The dynamic landing loads of flying boats with special reference to measurements made on Sunderland TX.293

Abstract

An account is given of a full-scale investigation into the stresses occurring in the wing members of a Sunderland flying boat during landing impacts. It is found that the main dynamic effect is caused by the wing oscillating in its fundamental mode. These dynamic loads have a spanwise distribution similar to the normal lift load and, if the level flight lift load is taken as unity, a magnitude (in the most severe impact recorded) of 1.4 upwards and 1.5 downwards. Generalizing this result, one concludes that whereas down loads in landing may be a deciding factor in design the up loads are amply covered by existing requirements. Comparison of calculated and experimental loads found in these tests indicates that satisfactory agreement can be attained by using recently introduced modifications of standard dynamical methods. Although the investigation is primarily a structural one some interesting results on general water load phenomena are obtained.