Prediction of Take-off and Landing Performance for A Channel-Wing Aircraft using Lifting-Line Theory

Abstract

Active circulation flow control channel-wing concept for short-take-off and landing (STOL) aircraft has attracted the curiosity of many researchers. Redesigning the wing into a half-circular shape and adding a high-speed rotating propeller blade at the wing trailing edge will produce a suction effect, which gets more air to the wing’s interior and raises pressure differences on the wing. This subsequently enhances the generation of lift force. This study aims to estimate the take-off and landing performance of a channel-wing aircraft. Prandtl lifting-line theory is applied to model and compute lift distribution over the three-dimensional wing section, which is then used to estimate the channel-wing aircraft's take-off and landing performance. On the whole, based on the obtained results, the lift distribution on the wingspan is found to be significant on the U-shape channel-wing section. Furthermore, compared with similar conventional aircraft designs, the total take-off and landing distances of a channel-wing aircraft has been shown to be possibly reduced by more than half and one-third, respectively. This is taken to demonstrate that the channel-wing aircraft is suited for operation at short or limited runways because of its capability to produce high lift force, allowing for short take-off and landing.