FlightStream is currently used in a variety of different applications by NASA and the industry. These applications can be categorized in the following manner: * Steady-state cruise aerodynamic performance * Propeller-wing interactions * Take-off / landing aerodynamic performance * Engine integration studies * Multi-disciplinary optimizations The impact of the non-linear aerodynamics and flow separation models developed as part of this effort will have a direct impact on the first three application areas listed above. Namely, steady-state lift cruise aerodynamics, propeller-wing interactions and take-off/landing aerodynamics. The implementation of a robust model for predicting maximum lift force coefficients for any arbitrary geometry has obvious implications for the aircraft design groups at Langley as well as industry. Modeling non-linear aerodynamics also has direct impact on the accuracy of the FlightStream results obtained for aircraft in take-off and landing configurations. Further, the analysis of propeller-wing interactions can now be extended to include the effects of flow separation, and Research in Flight hopes to validate these enhancements within the framework of the NASA X-57 design effort in the near future in conjunction with NASA design engineers.
There is a significant overlap in FlightStream applications between NASA and the aerospace industry at large. Any enhancements made for a NASA effort is directly felt across the ever-growing FlightStream user community across the country. There are, however, additional FlightStream applications that are unique to the aerospace and marine industries. Primary FlightStream applications in addition to those in use at NASA include the modeling and performance of engine inlets, boundary-layer ingestion modeling, marine propellers and a potential future application for solid rocket motors (this is currently under development by Research in Flight). Most of these applications are positively affected by the development of the non-linear aerodynamics and flow separation models described in this document. For example, modeling boundary-layer ingestion is made possible because of the vortex shedding models described in this effort. Similarly, marine propeller analysis is now of higher accuracy as a result of the strain-based separation models developed as part of this NASA effort. These non-NASA applications are expected to increase the commercial appeal of FlightStream to the general aerospace and marine industries. Research in Flight expects to begin initial outreach efforts to industry to increase awareness of these newly forming FlightStream capabilities in early 2017.
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