction to Experiments in Flight

Prof.A.K.Ghosh

Department of Aerospace Engineering

IIT-Kanpur

Lecture-16
Steady Coordinated Turn
A good morning, last class we discussed about recall it was steady side slip and how do you
define a steady side slip, suppose a airplane is moving like this straight like this, then side slip
angle is 0 and if the airplane is instead moving like this we have a positive side slip that is if
I draw a diagram. If I am flying such that relative air speed is coming from the right that is I
am moving like this so relative air is coming from the right if I see from like this the relative
air should come from the right.

(Refer Slide Time: 01:25)

So this is a positive side slip angle and we have seen to execute a positive side slip angle, I
need to give aileron and rudder deflection and we have seen how their deflections are related.
Also we have seen that I can use steady side slip maneuver to estimate some aerodynamic
parameters. Especially C and β right, and you can do it for estimating few other parameters
as well. By doing experiments, by using some subset of wind tunnel data. The basic philos-
ophy is to in this course is to educate you how to conduct experiment.

The second part today is steady coordinated turn. What is the steady coordinated turn? ear-
lier we were discussing about the airplane let us say if it is going in level cruise. For a
steady side slip, airplane is going like this but for a coordinated turn steady coordinated turn I
am turning like this. That I can do if I have some bank and I am using some rudder deflection.

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 (Refer Slide Time: 01:25)

(Refer Slide Time: 03:31)

I can as well do it like this just giving rudder deflection but the problem is as I give rudder
deflection you could see this left wing will see a larger velocity because of this turn so there
will be more lift or it will try to bank so you use both rudder as well as aileron and you turn
it like this so that beta is zero all the time. That is very important in a steady coordinated turn
β is 0 and of course you are ensure that you are not losing the altitude right, if that is agreed
that I am executing a maneuver using aileron and rudder and some throttle setting, such that
I am turning, such that β = 0.

(Refer Slide Time: 03:31)

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Then how the six doc equation will get modified is the first thing we will see. Because when
you will be doing experiment and will be putting the data I should know what is a mathemat-
ical model I am going to use which will be a subset of a six dof equations of motions.

(Refer Slide Time: 04:49)

for a steady turn, lets say the Fy equation from a six dof,
 
1 2 pb rb
Fy = ρV S Cy p +Cyr +Cyβ β +Cyδ a δ a +Cyδ r δ r
2 2V 2V
These are the aerodynamic forces, which are coming because of general sixth dof, if there is
a roll, yaw rate, β , aileron and rudder deflection. Of course the Fy will have some component
because of the bank which will be component of the weight, So the equation gets an extra
term which is,
 
1 2 pb rb
Fy = ρV S Cy p +Cyr +Cyβ β +Cyδ a δ a +Cyδ r δ r + mgcosθ sinφ
2 2V 2V

(Refer Slide Time: 04:49)

(Refer Slide Time: 05:07)

Now the bracketed part is due to aerodynamic force and term in bold is because of the grav-
ity, θ is the pitch angle. Now the question is we are talking about steady coordinated turn. I
like to investigate which of these terms will contribute for a steady coordinated turn . Let us
understand what is Cy p . It is the side force, let us say if I take the axis system which conven-
tionally follow this is X, Y and Z.

(Refer Slide Time: 05:55)

If I assume an aircraft moving in this direction, x axis is this, y axis is towards you and z is

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 (Refer Slide Time: 05:07)

downward. X, Y and Z right hand system and if the wind is coming from the right so this is
the β positive direction and if the wind is coming from the right and there is a vertical tail
which way the vertical tail will experience a force it will be in the opposite of y direction.

(Refer Slide Time: 05:55)

If I see it like this is X, this is Y and this is Z and positive β wind coming from here and this is
a vertical tail. So vertical tail will experience force towards me and this direction is opposite
to positive y direction. So for a positive β , Cy which is a non-dimensional coefficient of Fy
will be negative that is I say Cyβ will be negative value. And by diagram wise if I write this
is my fuselage, this is the tail, this is the wing. If this is positive β I know by convention this

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is X, this is Y and then Z is inside the board for positive β . This vertical tail which is here it
will also see closer to positive β , so there will be a force in this direction and this direction is
opposite to the positive y direction.

(Refer Slide Time: 07:43)

dC
So this Fy because of β is negative or we say dβy which says per unit β how much Cy will
change and direction wise that is negative. Now let us talk about Cy p . What is Cy p ? it is sup-
pose that this is the airplane what is p positive? it is right wing going down. so if I roll this
airplane positive like this now imagine there is a vertical tail here so as it rotates the vertical
tail also rotates in same direction so it pushes their towards positive Y so it also experiences
the force in the negative y direction.

(Refer Slide Time: 07:43)

To explain it clearly, lets say this is the vertical tail small the vertical tail as I will be positive
p right wing going down this tail is pushing the air so there will be a reaction on the tail in this
direction and this direction of force is opposite to the direction of positive Y, so Cy because
of p also will be negative as the major contributor is the vertical tail. So I said this negative,
sometimes you sign my changes because of sweepback of the wing, high-wing and fuselage.

When I write Cy p negative and actually meaning this contribution is primarily because of ver-
tical tail. Normal aircraft you may find because of sweep because of a fuselage effects this
sign may not be exactly what I am telling. Similarly Cyr , if you recall in your earlier class are
r means your yaw rate and yaw rate positive means right wing going like this.

Imagine this airplane is taking a yaw rate about center of gravity it is turning like this so
again this tail is pushing the air this direction so it will experience a force in this direction

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and incidentally now for a positive yaw rate the force experienced by vertical tail is in the
positive y direction. so Cyr because of vertical tail if it is predominant which is generally true
will be positive right. Now I come to see Cyδ r and let us see what is the sign of it.

Again I come here δ r it means rudder and lets say if I deflect it towards left which is a pos-
itive rudder deflection, I repeat towards left when I look from the top is a positive rudder
deflection by convention so if I am deflecting towards left and moving forward then the force
will come in this direction which is the positive direction. So Cyδ r will be positive. This much
understanding you need to have while doing experiments or at least signs we should know
from the first principle that is why I thought I will explain you this then we come back to our
experiment.

So this is the expression of a Fy which are essentially I have written the forces and the kine-
matics part if I now have to equate if you see the six dof equation the whole of this term will
be equated,

 
1 2 pb rb
Fy = ρV S Cy p +Cyr +Cyβ β +Cyδ r δ r + mgcosθ sinφ = m (v̇ + ru − pw)
2 2V 2V

v̇ is a component of total V along the local y direction.

(Refer Slide Time: 11:57)

And u is the component of total V along local X direction and local z direction is w, that is
aircraft if it is moving like this and then suppose this is a relative air speed it have a compo-
nent along X,Y and Z. The same aircraft if it is moving like this unless the velocity is still
in the direction parallel to the ground then the component will change so that is why I am
saying which you know that u, v, w are the component of total velocity along local body axis
X,Y, Z direction right and v̇ is the rate of acceleration along that direction.

Now I put some assumption I am assuming that θ is zero that means what I am conducting
the experiment so that the pitch attitude angle is very small and also assuming that the bank
angle is also very small we are assuming 10 degrees.

(Refer Slide Time: 13:16)

If I do this so bank angle, φ ≤ 10◦ during the experiment. Once I do this I make an approxi-
mation then this term mgcosθ sinφ I can now write it to be mgφ .

(Refer Slide Time: 13:42)

Now once I am doing a steady coordinated turn that means I know that there is no β , so Cyβ β
term goes for steady coordinator turn because in a steady coordinated turn I am turning such
a way every time beta is 0 the attitude is aligned towards the velocity vector okay, similarly
when I am doing steady coordinated turn what is the value of p it is not doing anything like

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 (Refer Slide Time: 11:57)

(Refer Slide Time: 13:16)

pb
that it is only turning like this so p is also 0 so I drop this Cy p 2V term because of steady
coordinated turn approximation. What about r? can I drop it? you cannot drop it because r
is the rate of turning like this right. So this stays and then δ r is there this also stays and we
have to get an approximation that Cyδ a is weak.

(Refer Slide Time: 14:40)

So I am not adding that into the equation, so finally what happens if I do this assumptions
then my equation becomes,

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 (Refer Slide Time: 13:42)

 
1 2 rb
mgφ + ρV S Cyr +Cyδ r δ r = m(ur)
2 2V
Since v̇ goes away for a steady coordinated turn and p goes away because there is no roll.

(Refer Slide Time: 14:40)

(Refer Slide Time: 15:43)

You could easily understand when I am doing a steady coordinated turn like this and I will
not be very much incorrect if I have had V ≈ u, as I am moving like this every time align to
the velocity vector X axis aligned so I can replace this u by V so you can write,

8
  
1 2 rb
mgφ + ρV S Cyr +Cyδ r δ r = m(V r)
2 2V
.

(Refer Slide Time: 15:43)

(Refer Slide Time: 16:39)

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Where r is the yaw rate. Now see what is this mvr? it is angular rate mv ω which is mVr
that is centripetal acceleration and Anyways true if the airplane is turning like this, it is like
a stone being turned by a string so some force must be making it happen to give a centripetal
acceleration in the circular path. So that is the effect mVr which is a centripetal acceleration
who is causing it, for a stone I am rotating a stone with the string the tension in the string
causes that. So somebody must be causing this acceleration who is causing it primarily mg
phi component of the weight and aerodynamic force.

So now what we will do will do further approximation. Engineers are always in famous for
doing approximations many a times or sometimes something very realistic comes out. If I do
an approximation, let the aerodynamic force contribution is negligible anyway you could see
that rudders are designed to give moments that is why there is a large momentum term not
force, forces is from the wing side so this is a force component from the rudder and this is a
because of cross because of rate the side forces coming.

So not a bad idea to see what happens if I say gentlemen this force component is not very
appreciable compared force coming because of the weight component which is at a bank
angle of φ . So if I neglect this if I neglect this then what I get is,

mgφ = m(V r)

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 (Refer Slide Time: 16:39)

.
Vr
g=
φ
.
(Refer Slide Time: 19:08)
So how do I use this information and get some enrichment through experiment what I will
be doing I will actually go for a steady coordinated turn. I will take stopwatch I wil tell the
pilot take a turn of 90 degree on 180 degree depending upon mutual agreement. I will have a
stop watch and I know how much time it has taken to turn from there I will get the value of r.
It will be how the total angle turn divided by total time so I know r. I know V from a speed
indicator, φ I know from the turn bank indicator so I will measure acquire those data and find
this ratio and if it comes there between 9.7-9.8 something like that and which should remain
constant.

(Refer Slide Time: 19:57)

Fairly for that altitude so you know that yes this ratio has to be closer to the value of g. So
then you are getting understanding of six dof equation. It ensures that you have applied it
correctly and your assumptions are realistic. If this value goes off then the assumptions are
wrong ,for example if you are banking at a 60◦ and you are having a some positive θ values
and your rudder is very very powerful then you need to be careful that the value of g will not
come. That means your experiment you are designing is not correct because the g = Vφr will
only come when θ equal to 0 and φ is very small right and this indirectly also tells you how
good is your six dof model right.

So this will be also one of the experiments and this is a theory I am building it up then we

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 (Refer Slide Time: 19:08)

will be going for a session we will actually demonstrate how to do this experiment. But do
not forget for a steady coordinated turn you are supposed to measure yaw rate but if you tell
the pilot I want to take a turn of 90◦ or 180◦ . You should have a stopwatch as he starts taking
a turn ensure that he is doing a coordinated turn. No loss of altitude, the speed should remain
same.
And with the stop watch you find what is the value of r yaw rate use turn bank indicator
information to get φ use airspeed indicators to get the value of V and offline you see this ratio
whether it is coming closer to g or not if it coming closer to g the assumptions is fine because
you assume the equation of motions to be perfect right okay. Now so this is one part for this
experiment now let us see what more information you could get out of this experiment.

Let us watch out for rolling moment coefficient in a rolling moment coefficient I can again
write like Cl as,
pb rb
Cl = Cl p +Clr Clβ β +Clδ a δ a +Clδ r δ r
2V 2V
(Refer Slide Time: 22:26)
So when the airplane is doing or the pilot is executing a steady coordinate turn like this what
is the value of Cl, Cl has to be zero if there is a positive value Cl it will turn like this or turn
like this. Since it is just making a coordinated turn so Cl is no rolling moment is there. So Cl
is 0 so it must satisfy Cl is equal to zero.
pb rb
0 = Cl p +Clr Clβ β +Clδ a δ a +Clδ r δ r
2V 2V
pb
Cl p 2V = 0, since no roll during steady coordinated turn. Similarly β = 0.

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 (Refer Slide Time: 19:57)

(Refer Slide Time: 22:26)

(Refer Slide Time: 23:02)

I am taking a steady coordinated turn there is a yaw rate so I cannot drop r. Clδ r means, when
I deflect the rudder if I deflect the rudder like this it gives a yawing moment plus there is the
force in this direction that will give a rolling moment also that is why you have Clδ r .

(Refer Slide Time: 23:23)

rb
0 = Clr +Clδ a δ a +Clδ r δ r
2V

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 (Refer Slide Time: 23:02)

(Refer Slide Time: 23:23)

(Refer Slide Time: 24:22)

We will be doing further approximation we will see if we study between these two terms
Clδ a δ a and Clδ r δ r. Which control surfaces primary responsible for giving rolling moment by
design it is the aileron from rudder it comes as a second effect because rudders are used for
directional motion for turning the airplane however you should also remember that during
stall rudder is our best friend. But in general design when you are not going to stall and all
the primary rolling moment comes from the aileron and that it is designed for aerodynamics
for rolling motion.

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 (Refer Slide Time: 24:22)

So I again do an approximation as an engineer I said between these two terms this contribution
is predominant so I say thank you very much you also go, So now you have,
rb
0 = Clr +Clδ a δ a
2V
Do not forget to bring this equation what are the assumptions we have made. And also you
know that from the earlier equation you have seen,
gφ
r=
V
If I now substitute this r in the previous equation,
 
gφ
V b
0 = Clr +Clδ a δ a
2V
This expression of r came remember for the steady coordinated turn and other assumptions.

(Refer Slide Time: 26:09)

Now what I do if I do some manipulation I could show that let me write,
 
gφ b
Clr = −Clδ a δ a
2 V2
(Refer Slide Time: 27:05)
So you could easily see that,

δa 1
∼ 2
φ V

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 (Refer Slide Time: 26:09)

which is very extremely important observation. δ a/φ varies with 1/V2 . What is the meaning
of this. As you are going to make a bank angle change using aileron you will find that the
as I increase the speed the ratio will go on decreasing right it goes inversely so this is easily
can check from your experimental results because you know you have the data available its
aileron deflection you have phi through turn bank indicator. Your V from airspeed indicator
and where from this expression has come it has come from a six dof and go on adding those
simplifications right.

(Refer Slide Time: 27:05)

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(Refer Slide Time: 28:19)
And if you get something closer to this you will understand that your six dof understanding
is correct my assumptions are correct are meaningful which will help you in understand the
equations of motion this expression is extremely important and this will tell you how to design
when you are designing the controller for an airplane to make the pilot have a good handling
qualities it should be very, very carefully the delta a by phi will go inversely with V square
okay that is extremely important okay thank you very much.

(Refer Slide Time: 28:19)

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