GUST LOADS ON GLIDERS TAKING INTO ACCOUNT THEIR FLEXIBILITY

Abstract

The discussion and results under consideration may be applied briefIy to the fatigue life problems which are always present in practice. We know that the part played by gust loads in the overall picture of the loads acting on any sailplane is great. The methods considered may be easily extended to analysis and computation of ground loads which occur during the take-offs and landings. In these two cases, given a knowledge of the deterministic model of the dynamic properties of the glider design, We should have a realistic model of the influences. Fortunately, they have a universal character, but, unfortunately, we are still a long way from the moment when they have been collected. This work could be fruitfully contlnued in the direction of the possibility of determining load sample functions by the use of the digital computer. In turn these might be used as an input to the machine programming the fatigue loads.