Transition Mechanisms for Transport Aircraft
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This paper outlines basic transition mechanisms encountered on transport aircraft. Transition is highly dependent on operating conditions, wing and airfoil geometry, and surface conditions, and any prediction scheme must accurately account for the relevant physics. Moreover, the efficacy of control depends on the physics of the transition process-whether one is delaying transition through LFC or enhancing turbulence for propulsion systems or separation control. Four basic instability mechanisms generally lead to transition on a swept transport-aircraft wing: Tollmien-Schlichting, crossflow, attachment line, and Grtler instabilities. Other drivers include juncture flows (for example at the wing root),locally supersonic flow on the suction side of the wing, and surface features. Copyright 2008 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc.