Analytical Modeling and Simulation of Water Based Aircraft Using a Time-Domain Sea Keeping Code

A six degree of freedom program has been developed to simulate the takeoff and landing characteristics of water based aircraft. The code integrates time dependent calculations of hydrodynamic and aerodynamic forces and moments. The aerodynamic platform for the development of the code was a C-130J fully non-linear aerodynamic model along with a fully functioning engine model. The float hydrodynamic forces and moments were calculated through the integration of the time-domain sea keeping code, AEGIR¹, that uses an advanced, high-order boundary element method (BEM) to solve the three-dimensional, potential flow with free-surface waves. A feedback control system is utilized to provide control input to the aircraft (pilot model). The code simulates takeoffs and landings in varying sea states or specifically prescribed wave conditions. Any water based aircraft can be modeled using the simulation.