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This document reviews the state of the art for data scaling issues associated with air induction system development for turbine-engine-powered aircraft. In particular, the document addresses issues with obtaining high quality aerodynamic data when testing inlets. These data are used in performance and inlet-engine compatibility analyses. Examples of such data are: inlet recovery, inlet turbulence, and steady-state and dynamic total-pressure inlet distortion indices. Achieving full-scale inlet/engine compatibility requires a deep understanding of three areas: 1) geometric scaling fidelity (referred to here as just “scaling”), 2) impact of Reynolds number, and 3) ground and flight-test techniques (including relevant environment simulation, data acquisition, and data reduction practices).

This document reviews the state of the art for data scaling issues associated with air induction system development for turbine-engine-powered aircraft. In particular, the document addresses issues with obtaining high quality aerodynamic data when testing inlets. These data are used in performance and inlet-engine compatibility analyses. Examples of such data are: inlet recovery, inlet turbulence, and steady-state and dynamic total-pressure inlet distortion indices. Achieving full-scale inlet/engine compatibility requires a deep understanding of three areas: 1) geometric scaling fidelity (referred to here as just “scaling”), 2) impact of Reynolds number, and 3) ground and flight-test techniques (including relevant environment simulation, data acquisition, and data reduction practices).