Code to Code Comparison of Aircraft-Mode Tilt-Rotor Aerodynamics

Abstract

A global comparison of several blind-test numerical predictions of the aerodynamic field around the Erica model in aircraft mode, carried out by some Partners of the NICETRIP consortium, is presented. The calculations are carried out with different codes, different turbulence models, different wind tunnel setups and different grids, with the objective of supporting the future experimental test campaign in the DNW-LLF and ONERA S1Ma wind tunnels. It is found that the level of unsteadiness introduced by the rotor wake on the aerodynamic loads on the fuselage, wing and nacelle may be relevant. The influence of the lower-mounted wind tunnel support is rather limited, while the rear-mounted support introduces some local unsteady effects on the fuselage loads. The overall qualitative agreement of the pressure distributions among different calculations is acceptable, while the scatter of the quantitative average loads is somewhat important.