Analysis Methods For Advanced V/STOL Configurations

This paper features an assessment the capabilities of several advanced analysis tools for addressing key aerodynamic design issues faced by several prominent classes of VTOL vehicles currently under study. The assessment summarizes the strengths and limitations of a suite of modeling tools - a comprehensive rotorcraft model, a Cartesian grid Euler model, and an unstructured URANS analysis - in matching available data involving ducted propeller and proprotor/wing interactions representative of those faced by candidate compound, tiltrotor/ tiltwing, and tailsitter configurations. The intent is to provide insight into the analysis challenges for vehicles involving such design features, the potential of these classes of tools for addressing them, and to motivate possible method upgrades. While the primary application for these methods likely will be for advanced vehicles of the type sought by the U.S. Army Future Vertical Lift program and/or the DARPA V/STOL X-Plane and TERN programs, they could be applicable to a wide range of current and future advanced VTOL vehicles, including unmanned aircraft systems.