/sci/ - Science & Math

>>3885755
>>3885592
>I was reading that these days planes are being developed that are very unstable, but with advanced computers, they an harness that inherent instability and create maneuverability?
Yes, that's known as relaxed-stability, and it was pioneered by the F-16. You see, on a conventional-layout jet (canards are somewhat exempt), the center of gravity must be shifted on or slightly forward of the main wing's center of lift to achieve positive static stability. This means that the tail is not helping to produce a significant amount of lift, and is only there to stabilize and control pitch attitude.

With the advent of artificial stability, it became unnecessary to give an aircraft positive static stability, instead allowing a computer to hold the aircraft's attitude steady via continuous control deflections. This allowed the center of gravity to be shifted aft, shifting load onto the tail and allowing the tail to help produce lift at low speeds or while maneuvering.

Relaxed stability also helps massively improve supersonic maneuvering, since the center of pressure usually shifts aft as the sound barrier is passed, causing the jet to suddenly become OVERLY stable and making control authority the new limiting factor for how hard you can turn. Relaxed stability helps reduce the level to which the jet becomes overly stable as it passes the sound barrier, allowing a massive increase in supersonic control authority.