Use of Numerical Lifting Line Algorithm to Predict Aerodynamics of Entire Aircraft

Accurate aerodynamic data is essential for aircraft performance prediction, flight simulation, and control system development. Such data can be obtained through wind tunnel testing or computational fluid dynamics (CFD). This paper investigates the accuracy and practical application of the numerical lifting line method for a variety of aircraft configurations, including the RC Aeroscout, full-scale F-16, RC F-16, and RC BIRE. Detailed models were created for each aircraft, incorporating realistic geometry, mass, thrust, airfoil, and control surface data. Special modeling adjustments were applied to improve accuracy for aircraft with lower aspect ratios. The process for implementing these models in MachUp 6 and NAELL is outlined, with NAELL results for the F-16 evaluated relative to published wind tunnel and CFD data. Results demonstrate that numerical lifting line methods can produce reliable aerodynamic data efficiently, making them valuable tools for early-stage aircraft design and the generation of aerodynamic databases for flight simulation and controller development. Input files and validation results are provided for reference and future use. Additionally, this paper serves as a repository of aerodynamic, mass, and propulsion models for four vehicles that can be used by other researchers.