The Synthesis of an Active Flutter Suppression Law Based on an Energy Criterion

Abstract

Summary Theory and results are presented which show that it is questionable to base a flutter suppression law, synthesised in terms of an energy dissipation criterion, entirely on aerodynamic data. It is shown that aileron mass balance and aileron/jack impedance can adversely affect regions of stability which have been predicted using aerodynamic terms alone. Comments are also made which attempt to unify various cost functions which are used when either an energy dissipation or an energy dissipation and storage criterion is used in the formulation of flutter suppression laws.