The buffet characteristics of a supercritical aerofoil were investigated in the High Reynolds Number Two-Dimensional Test Facility of the National Aeronautical Establishment (NAE). The test was performed quite deep into the buffet régime. The buffet onset boundary was determined from the divergence of the unsteady balance normal force. Steady and unsteady pressure measurements were obtained for shock-induced separation with reattachment as well as fully separated flows. For flow conditions where discrete shock wave oscillations occurred, ensemble-averaging of the unsteady pressures determined the propagation velocity of the pressure wave induced by periodic shock motion. A model of the self-sustained oscillatory shock motion due to shock-boundary layer interaction was formulated. Broad-band cross-correlations of the pressure field determined the downstream convection velocities of the turbulent eddies of separated flows.

The evaluation of aircraft flying qualities has always required a high level of integration between airplane dynamic response and human operator properties. Today, the linear pilot-aircraft behaviour is a mature technology summarised by the publication of the military specifications MIL-STD-1797.

The present paper outlines the contribution of pilot modelling techniques to such endeavour and their use as a tool in the prediction of aircraft handling qualities characteristics by verifying their output in a Neal-Smith criterion framework. The objective is to complete the understanding of handling qualities in the linear part of the flight envelope (such as tracking) and to initiate work in the large amplitude manoeuvres. The results have produced an interactive computer aided software useful for pilot-in-the-loop analysis.

Wind tunnel data from a tanker wing and receiver aircraft model at varying vertical separation have been compared with theoretical results. In the aerodynamic model the tanker wing is represented by a horseshoe vortex while the aerodynamic loads on the receiver are determined by the vortex lattice method and lifting-line theory, although an approximate method is used to determine the side force on the fin. In the longitudinal case data were obtained for low, mid and high tailplane positions and, with the exception of the pitching moment results, fairly good agreement is obtained between theory and experiment. The relatively small differences are due mainly to the wind tunnel boundary interference effect which could not be quantified for the pitching moment measurements. The lateral aerodynamic interference was determined by banking the tanker wing and displacing it sideways and by yawing the receiver model. Fairly good agreement is obtained between the theory and experiment for the most significant terms which are the rolling moments due to bank and sideways displacement. The effect of the sidewash due to the tanker wake on the receiver in yaw is found to be relatively insignificant. Over the range of bank, yaw and sideways displacements tested the results are almost linear.

To satisfy a user’s request for spaceborne remote sensing data a series of elements in the data chain must come together. The complete data chain has three major elements; orbiting platforms (to collect the data), data reception facilities and data processing facilities. The UK has a wide range of remote sensing users and, to support them, it has a strong presence in all areas of the data chain.

This paper will describe the less well known, but equally important area of data processing and dissemination. The two main UK facilities are the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) and the Earth Observation Data Centre (EODC).