Measurement of aircraft attitude relative to flight path during dives

Abstract

This report deals with the development of a technique for direct recording of the attitude of an aircraft relative to-flight path during dives, i.e., the direction of incidence of free airflow relative to aircraft datum, using a wind vane coupled to a Desynn transmitter. Results obtained in dives under steady conditions of dive angle and A.S.I. show agreement with those deduced from level flight results using the conventional airflow-ncidence/lift-coefficient relation. Included are the details of the instrumentation required to obtain simultaneous records of the flight conditions (A.S.I. height, dive angle) and corresponding incidence under non-steady conditions such as exist during rocketry attacks.