Flutter Prediction in Transonic Regime

Abstract: The flutter is a dangerous aeroelastic instability that can cause dramatic failures. It is important to evaluate in which conditions it can occur to ensure the safety of the pilots and the passengers. As flight tests are very expensive and hazardous, the need for efficient and trustworthy numerical tools becomes essential. This report focuses on two methods to predict the flutter conditions in the transonic domain. To evaluate the accuracy of these tools, their results are compared to experimental data gathered during a wind-tunnel test. The influence of the Mach number and the angle of attack on the flutter conditions is studied and physical explanations are put forward.