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National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, Report - Requirements for Satisfactory Flying Qualities of Airplanes

The need for quantitative design criterions for describing
thOSe qualities of an airplane that make up satisfactory con-
trollability, stability, and handling characteristics has been
realized for several years. Some time ago, preliminary studies
showed that adequate data for the formulation of these cri-
terions were not available and that a large amount of pre-
liminary work would have to be (lime in order to obtain the
information necessary. It was apparent that flight tests
of the flying qualities of numerous airplanes were required
in order to provide a fund of quantitative data for correlation
with pilots’ opinions.

Accordingly, a program was instituted which covered the
various phases of work required. The first step involved the
development of a test procedure and test equipment which
would measure the characteristics on which flying qualities
depend. This phase of the work is reported in reference 1,
although since that time the test procedure has been expanded
and modified on the basis of additional experience and several
changes have been made in the equipment used.

Another phase of the investigation has involved the meas-
urement of the flying qualities of a number of airplanes. The
procedure used has been in general in accord with that
described in reference 1. At the present time (1941) , complete
tests of this nature have been made of 16 airplanes of varied
types. These airplanes were made available largely by the
Army and more recently by private companies at the request
of the Civil Aeronautics Board. In addition, flying-qualities
data of more limited scope have been obtained from time to
time on a number of other airplanes, the tests of which cov-
ered only particular items of stability and control but which,
nevertheless, augment the fund of data now available.

A third phase of the investigation, one which also has been
pursued throughout the duration of the project, has involved
the analysis of available data to determine what measured
characteristics were significant in defining satisfactory flying
qualities, what characteristics it was reasonable to require of
an airplane, and what influence the various design features
had on the observed flying qualities.