An aerodynamic characterization of tilt-rotor aircraft wings based on wind tunnel tests

The complex nonlinear dynamics of tilt-rotor aircraft has consistently limited their applications due to substantial challenges in transition flight safety. The aerodynamic characteristics of tilt-rotor aircraft wings are studied in this paper. Systematic wind tunnel tests focused on the coupling propeller, angle of attack, aileron, and flap are first conducted. Important aerodynamic forces, moments, and coefficients are derived through the distributed engagement of multiple measuring balances. The results show that although the amplitudes of the aerodynamic coefficients of the wings are affected by the nacelle and propeller slipstream, their evolution trends are similar to those of a basic airfoil. Based on this finding, a simple but effective aerodynamic characterization method is proposed based on wind tunnel test data, which achieves a straightforward polynomial approximation of the aerodynamic coefficients under high angles of attack in full transition processes. This work provides a solid foundation for future control law design and the simulation of tilt-rotor aircraft.