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- Suppose at the start of the parabola the aircraft has
- initial altitude H meters,
- speed Vo m/s,
- and is moving upward at an angle to the horizontal M degrees.
- If the desired gravitational force is G m/s^2
- then the aircraft must accelerate vertically at (9.81-G) m/s^2 .
- The horizontal component of the speed is constant at Vx(t) = Vo*cosM,
- so that the horizontal co-ordinate after t seconds is X(t) = Vo*cosM*t .
- Initially the vertical component of the speed is Vy(t=0) = Vo*sinM .
- The vertical component of the speed is Vy(t) = Vo*sinM -(9.81-G)*t .
- At the peak vertical speed is zero, and occurs at t~ = Vo*sinM/(9.81-G) .
- The vertical co-ordinate is Y(t) = H + Vo*sinM*t - (9.81-G)*(t^2)/2 .
- The maximum height attained is
- Y(t~) = H+Vo*sinM*[Vo*sinM/(9.81-G)] - (9.81-G)*[Vo*sinM/(9.81-G)]^2/2 .
- By symetry it takes t~ seconds to go from the peak to the base altitude H.
- Greatest altitude and time at reduced gravity occur if the initial angle is 90
- degrees, but steep angles introduce other problems. For a given initial
- airspeed and initial angle, a larger perceived gravity (as of Mars) has longer
- reduced gravity time than a smaller perceived gravity (Luna or freefall).
- There must be sufficient airspace below the base height to accelerate and
- maneuver into the parabola, and recover from the parabola. At the peak there
- must be sufficient air density and indicated air speed for the control surfaces
- to function. The indicated air speed may be significantly less than the true
- air speed, and the pilot must compensate for winds that vary with altitude.
- I am not sure that the perceived gravity will be perpendicular to the aircraft
- floor. For free fall that would not matter. -MBM
- Example
- H = 6000 m base height
- Vo = 200 m/s initial speed
- M = 30 deg initial flight angle
- 3.71 m/s^2 desired perceived gravity
- 6.10 m/s^2 needed vertical acceleration
- X(t) = 173 m/s horizontal component of speed
- t~ = 16.4 s time to max height
- Y(t~) = 6820 m max height
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