Application of a Panel Method (QUADPAN) to the Prediction of Propeller Blade Loads

A study was conducted to demonstrate the ability of a low order panel aerodynamic flow code to predict the aircraft-induced propeller plane flow field and the resulting steady state propeller blade loads for a single-rotation, wing-mounted tractor system. Comparisons between predicted and measured flow field surveys and resulting blade loads, including the first five harmonics, were made for the U.S. Navy P-3C land-based patrol turboprop aircraft. The study showed that low order flow codes accurately model the induced flow field.