A revision of the flutter margin method to predict in real-time the limit cycle oscillations onset speed with structural freeplay present in the plunge axis

Computational fluid dynamic and order reducing methods have been extensively applied to predict the flutter onset speed of several types of aircrafts. However, the accuracy required by certification standards still ascribes flight testing as the only method available that safely validates the flight envelope of an aircraft. In particular, free-flutter conditions must be demonstrated in the target flight envelope, and several methods have been developed to determine the flutter onset speed in real-time when expanding the envelope during flight testing. Among the methods, the damping versus velocity technique combined with a flutter margin implementation remains the most common technique used for envelope expansion. Even with the popularity and “easy to implement” characteristics of this method, several shortcomings can adversely affect the identification of non-stable conditions during envelope expansion. Notably, the limit cycle oscillations conditions, distinct from flutter, cannot be accurately identified. This study proposes to apply a similar methodology to the flutter margin to anticipate limit cycle oscillations associated with freeplay in the plunge axis of a bi-dimensional airfoil that is aeroelastically representative of the tested aircraft. Analytical considerations are conducted to support this new approach, and a computer model is used to validate the proposed methodology.