Research Relating to Long-Range Supersonic Cruising Aircraft

Abstract

The NASA Langley Research Center has conducted an intensive and broad research programme on supersonic cruising aircraft for some 10 to 12 years. During the course of this effort to advance the state of technology of supersonic flight, a number of interesting research or design techniques and approaches have evolved. Several of these which have application to present and future aircraft design are discussed. The use of highspeed computing equipment in the application of linear theory to the problems of optimising supersonic cruising efficiency is treated. Experimental techniques employed in the study of drag at transonic speeds in wind tunnels are described. In the area of aircraft operations, attention is directed toward unique simulation methods employed in studying the relationship between air traffic control systems and supersonic aircraft.