The application of active flow control on a vertical tail of a typical twin engine aircraft was investigated. Sweeping jets installed into the rudder surface were used and their effect was assessed by force measurements, flow visualization and local pressure distributions. The airfoil forming the tail is a NACA 0012 with a rudder using 35% of its chord. The tests were carried out at the Lucas Wind Tunnel at the California Institute of Technology at representative Reynolds numbers of up to Re=1.5 million. Multiple flap deflections and spanwise actuator configurations were tested resulting in an increase of up to 50-70% in side force depending on the free stream velocity and momentum input.

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Turbulent mixing layers emanating from slanted trailing edges or nozzles evolve in a manner that is explainable by applying the independence principle to boundary layer flows. Although measurements downstream of a planar chevron splitter plate validate the concept, the intent of this short article is to re-examine the broader ramifications of this observation. Turbulent boundary layer growth on a yawed flat plate is re-examined as is the attached flow direction near the trailing edge of a highly swept-back wing.