OBERPFAFFENHOFEN, Germany ---Fairchild Dornier has completed more than 100 hours of initial wind tunnel testing for the 928JET now in development.
In two series of tests, engineers focused on validation of the wing design for the new 90- to 110-seat airliner. The 928JET is the second in a family of airliners designed for the under 110-seat market, and is a larger version of the 70- to 85-seat 728JET now in production in Germany.
The first tests conducted at the Deutsch-Niederländischer Windkanal in Amsterdam confirmed the aerodynamic approach in wing design changes compared with the wing of the smaller 728JET. The tests in this high-speed wind tunnel used a 1/12th-scale half model to get more information about aerodynamic properties and loads for the whole envelope.
The second series, carried out at the low speed wind tunnel at the Technical University Stuttgart, used a 1/23rd-scale model to examine the high-lift system, trailing flaps and leading edge devices. The primary objective of this series was to optimize the airfoil sections of the flaps and slats and confirm the engineering predictions.
"We gained a great deal of useful information from these tests and came away quite pleased with our initial designs," said Dr. Günter Kappler, senior vice president, engineering for Fairchild Dornier. "The larger wing of the 928JET is designed for optimum efficiency for this size aircraft, and we retain superb commonality through the family concept that will yield overall savings for the customer."
The wing of the 928JET provides 908.5 square feet of wing area compared with the 728JET's 807 square feet of wing area. The 928JET wingspan is 94.6 feet (28.81 meters), compared with an 89-foot (27.12 meter) wingspan for the 728JET.
Designers in Germany have begun building the 928JET digital mockup using computer design data. The DMU, which proved very successful on the 728JET program, gives company and partner design engineers a three-dimensional computer rendering of the aircraft and is used to check system routings and potential conflicts without having to build expensive physical mockups or aircraft prototypes.
The 928JET is on schedule to fly in late 2003 and enter service in early 2005 following its flight test and certification program.
Fairchild Dornier is a leading manufacturer of jet aircraft for the airline, corporate and government markets and provides a wide range of sales, support, production and engineering services for the aviation industry. Fairchild Dornier is a privately held corporation, with Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and Allianz Capital Partners as majority owners. In addition to facilities in San Antonio, Texas, and Oberpfaffenhofen, Germany, Fairchild Dornier has offices near Washington, D.C. and in other locations worldwide.
