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ME30041: Aircraft stability & control

[Page last updated: 22 April 2025]

Academic Year: 2025/26
Owning Department/School: Department of Mechanical Engineering
Credits: 6 [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Notional Study Hours: 120
Level: Honours (FHEQ level 6)
Period:
Semester 1
Assessment Summary: EXOB 100%
Assessment Detail:
  • Examination (EXOB 100%)
Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Requisites:
Learning Outcomes: After taking this unit the student should be able to:
* Estimate stability margins for any given conventional or tail-less aircraft.
* Analyse and interpret both wind tunnel and flight test results concerned with aircraft static and dynamic stability and trim.
* Perform basic analysis of spacecraft orbits and manoeuvres.


Content: Rigid aircraft behaviour. Basic specification of forces and moment on an aircraft. Properties of aerofoils and controls. Static stability criterion. Static and manoeuvre margins, both stick fixed and stick free. Flight test measurements and wind tunnel analysis. Springs and weights in the elevator circuit. Power assistance for the pilot and artificial feel. Dynamic stability: an introduction. Stability derivatives. Orbit of a body under gravity. Orbit changes and spacecraft manoeuvre. Flight test laboratory. Topics for self study that could be examined.

Skills: Problem solving; numeracy; working independently.

Aims: To give an understanding of the principles of control of aerospace vehicles, the significance of the permitted centre of gravity limits which must be considered when loading an aircraft, static and dynamic stability of aircraft, and basic orbital mechanics applied to space vehicle control.
To enable the student to understand and analyse both flight test and wind tunnel results pertaining to aircraft static and dynamic stability.

Course availability:

ME30041 is Optional on the following courses:

Department of Mechanical Engineering
  • UEME-AFM16 : MEng(Hons) Mechanical Engineering (Year 4)
  • UEME-AKM16 : MEng(Hons) Mechanical Engineering with Year long work placement (Year 5)
  • UEME-AFM38 : MEng(Hons) Mechanical Engineering with Manufacturing and Management (Year 4)
  • UEME-AKM38 : MEng(Hons) Mechanical Engineering with Manufacturing and Management with Year long work placement (Year 5)

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2025/26 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2026/27 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2025/26.
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