Piper Saratoga Lab Report
Numerous flight data has been collected on a Piper Saratoga while flying in different configurations. The data focuses on the coefficient of lift and the coefficient of drag while the aircraft is pitched at various angles of attack. This paper examines the research process and the data that was collected in order to determine the lift to drag ratio for various angles of attack.
Objectives
To experimentally determine both the coefficient of lift 〖(C〗_L) and the coefficient of drag (C_D) of a Piper Saratoga when it is flown at different angles of attack (α). This data will be used to calculate the lift to drag ratio (L/D) for various angles of attack (α).
Aircraft Description (aircraft and test system) The Piper Saratoga is a complex fixed-wing, …show more content…
The test was conducted 13 miles southeast of Murfreesboro Municipal Airport. During the flight test the cloud coverage was reported as overcast at 7,000 feet, and the winds were reported to be calm with a temperature of 68°F. The flight test was conducted at the pressure altitude of 5,000 feet and the outside air temperature (OAT) was …show more content…
This concludes step one of the flight test. Coefficient of drag. The last step before determining the lift to drag ratio (L/D) is the calculation of the drag that is being produced by the aircraft, which will then be plotted against the correlating angle of attack (α). To determine the drag, the overall weight of the aircraft is needed, along with the gravity constant, and the total deceleration the plane was undergoing at the time the data was being recorded. Within this calculation are weight (w) 3,311 lbs, gravity (g) 32.2 ft/s, and the rate of deceleration (dec).
D=W/g dec (5) With the total amount of drag forces on the aircraft at various angles of attack, the coefficient of drag (C_D) can be calculated. This calculation process follows similar equation to the coefficient of lift (C_L) in equation 4; however, it includes the force of drag (D) instead of the force of lift (L). The information needed for this calculation was collected from the flight
Objectives
To experimentally determine both the coefficient of lift 〖(C〗_L) and the coefficient of drag (C_D) of a Piper Saratoga when it is flown at different angles of attack (α). This data will be used to calculate the lift to drag ratio (L/D) for various angles of attack (α).
Aircraft Description (aircraft and test system) The Piper Saratoga is a complex fixed-wing, …show more content…
The test was conducted 13 miles southeast of Murfreesboro Municipal Airport. During the flight test the cloud coverage was reported as overcast at 7,000 feet, and the winds were reported to be calm with a temperature of 68°F. The flight test was conducted at the pressure altitude of 5,000 feet and the outside air temperature (OAT) was …show more content…
This concludes step one of the flight test. Coefficient of drag. The last step before determining the lift to drag ratio (L/D) is the calculation of the drag that is being produced by the aircraft, which will then be plotted against the correlating angle of attack (α). To determine the drag, the overall weight of the aircraft is needed, along with the gravity constant, and the total deceleration the plane was undergoing at the time the data was being recorded. Within this calculation are weight (w) 3,311 lbs, gravity (g) 32.2 ft/s, and the rate of deceleration (dec).
D=W/g dec (5) With the total amount of drag forces on the aircraft at various angles of attack, the coefficient of drag (C_D) can be calculated. This calculation process follows similar equation to the coefficient of lift (C_L) in equation 4; however, it includes the force of drag (D) instead of the force of lift (L). The information needed for this calculation was collected from the flight