Flight Load Assessment for Light Aircraft Landing Trajectories in Windy Atmosphere and Near Wind Farms

Abstract

This work focuses on the wake encounter problem occurring when a light, or very light, aircraft flies through or nearby a wind turbine wake. The dependency of the aircraft normal load factor on the distance from the turbine rotor in various flight and environmental conditions is quantified. For this research, a framework of software applications has been developed for generating and controlling a population of flight simulation scenarios in presence of assigned wind and turbulence fields. The JSBSim flight dynamics model makes use of several autopilot systems for simulating a realistic pilot behavior during navigation. The wind distribution, calculated with OpenFOAM, is a separate input for the dynamic model and is considered frozen during each flight simulation. The aircraft normal load factor during wake encounters is monitored at different distances from the rotor, aircraft speeds, rates of descent and crossing angles. Based on these figures, some preliminary guidelines and recommendations on safe encounter distances are provided for general aviation aircraft, with considerations on pilot comfort and flight safety. These are needed, for instance, when an accident risk assessment study is required for flight in proximity of aeolic parks. A link to the GitHub code repository is provided.

An adaptive energy management strategy for airports to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 via waste, wind, and solar power

“…As a result, this ecological setting is highly conducive to the construction of wind farms (Cuadra, 2019). Assuming compliance with the easement of the airport, the wind turbines (WT) have the capability to provide electrical power to the interior of the airport (Varriale, 2018). Approximately 50.0% of the total energy production in Denmark in 2021 was generated from wind (IEA, 2022b).…”

Experimental Evaluation of Wind Turbine Wake Turbulence Impacts on a General Aviation Aircraft

“…While the majority of the above studies conclude that added turbulence in wind turbine wakes is of sufficiently low magnitude to avoid posing a risk to light aircraft, there is a lack of experimental data, particularly from fixed-wing general aviation aircraft, with which to confirm these findings. For instance, in Varriale et al (2018) the authors express the need for "a real-world flight or simulation test involving a pilot," while de Jong et al (2020) state that "a test flight with special equipment could help in the analysis" of turbulence effects on aircraft at land-based wind farms. The current paper fills this gap in experimental data by presenting the results of a dedicated flight experiment in which a general aviation aircraft was flown in close proximity to operating wind turbines at a land-based wind energy facility.…”

Comment on wes-2024-51

“…While the majority of the above studies conclude that added turbulence in wind turbine wakes is of sufficiently low magnitude to avoid posing a risk to light aircraft, there is a lack of experimental data, particularly from fixed-wing general aviation aircraft, with which to confirm these findings. For instance, in Varriale et al (2018) the authors express the need for "a real-world flight or simulation test involving a pilot," while de Jong et al (2020) state that "a test flight with special equipment could help in the analysis" of turbulence effects on aircraft at land-based wind farms. The current paper fills this gap in experimental data by presenting the results of a dedicated flight experiment in which a general aviation aircraft was flown in close proximity to operating wind turbines at a land-based wind energy facility.…”