Tools › Structures › Loads and Dynamics › Inertia and Gyroscopic Loads › Example
Twin-engine light airplane in the 14 CFR 23.371 yaw condition: item inertia loads and the engine gyroscopic couple
| Tool | Inertia and Gyroscopic Loads |
| Source | Federal Aviation Administration (2016). Code of Federal Regulations, Title 14, Part 23, Sections 23.361, 23.363 and 23.371 (1 January 2016 edition); Donely, P. (1936). The Forces and Moments on Airplane Engine Mounts. NACA Technical Note 587 (equations p. 6, F6C-4 example pp. 11–15). |
| Level | Undergraduate |
Problem
A twin-engine light airplane (c.g. at FS 120, WL 95 in) carries two 450 lb engines at FS 62, BL ±84, WL 100 with their c.g. 8 in forward of the mount, 150 lb of nose baggage at FS 30, WL 92 and a 140 lb empennage at FS 330, WL 130. Each engine turns a 3 slug·ft² rotor clockwise at 2,575 rpm maximum continuous (2,700 rpm at 200 hp takeoff; 180 hp maximum continuous; 600 lb thrust; four cylinders). Find the load each item applies to the structure in the 23.371(a)(2) yaw condition (yaw velocity 2.5 rad/s, normal load factor 2.5), the totals about the c.g., the gyroscopic couple of each engine, and the engine-mount cases of 23.361, 23.363 and 23.371.
Inputs to Enter
- c.g. FS 120, BL 0, WL 95 in; n_A 3.8; V 150 KEAS (information only)
- Items: Left engine 450 lb (62, −84, 100), ΔFS −8; Right engine 450 lb (62, 84, 100), ΔFS −8; Nose baggage 150 lb (30, 0, 92); Empennage 140 lb (330, 0, 130); engines with the role Engine
- Condition § 23.371(a)(2) yaw: n_z 2.5, r 2.5 rad/s, all else zero
- Engine: I_p 3.0 slug·ft², 2,575 rpm maximum continuous, 2,700 rpm takeoff, clockwise from behind, 600 lb thrust, 200 / 180 hp, four cylinders (factor 2)
Answers
- Left engine at r = (58, −84, −5) in: ω × (ω × r) = (−30.21, 43.75, 0) ft/s²; F = −W(0, 0, −2.5) − m ω×(ω×r) = (422.5, −611.9, 1,125) lb, |F| = 1,349 lb (3.0 g effective); M about the c.g. (−97,560, −67,360, 0) lb·in; Δ × F = (0, −9,000, −4,895) lb·in about the mount
- Totals of the four items: F = (587.6, 0, 2,975) lb, |F| = 3,032 lb; M_y = −77,660 lb·in (nose down); the load-factor part is 2.5 × 1,190 = 2,975 lb exactly, the rest is the yaw rate's centripetal term
- Gyroscopic couple: H = 3 × 269.7 = 809.0 slug·ft²/s; yaw 2.5 rad/s gives M_y = −24,270 lb·in (2,022 lb·ft, nose down); pitch 1.0 rad/s gives M_z = +9,708 lb·in (nose right); both 26,140 lb·in
- Torque: Q_to = 200 hp / (2π 2,700/60) = 389.0 lb·ft = 4,669 lb·in, limit 2 × Q = 9,337 lb·in rolling left; Q_mc = 4,406 lb·in; 23.363 side load 1.33 × 450 = 598.5 lb
- Left engine mount, yaw +2.5 with thrust: F = (1,023, −612, 1,125) lb, couple −24,270 lb·in pitch, moment about the mount (0, −33,270, −4,895) lb·in; largest force and couple in the pitch +1.0 / yaw +2.5 combination (1,845 lb, 26,140 lb·in)
Notes
The tool's default inputs are this airplane; press Submit. The case is the tool's own example checked against closed forms (m ω² r, m α r, the H × ω rule with the Pilot's Handbook sign check), the rule text and an independent numpy computation (References/Inertia-Loads/checks/inertia_check.py); TN 587's F6C-4 terms are reproduced in the same test script (test_inertia_gyroscopic_loads.php, 179 checks). The 2.5 rad/s / 1.0 rad/s / 2.5 g combination is the Part 23 rule; the 2016 § 25.371 refers transport airplanes to their maneuver, gust and landing conditions instead.