fbpx
Wikipedia

Ryan XV-5 Vertifan

January 01, 1970

The Ryan XV-5 Vertifan was a jet-powered V/STOL experimental aircraft in the 1960s. The United States Army (US Army) commissioned the Ryan VZ-11-RY (re-designated XV-5A in 1962) in 1961, along with the Lockheed VZ-10 Hummingbird (re-designated XV-4 in 1962). It successfully proved the concept of ducted lift fans, but the project was cancelled after multiple fatal crashes unrelated to the lift system.

XV-5 Vertifan
XV-5B at the United States Army Aviation Museum
Role VTOL experimental aircraft
Manufacturer Ryan Aeronautical
First flight 25 May 1964
Status Retired
Primary users United States Army
NASA
Number built 2

Design edit

 
XV-5A Models

The XV-5 was powered by two 2,658 lbf (11.8 kN) thrust General Electric J85-GE-5 turbojets. General Electric X353-5 Lift-fans in the wings and a smaller fan in the nose, powered by engine exhaust gas, were used for Vertical Take-Off and Landing (VTOL). The 62.5 in (1.59 m) diameter lift fan in each wing had a hinged cover on the upper wing surface which was opened for VTOL.[1] The 36 in (0.91 m) nose fan provided adequate pitch control but produced adverse handling characteristics.[2] The fans provided vertical lift of approximately 16,000 lbf (71.2 kN), nearly three times the thrust of the engines as turbojets.[3]

A set of louvered vanes underneath each of the wing fans could vector the thrust fore and aft and provided yaw control. The engine power setting determined the lift from the fans, as fan RPM was determined by the exhaust output from the J85 engines and the load on the fan.[2] Roll control was by differential actuation of the wing-fan exit louvers.

Aircraft performance was subsonic, with delta wings superficially similar to those on the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk. The Vertifan had an unusual intake position above the two-seat side-by-side seating cockpit, and a T-tail.

The XV-5A was finished in Army green and the XV-5B was painted in white NASA colors. The fans did not generate as much thrust as was hoped, and the vertical-horizontal flight transition was difficult and abrupt. The XV-5 would be one of the last crewed aircraft designed and built by Ryan, which mainly manufactured drones after the mid 1960s.

The XV-5 was one of many dozens of aircraft which attempted to produce a successful vertical takeoff aircraft, but the lift fan system was heavy and occupied considerable internal volume. Only the Hawker Siddeley Harrier would still be operational by the turn of the 21st century, as would technology to make possible the use of a shaft-driven fan in the Lockheed Martin F-35B.

Propulsion system edit

The J85 and lift-fan combination was a precursor to developments which led to the first GE high BPR engine, the TF-39.[4] The lift fans were driven by turbine blades mounted around the periphery of the fan, with mass flow 13 times greater than the gas generators mass flow and increased thrust 3 times over that available using a propelling nozzle.[4]

After demonstrating that large amounts of air could be moved through a lift fan, an 80 in (2.0 m) tip drive fan turned through 90 degrees, driven by a more powerful J79 engine, was built to demonstrate an efficient cruise fan. The concept of a large diameter cruise fan was incorporated in the General Electric TF39 engine, used on the Lockheed C-5 Galaxy.[5]

Operational history edit

 
XV-5B
 
XV-5B

Two 12,500 lb (maximum gross weight) XV-5A were evaluated in late 1966 by fifteen test pilots (the "XV-5A Fan Club"). One was destroyed in a crash during a public flight demonstration on 27 April 1965, killing Ryan test pilot Lou Everett. The crash investigation believed that the pilot had inadvertently tripped the conventional-to-vertical conversion switch (improperly mounted on the collective), which auto-programmed the horizontal stabilizer to force the nose down almost 45 degrees. (This was to compensate for the lift generated by the nose fan.) Everett initiated a low-altitude rocket ejection, but the ejection seat was improperly rigged and he was killed. As a result of this accident, the conversion switch was changed to a lift-lock toggle and relocated on the main instrument panel ahead of the collective lever control.[2]

The aircraft was difficult to control during landing for several reasons. Yaw control was provided by changing the angle of the lift fans in opposing directions, but this proved to have far too little yaw control for precise low speed handling. The duct doors also caused difficulty with control, as even at low speeds opening them caused significant changes in pitch. The aircraft also suffered from very poor acceleration during standard runway takeoffs.[6]

Tests and promotional materials proposed a rescue version that could winch a person into a compartment behind the pilots. The second aircraft was extensively damaged on 5 October 1966 during trials as a rescue aircraft, when a suspended "horse collar" survivor sling was ingested into a wing fan.[7] The pilot, Major David H. Tittle, was fatally injured as a result of the ejection seat propelling him out of the craft after it had hit the concrete airport surface, although it was judged that the fan actually still functioned well enough to continue controlled flight. The second aircraft was rebuilt as the modified XV-5B, with tests continuing until 1971. An XV-5B can be seen on display at the United States Army Aviation Museum, Fort Novosel, Alabama.

Although the program was cancelled, the ducted fan concept had been judged successful and several follow up programs were proposed. The ducted fans were considered very quiet for their time, and were capable of operating from standard surface materials. Other VTOL aircraft often require protective mats to avoid damaging ground surfaces with their exhaust. This is not a problem with the much cooler exhaust from ducted fans.[6]

Variants edit

XV-5A
Two aircraft built in the initial build standard.
XV-5B
The second XV-5A re-built after a fatal crash with improved controls, fixed wide-track undercarriage and up-rated lift/propulsion systems.

Specifications (XV-5) (performance estimated) edit

Data from Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1965–66[8]

General characteristics

  • Crew: 2
  • Length: 44 ft 6 in (13.56 m)
  • Wingspan: 29 ft 10 in (9.09 m)
  • Height: 14 ft 9 in (4.5 m)
  • Wing area: 260.3 sq ft (24.18 m2)
  • Empty weight: 7,541 lb (3,421 kg)
  • Max takeoff weight: 13,600 lb (6,169 kg) (conventional takeoff), 12,300 lb (5,579.2 kg) (VTOL)
  • Powerplant: 2 × General Electric J85-GE-5 turbojet, 2,658 lbf (11.82 kN) thrust each giving horizontal thrust and powering

Performance

  • Maximum speed: 475 kn (547 mph, 880 km/h)
  • Range: 870 nmi (1,000 mi, 1,600 km)
  • Service ceiling: 40,000 ft (12,000 m)
  • Rate of climb: 8,000 ft/min (41 m/s)

See also edit

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

References edit

Notes

  1. ^ "VZ-11 VTOL Lift From Fans in the Wings" Flight International, 27 September 1962
  2. ^ a b c "Lift-Fan Aircraft-Lessons Learned The Pilot's Perspective" Ronald M. Gerdes, NASA Contractor Report 177620August 1993
  3. ^ Taylor, John W.R. FRHistS. ARAeS (1962). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1962-63. London: Sampson, Low, Marston & Co Ltd.
  4. ^ a b "The Power to Fly" Brian H. Rowe, Pen & Sword Aviation, ISBN 1 84415 200 6
  5. ^ "Seven Decades of Progress" General Electric, Aero Publishers Inc. ISBN 0-8168-8355-6
  6. ^ a b Anderson, Seth B. (2002). Memoirs of an aeronautical engineer: flight testing at Ames Research Center. United States: National Aeronautics and Space Administration. History Office, Ames Research Center. p. 35.
  7. ^ Ryan XV-5A Vertifan VTOL Jet Crash Accident October 5, 1966; Pilot Major David H. Tittle Killed on YouTube[dead link]
  8. ^ Taylor, John W.R. FRHistS. ARAeS (1965). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1965–66. London: Sampson, Low, Marston & Co Ltd.

Bibliography

  • Taylor, John W.R. FRHistS. ARAeS (1962). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1962-63. London: Sampson, Low, Marston & Co Ltd.
  • Taylor, John W.R. FRHistS. ARAeS (1965). Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1965–66. London: Sampson, Low, Marston & Co Ltd.

External links edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to XV-5 Vertifan.
  • V/STOL: The First Half-Century. Augmented power plant for hover Partial specifications
  • Immenschuh, William T. V/STOL by Vertifan Flight International, October 1964
  • "600-m.p.h. Vertifan Jet Can Hover Like a Copter." Popular Science, September 1966, pp. 69–73.
  • XV-5 photos and drawings at San Diego Air & Space Museum Archives
    • Lift-fan aircraft – Lessons learned from XV-5 flight experience Gerdes, Ronald M. (SYRE; NASA, Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA) AIAA-1993-4838 IN:AIAA International Powered Lift Conference, Santa Clara, CA, 1–3 Dec 1993, Technical Papers (A94-16426 02–05), Washington, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, 1993
  • Dr. Raymond L. Puffer, Air Force Flight Center historian
  • VZ-11 - VTOL Lift from Fans in the Wings a 1962 Flight article
  • Test flight video on youtube

January 01, 1970
ryan, vertifan, powered, stol, experimental, aircraft, 1960s, united, states, army, army, commissioned, ryan, designated, 1962, 1961, along, with, lockheed, hummingbird, designated, 1962, successfully, proved, concept, ducted, lift, fans, project, cancelled, a. The Ryan XV 5 Vertifan was a jet powered V STOL experimental aircraft in the 1960s The United States Army US Army commissioned the Ryan VZ 11 RY re designated XV 5A in 1962 in 1961 along with the Lockheed VZ 10 Hummingbird re designated XV 4 in 1962 It successfully proved the concept of ducted lift fans but the project was cancelled after multiple fatal crashes unrelated to the lift system XV 5 Vertifan XV 5B at the United States Army Aviation Museum Role VTOL experimental aircraft Manufacturer Ryan Aeronautical First flight 25 May 1964 Status Retired Primary users United States ArmyNASA Number built 2 Contents 1 Design 1 1 Propulsion system 2 Operational history 3 Variants 4 Specifications XV 5 performance estimated 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksDesign edit nbsp XV 5A Models The XV 5 was powered by two 2 658 lbf 11 8 kN thrust General Electric J85 GE 5 turbojets General Electric X353 5 Lift fans in the wings and a smaller fan in the nose powered by engine exhaust gas were used for Vertical Take Off and Landing VTOL The 62 5 in 1 59 m diameter lift fan in each wing had a hinged cover on the upper wing surface which was opened for VTOL 1 The 36 in 0 91 m nose fan provided adequate pitch control but produced adverse handling characteristics 2 The fans provided vertical lift of approximately 16 000 lbf 71 2 kN nearly three times the thrust of the engines as turbojets 3 A set of louvered vanes underneath each of the wing fans could vector the thrust fore and aft and provided yaw control The engine power setting determined the lift from the fans as fan RPM was determined by the exhaust output from the J85 engines and the load on the fan 2 Roll control was by differential actuation of the wing fan exit louvers Aircraft performance was subsonic with delta wings superficially similar to those on the Douglas A 4 Skyhawk The Vertifan had an unusual intake position above the two seat side by side seating cockpit and a T tail The XV 5A was finished in Army green and the XV 5B was painted in white NASA colors The fans did not generate as much thrust as was hoped and the vertical horizontal flight transition was difficult and abrupt The XV 5 would be one of the last crewed aircraft designed and built by Ryan which mainly manufactured drones after the mid 1960s The XV 5 was one of many dozens of aircraft which attempted to produce a successful vertical takeoff aircraft but the lift fan system was heavy and occupied considerable internal volume Only the Hawker Siddeley Harrier would still be operational by the turn of the 21st century as would technology to make possible the use of a shaft driven fan in the Lockheed Martin F 35B Propulsion system edit The J85 and lift fan combination was a precursor to developments which led to the first GE high BPR engine the TF 39 4 The lift fans were driven by turbine blades mounted around the periphery of the fan with mass flow 13 times greater than the gas generators mass flow and increased thrust 3 times over that available using a propelling nozzle 4 After demonstrating that large amounts of air could be moved through a lift fan an 80 in 2 0 m tip drive fan turned through 90 degrees driven by a more powerful J79 engine was built to demonstrate an efficient cruise fan The concept of a large diameter cruise fan was incorporated in the General Electric TF39 engine used on the Lockheed C 5 Galaxy 5 Operational history edit nbsp XV 5B nbsp XV 5B Two 12 500 lb maximum gross weight XV 5A were evaluated in late 1966 by fifteen test pilots the XV 5A Fan Club One was destroyed in a crash during a public flight demonstration on 27 April 1965 killing Ryan test pilot Lou Everett The crash investigation believed that the pilot had inadvertently tripped the conventional to vertical conversion switch improperly mounted on the collective which auto programmed the horizontal stabilizer to force the nose down almost 45 degrees This was to compensate for the lift generated by the nose fan Everett initiated a low altitude rocket ejection but the ejection seat was improperly rigged and he was killed As a result of this accident the conversion switch was changed to a lift lock toggle and relocated on the main instrument panel ahead of the collective lever control 2 The aircraft was difficult to control during landing for several reasons Yaw control was provided by changing the angle of the lift fans in opposing directions but this proved to have far too little yaw control for precise low speed handling The duct doors also caused difficulty with control as even at low speeds opening them caused significant changes in pitch The aircraft also suffered from very poor acceleration during standard runway takeoffs 6 Tests and promotional materials proposed a rescue version that could winch a person into a compartment behind the pilots The second aircraft was extensively damaged on 5 October 1966 during trials as a rescue aircraft when a suspended horse collar survivor sling was ingested into a wing fan 7 The pilot Major David H Tittle was fatally injured as a result of the ejection seat propelling him out of the craft after it had hit the concrete airport surface although it was judged that the fan actually still functioned well enough to continue controlled flight The second aircraft was rebuilt as the modified XV 5B with tests continuing until 1971 An XV 5B can be seen on display at the United States Army Aviation Museum Fort Novosel Alabama Although the program was cancelled the ducted fan concept had been judged successful and several follow up programs were proposed The ducted fans were considered very quiet for their time and were capable of operating from standard surface materials Other VTOL aircraft often require protective mats to avoid damaging ground surfaces with their exhaust This is not a problem with the much cooler exhaust from ducted fans 6 Variants editXV 5A Two aircraft built in the initial build standard XV 5B The second XV 5A re built after a fatal crash with improved controls fixed wide track undercarriage and up rated lift propulsion systems Specifications XV 5 performance estimated editData from Jane s All The World s Aircraft 1965 66 8 General characteristicsCrew 2 Length 44 ft 6 in 13 56 m Wingspan 29 ft 10 in 9 09 m Height 14 ft 9 in 4 5 m Wing area 260 3 sq ft 24 18 m2 Empty weight 7 541 lb 3 421 kg Max takeoff weight 13 600 lb 6 169 kg conventional takeoff 12 300 lb 5 579 2 kg VTOL Powerplant 2 General Electric J85 GE 5 turbojet 2 658 lbf 11 82 kN thrust each giving horizontal thrust and powering 2 x 62 5 in 1 59 m General Electric X353 5 lift fans 1 x 36 in 0 91 m General Electric X353 5 lift fan Performance Maximum speed 475 kn 547 mph 880 km h Range 870 nmi 1 000 mi 1 600 km Service ceiling 40 000 ft 12 000 m Rate of climb 8 000 ft min 41 m s See also editAircraft of comparable role configuration and era Lockheed XV 4 Hummingbird Related lists List of military aircraft of the United States List of VTOL aircraftReferences editNotes VZ 11 VTOL Lift From Fans in the Wings Flight International 27 September 1962 a b c Lift Fan Aircraft Lessons Learned The Pilot s Perspective Ronald M Gerdes NASA Contractor Report 177620August 1993 Taylor John W R FRHistS ARAeS 1962 Jane s All the World s Aircraft 1962 63 London Sampson Low Marston amp Co Ltd a b The Power to Fly Brian H Rowe Pen amp Sword Aviation ISBN 1 84415 200 6 Seven Decades of Progress General Electric Aero Publishers Inc ISBN 0 8168 8355 6 a b Anderson Seth B 2002 Memoirs of an aeronautical engineer flight testing at Ames Research Center United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration History Office Ames Research Center p 35 Ryan XV 5A Vertifan VTOL Jet Crash Accident October 5 1966 Pilot Major David H Tittle Killed on YouTube dead link Taylor John W R FRHistS ARAeS 1965 Jane s All the World s Aircraft 1965 66 London Sampson Low Marston amp Co Ltd Bibliography Taylor John W R FRHistS ARAeS 1962 Jane s All the World s Aircraft 1962 63 London Sampson Low Marston amp Co Ltd Taylor John W R FRHistS ARAeS 1965 Jane s All the World s Aircraft 1965 66 London Sampson Low Marston amp Co Ltd External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to XV 5 Vertifan V STOL The First Half Century Augmented power plant for hover Partial specifications Immenschuh William T V STOL by Vertifan Flight International October 1964 600 m p h Vertifan Jet Can Hover Like a Copter Popular Science September 1966 pp 69 73 XV 5 photos and drawings at San Diego Air amp Space Museum Archives Lift fan aircraft Lessons learned from XV 5 flight experience Gerdes Ronald M SYRE NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field CA AIAA 1993 4838 IN AIAA International Powered Lift Conference Santa Clara CA 1 3 Dec 1993 Technical Papers A94 16426 02 05 Washington American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics 1993 Why not put lift fans in the wings Dr Raymond L Puffer Air Force Flight Center historian VZ 11 VTOL Lift from Fans in the Wings a 1962 Flight article Test flight video on youtube Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ryan XV 5 Vertifan amp oldid 1187734053, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.