AIR5687 Inlet / Engine Compatibility – From Model to Full Scale Development

This document reviews the state of the art for data scaling issues associated with air induction system development for turbine-engine-powered aircraft. In particular, the document addresses issues with obtaining high quality aerodynamic data when testing inlets. These data are used in performance and inlet-engine compatibility analyses. Examples of such data are: inlet recovery, inlet turbulence, and steady-state and dynamic total-pressure inlet distortion indices. Achieving full-scale inlet/engine compatibility requires a deep understanding of three areas: 1) geometric scaling fidelity (referred to here as just “scaling”), 2) impact of Reynolds number, and 3) ground and flight-test techniques (including relevant environment simulation, data acquisition, and data reduction practices). The Model-to-Full Scale Subcommittee of the S-16 Turbine Engine Inlet Flow Distortion Committee has examined archives and has obtained recollections of experts regarding air induction system development experience to produce this document.