Set of four 4” Binders

A.F. Project Engineer: D.E. Hoak • McDonnell Douglas Corporation • Douglas Aircraft Division

Principal Investigator: R.D. Finck

October 1960 • Contract AF33(616)-6460

Revised April 1978 • Contract F33615-76-C-3061

Project No. 8219 • Task No. 821901

Flight Control Division • Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory • Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio

The purpose of the DATCOM (Data Compendium) is to provide a systematic summary of methods for estimating basic stability and control derivatives. The DATCOM is organized in such a way that it is self-sufficient. For any given flight condition and configuration the complete set of derivatives can be determined without resort to outside information. The book is intended to be used for preliminary design purposes before the acquisition of test data. The use of reliable test data in lieu of the DATCOM is always recommended. However, there are many cases where the DATCOM can be used to advantage in conjunction with test data. For instance, if the lift-curve slope of a wing-body combination is desired, the DATCOM recommends that the lift-curve slopes of the isolated wing and body, respectively, be estimated by methods presented and that appropriate wing-body interference factors (also presented) be applied. If wing-alone test data are available, it is obvious that these test data should be substituted in place of the estimated wing-alone characteristics in determining the lift-curve slope of the combination. Also, if test data are available on a configuration similar to a given configuration, the characteristics of the similar configuration can be corrected to those for the given configuration by judiciously using the DATCOM material.

The major classification of sections in the DATCOM is according to type of stability and control parameter. This classification is summarized below:

Section 1: Guide to DATCOM and Methods Summary (present discussion including the Methods Summary)
Section 2: General information
Section 3: Reserved for future use
Section 4: Characteristics at angle of attack
Section 5: Characteristics in sideslip
Section 6: Characteristics of high-lift and control devices
Section 7: Dynamic derivatives
Section 8: Mass and inertia
Section 9: Characteristics of VTOL-STOL aircraft