The effects of various parameters on wing-torsion aileron-rotation flutter

Abstract

The effect of certain parameters on binary wing-torsion aileron-rotation flutter are considered in a simplified analysis. These parameters are: aileron circuit stiffness, aileron mass-balance, altitude and structural damping. It is shown-that flutter is prevented either by making the aileron natural frequency higher than that of the wing-torsion mode, or by reducing the cross inertia between the modes below a certain critical value. This critical value depends only on three of the coefficients of the Lagrangian flutter equations. It is concluded that the best means of flutter prevention for a power-controlled aileron is to rely entirely on adequate circuit stiffness, using a fully duplicated power system, and to dispense with mass-balance altogether.