Flow and structure deformation research of a composite glider in flight conditions

Abstract

The gliders exemplify a rare subject of flight test campaigns other than standard certification trials. Therefore, not many examples of research activities may be found worldwide. Nevertheless, the gliders neither have advanced flight controls, nor cruise hypersonic, flight testing might encounter barriers to break. The paper presents one of international measurement campaigns performed within the AIM² (Advanced In-Flight Measurement Techniques 2), the collaborative project co-funded by the European Commission (contract no. 266107), in which several optical measurement methods were developed and enhanced for various industrial flight test applications. Among flying laboratories utilized in the project, the composite training glider, considered as a test-bed, was equipped with instrumentation for two non-intrusive metrologies named Image Pattern Correlation Technique (IPCT) and Infrared Thermography (IRT). They allow characterizing the wing behavior during flight regarding twist and bending as well as the appearance of transition between laminar and turbulent flow, respectively. The authors focused on challenges regarding a glider as a specific flight test bed for equipment preparation, with limited power supply and limited space. Finally, remarks about measurement accuracy and further applications are included.