Date of Award
Summer 2022
Access Type
Thesis - Open Access
Degree Name
Master of Aerospace Engineering
Department
Aerospace Engineering
Committee Chair
Alberto W. Mello
First Committee Member
Daewon Kim
Second Committee Member
Ali Y. Tamijani
Abstract
Amphibian aircraft have seen a rise in popularity in the recreational and utility sectors due to their ability to take off and land on both land and water, thus serving a myriad of purposes such as aerobatics, surveillance, and firefighting. The design of such seaplanes requires to be both aerodynamically and hydrodynamically efficient, especially during the takeoff phase. In the past, naval architects have implemented ways to make boats, yachts, and large ships more efficient; one of them being the addition of chine strips and spray rails on the hull. This thesis study explores the possibility of implementing spray rails to improve the takeoff performance of an amphibian aircraft. Several spray rail configurations obtained from naval research were tested on a bare Seamax M22 amphibian hull to observe an approximate 10-25% decrease in water resistance at high speeds as well as a 3% reduction in the takeoff time. This study serves as a suggestion to modify the design of the Seamax M22 hull and a platform for detailed investigations in the future to improve modern amphibian design.
Scholarly Commons Citation
Bahulekar, Soham, "Effect of Spray Rails on Takeoff Performance of Amphibian Aircraft" (2022). Doctoral Dissertations and Master's Theses. 670.
https://commons.erau.edu/edt/670
