Abstract:
A design study of a counter insurgency aircraft with a suction boundary layer
controlled wing to give high lift has been undertaken. The work was carried out by
the students in the Department of Aircraft Design during the 1966 academic year and
was intended to provide evidence on the feasibility of the configuration employed.
The aircraft has a gross weight of 9800 lb. and is designed to carry a variety of
payloads of up to 2000 lb. at a maximum speed of 380 m. p. h. The flight usable
lift coefficient of five is achieved at an incidence of approximately 30
o
which introduced particular layout and undercarriage problems. A twin boom configuration with
a variable geometry undercarriage was adopted.
It is concluded that the use of a suction boundary layer control system can confer
significant performance benefits but the aircraft might well be handicapped by climatic
operational limitations. The variable geometry undercarriage is complex and an
alternative layout using a tilt wing might be preferable.
