Initial Flight Test Evaluation of the F-15 ACTIVE Axisymmetric Vectoring Nozzle Performance

Orme, John S. and Hathaway, Ross and Ferguson, Michael D. (1998) Initial Flight Test Evaluation of the F-15 ACTIVE Axisymmetric Vectoring Nozzle Performance. Technical Report NASA/TM-1998-206558, Research Engineering, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.

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Abstract

A full envelope database of a thrust-vectoring axisymmetric nozzle performance for the Pratt & Whitney Pitch/Yaw Balance Beam Nozzle (P/YBBN) is being developed using the F-15 Advanced Control Technology for Integrated Vehicles (ACTIVE) aircraft. At this time, flight research has been completed for steady-state pitch vector angles up to 20° at an altitude of 30,000 ft from low power settings to maximum afterburner power. The nozzle performance database includes vector forces, internal nozzle pressures, and temperatures all of which can be used for regression analysis modeling. The database was used to substantiate a set of nozzle performance data from wind tunnel testing and computational fluid dynamic analyses. Findings from initial flight research at Mach 0.9 and 1.2 are presented in this paper. The results show that vector efficiency is strongly influenced by power setting. A significant discrepancy in nozzle performance has been discovered between predicted and measured results during vectoring.

EPrint Type:	NASA Technical Memorandum
Keywords:	Axisymmetric nozzle, Convergent-divergent nozzles, Flight test, Internal performance, Mechanical thrust vectoring, Nozzle performance, Thrust Vectoring
Subjects:	(01 - 09) Aeronautics: (07) Aircraft Propulsion And Power (01 - 09) Aeronautics: (05) Aircraft Design, Testing And Performance Aircraft/Project: F-15 ACTIVE
ID Code:	160
Deposited On:	07 June 2004
Additional Information:	23 pages. Presented at the 34th AIAA/ASME/SAE/ASEE Joint Propulsion Conference, Cleveland, Ohio, July 13–15, 1998. John S. Orme, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California; Ross Hathaway, Analytical Services & Materials, Edwards, California; Michael D. Ferguson, United Technologies Corporation, Pratt & Whitney, West Palm Beach, Florida.