Blackbird From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (4 years 8 months 2 weeks 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 2975 times:
To the best of my knowledge, the F-16 was the first fighter to feature torsional agility (Though I could be wrong) which allowed a relatively light wing-loading to sustain high-G's more effectively at higher airspeeds than would typically be allowed without the torsional-agility.
I have a couple of questions pertaining to this...
1.) Was it possible to design an airplane with torsional-agility prior to the F-16 (Did the technology and construction technology exist prior to the F-16's program started to produce the desired result)?
2.) How much of an improvement does torsional-agility provide in terms of allowing a lightly-loaded fighter at high airspeed to avoid excessive speed-losses in sustained-G performance? Like 10%, 20%, etc?
3.) Does torsional-agility require an unstable airframe?
2H4 From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 8950 posts, RR: 62 Reply 1, posted (4 years 8 months 2 weeks 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 2973 times:
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In order to answer those questions, I think you first need to precisely define the term "torsional agility". How would you define it?
Blackbird From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 2, posted (4 years 8 months 2 weeks 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 2965 times:
I'm not 100% sure, but from what I was told by another member, it had to do with the aero-elastic properties of the plane. Most wings naturally do twist leading edge down in response to loading (forward swept wings are an exception). Torsional-Agility seems to involve tailoring the aero-elastic characteristics so this occurs in a more pronounced fashion when high-G's are pulled at high airspeeds in such a way as to reduce lift under those conditions -- which is very useful for a plane with light wing-loading (which maneuvers superbly at low to intermediate speeds due to it's high lift to drag-ratio; at high-speeds the amount of lift produced is much higher, and with it, so does drag, which results in less ability to sustain high-G's) as it allows a lightly-loaded wing to sustain high-G's even at high-airspeeds where a conventional wing (same loading, non torsional-agility) couldn't.
Wingscrubber From UK - England, joined Sep 2001, 835 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (4 years 8 months 2 weeks 18 hours ago) and read 2837 times:
My only relevant knowledge of the F-16 is that it's horizontal stabilizer/elevator, or stabivator if you will, can input roll control aswell as pitch. In addition I believe the leading edge slats can input pitch control by deploying under large pitching-up inputs such as in a tight turn to add lift to counter the increased load factor. (In laymans, when you pull up hard, the slats deploy)
Or at least that's what I've seen simulated...
Oh, and of course, it's a fly-by-wire aircraft, so 'torsional agility' could well just be a peice of software! 'Aero-elastic properties' sound interesting, never heard of that term before.
Starglider From Netherlands, joined Sep 2006, 644 posts, RR: 44 Reply 5, posted (4 years 8 months 1 week 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 2756 times:
Quoting Wingscrubber (Reply 3): I believe the leading edge slats can input pitch control by deploying under large pitching-up inputs such as in a tight turn to add lift to counter the increased load factor. (In laymans, when you pull up hard, the slats deploy)
Just to be clear, the F-16 has leading edge flaps, not slats. They automatically deploy when airborne with gear down and in flight with gear up depending on airspeed, angle of attack or while manoeuvring.
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