Further Investigations of the Near Field Trailing Vorticity Behind a STOL Aircraft

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Further Investigations of the Near Field Trailing Vorticity Behind a STOL Aircraft

L. J. Mertaugh / K. Devarayalu

This report presents results of a test program to measure the velocity field in the near-wake behind the wing of a high-lift test aircraft. This program continued the flight test measurements described in AD774 571. A direct measurement of the 3-component velocity vectors was made in several measurement planes located at various longitudinal positions behind the trailing edge of the aircraft wing. The test aircraft was a STOL L-19 equipped with a distributed suction boundary layer control system. Measurements were taken such that the velocity derivatives along all three coordinate axes could be computed. Thus, the three components of the vorticity vector could be determined at each point of the measurement matrix. It was found that, in general, velocity and vorticity vectors are not collateral. A design study was conducted to determine feasibility of a trailing probe support system which would allow detailed mapping of the wing wake velocity field at least 4 chord lengths behind the trailing edge of the generating wing. Such a system appears to be feasible and would provide a mechanism for further experimental study of the vortical flow at a point in the wake where roll-up is more developed.