TsAGI explores MC-21 motion on a slick runway

press release




The Zhukovsky Central AeroHydrodynamic Institute (TsAGI) continues MC-21 prospective aircraft testing. Now TsAGI scientists are studying the aircraft’s characteristics on a slick runway during a simulated rainfall.

Sediment on the runway leads to a reduced friction coefficient, additional slush force and even the wheel aquaplaning. The combination of these factors significantly affects the aircraft’s directional control and braking performance on the runway and, as a consequence, increases takeoff distance.

TsAGI Aerodynamics & Flight Dynamics Complex work objective is to define the impact of runway water depth, slush layer, ice on takeoff and increase in landing distances, as well as the change in characteristics of the aircraft’s stability and controllability.

TsAGI scientists created a mathematical model of the aircraft runway rollout with different states of runway surface. Scientists have developed new simulation models of the slush force, improved deceleration device and cornering force. The testing results identified the normal take-off distance, accelerate-shop distance and extended take-off at engine failure with various runway surface conditions. The Institute specialists identified the aircraft control characteristics at crosswind and thrust reversing.

"Our simulation program will be practiced at TsAGI flight simulators and will help pilots,” commented Viktor Bragazin, leading researcher of the TsAGI Aerodynamics & Flight Dynamics Complex . “The program will be improved after the MC-21 flight in different test conditions. In the future, the results may become the background for certificate tests on slick runways, and also provide the basis for aircrew recommendations.”

The MC-21-300 is a new generation aircraft with a capacity of 163 to 211 passengers and targets the largest segment of the aviation market. The aircraft provides passengers with a significant new level of comfort, due to the largest fuselage diameter in narrow-body aircraft. The aircraft is superior to existing counterparts in terms of flight-technical characteristics and efficiency. The major contributor to the enhancement of flight-technical characteristics of the aircraft is the wing made of polymer composite materials, the first-in-the-world, developed for narrow-body aircraft with a capacity of over 130 passengers. The use of composites in the MC-21 design exceeds 30% and is unique for this category of aircraft.