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Vibration absorbers have been utilized to reduce low frequency interior noise caused by propeller blade passage of turboprop aircraft. This method provides inexpensive tone reduction at a low weight penalty.

This paper describes a fixed base engineering flight simulator that has been built and tested at Beech Aircraft Corp. The computer portion is general purpose analog so that any aircraft may be defined. Comments concerning the equations of motion and those used to describe airplane aerodynamics and power effects are included. The aircraft cockpit used for the simulation is described in the paper as well as the computer and its contribution to the system. A three axis control force feel system has been developed at relatively low cost to provide control forces.

A fatigue meter data acquisition and processing program has been set up to take advantage of the operational nature of commuter airlines, with the purpose of defining the fatigue life of an aircraft on an individual airline basis. Commuter airlines operate in a confined geographical area with its particular weather and turbulence characteristics. The result was that in most cases, a substantial increase in the aircraft's fatigue life could be justified in comparison with the one estimated by using a unified turbulence model, which was conservatively established from V-G/VGH recordings from aircraft flying all over the country.

The Super King Air Model 200 is Beech Aircraft's latest entry into the executive turboprop airplane market. Principal design features include a T-tail empennage and 850 SHP PT6A-41 powerplants widely spaced on a high-aspect-ratio wing. This paper presents a discussion of the preliminary studies of the T-tail and the results of preliminary wind tunnel tests. The rationale and design philosophy for satisfactory stall characteristics are discussed; and the development wind tunnel tests, the flight simulator tests, and the development flight-test program are reviewed.

Each of the BEECHCRAFT family of airplanes now requires a Reliability Program Plan. A typical program with requirements similar to existing Military reliability programs is discussed. Emphasis is given to design considerations, testing, design reviews, data feedback, vendor data and management. Examples of recent reliability activities are included for subject clarification. Implementation methods including reliability training programs for both management and design personnel are also reviewed.

Current methods of predicting lateral-directional dynamic stability using closed form small perturbation equations are often inaccurate. Flight test data usually shows Dutch-roll characteristics; in particular, to be poorer than estimates. Two assumptions are inherent in these current methods that are inappropriate to General Aviation-type aircraft: First, that the control surfaces are fixed and, secondly, that the rate-of-change in sideslip (beta dot) stability derivatives are insignificant. These assumptions are discarded in this new method, and the system of equations describing the aircraft motion are expanded. Solution of the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of this system of partial differential equations yield the characteristics of the airplane and control system motions. Comparison of the predictions with the new method to that of the old show significant differences. Particularly noteworthy is the strong influence of the beta-dot terms on the damping of the Dutch-roll mode.

The radio-control (R/C) model is being developed as a tool for spin research of general aviation airplanes. This paper discusses the construction, instrumentation, and tests of a 1/6 scale radio-control model of the Beech YT-34C. Spin test results are compared for the R/C model, spin tunnel model, and full-scale airplane. Possible explanations for differences in spin characteristics are discussed. Future R/C model test plans are outlined.

In fabrication of aircraft parts using composites, it is necessary to be able to assess the quality of material simply and quickly, both for design purposes and as a means of ensuring satisfactory manufacturing techniques. One such parameter is fiber volume. The use of density for the determination of fiber volume of composite parts was developed in order to reduce the time and cost of quality assurance while still maintaining reliability. Density measurements may also be used in conjunction with NDI techniques for void content to determine the fiber volume of specific parts through the use of theoretical fiber volume versus density graphs.