Spring Tab Flutter Part I A Theoretical Investigation on Wing-Aileron-Tab Flutter Part II Experiments on Binary Aileron-Tab Flutter

Abstract

Part I. A theoretical discussion is given of wing-aileron-tab flutter, with special reference to the influence of spring tab control. Numerical applications of the theory are made to two representative types of spring tab, and with the aid of special stability diagrams certain conclusions are drawn regarding the conditions for flutter prevention. In relation to binary aileron-tab flutter it is shown that certain restrictions on the aileron-tab density ratio should be observed, and that when a balancing mass for the tab is fitted its arms should be limited to a certain length. Calculations relating to ternary flutter indicate that the possibility of ternary flutter occurring when all the possible binary types are absent is very remote. Part II. A theoretical discussion of the effect of non-preloaded spring tab control on wing-aileron-tab flutter, in which the binary aileron-tab case is included, is given by Frazer and Jones in Part I. The experiments here described were made to test certain of their conclusions for binary aileron-tab flutter.