Aerodynamic Flow Effects on Aircraft Carrier Takeoff Performance

Abstract

The aircraft takeoff maneuver for onboard operations is the most critical aspect of maritime performance. In the last decades, several improvements have been made to reduce the number of accidents. One of them is the ski-jump ramp, a modern takeoff system that allows the maneuver to be performed more safely and using less runway distance. Thus, a new in-depth aerodynamic study of the ramp is required. A wind-tunnel test campaign was developed to study the disturbances caused by the ski-jump ramp over the flight deck and the influence on an aircraft carrier performance. Smoke visualizations over the ramp revealed a detached unsteady recirculation bubble at the ramp and a turbulent flow over the flight deck. Velocity measurements were carried out by means of particle image velocimetry. The influence of these disturbances was evaluated for the takeoff performance of the AV-8B Harrier II. The results proved the importance of taking into account these disturbance effects and provided a detailed characterization of the flow over the carrier deck, resulting in establishment of a useful background for future studies on aircraft–ship interference.