PFR - Aerospace Engineering Sciences Senior Design Projects ...

Project Final Report – CUDBF April 30 th , 2009
ASEN 4028: Aerospace Senior Projects
Figure 137: Buff-2B carrying empty water bottle payload
13.2.2.11 Flight Test #17
The purpose of flight test #17 was to load the aircraft with ½ the weight of the full bottle, in
order to get the pilot comfortable flying with a heavier load. The payload consisted of 4.0 lbs of
ballast placed in the external battery box, a payload designed for Buff-2B flights with the Lipo
battery. The pilot felt this was necessary due to the extreme change in payload weight from the
empty bottle (1.0 lbs) to full bottle (9.0 lbs) flight. Since the full bottle weighs more than the
entire aircraft, it was important to test the CG shift and flight characteristics at a lower weight.
No quantitative data was measured on this flight since it does not simulate any competition
missions. The flight test was successful, and the pilot felt comfortable moving on to the full
bottle payload. Unfortunately, some ground damage occurred after the flight. The full bottle
flight was pushed back until the next flight test.
13.2.2.12 Flight Test #18 and #19
The purpose of flight test #18 was to fly the aircraft with the empty water bottle payload as a
pilot warm up for the full bottle flight. After a successful landing on flight #18, the pilot was
ready to attempt the full bottle flight.
The goal of flight test #19 was to fly the aircraft with the full water bottle payload (9.0 lb
payload weight). The two requirements that needed to be tested on this flight were the 100 ft
takeoff requirement under full weight, and the average power draw at full weight.
The pilot noticed steering issues during taxi tests before the flight. The weight of the full water
bottle compressed the nose gear significantly, making it difficult to steer the aircraft. The pilot
decided it would be safer to slowly accelerate rather than push to make the 100 ft takeoff
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