STUDY OF THE FEASIBILITY OF CONDUCTING A WAKE-RIDING EXPERIMENT USING...

A study has been made of a T.-2 aircraft attempting to establish
a wake-riding position behind two P-3 aircraft. The major objectives
were to estimate structural loads in the wake rider and
to evaluate wake entry and station keeping control techniques.
The results of the tstudy indicate that the root-bending load on
the tail of the T-.2 aircraft would be of the order of the design
load if the aircraft were to inadvertently pass directly through
the center of a trailing vortex from one of the P-3's. Thus the
flight tests, as originally envisaged, Must be considered as high
risk experiments unless the tail of the T-2 were to be
strengthened. If wake riding experiments are carried out,
approach to the wake-riding position should be made from above
using a reduced-power, constant-airspeed approach. In calm air
the piloting task appears reasonable if the trailing vortices are
marked by smoke or condensation.

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