On the calculation of panel flutter boundaries.

Methods are described for the complete automation of flutter boundary calculations when the aerodynamic forces are derived from linear three-dimensional unsteady potential flow theory. The usual process of visual curve fairing in the mass ratio versus structural damping plane is replaced by numerical procedures for ordering the eigenvalues in such a way that the n-th eigenvalue is always associated with the same flutter boundary. The mass ratio versus structural damping curves are interpolated via parametric cubic spline functions to produce the desired plots in the stiffness-parameter/mass-ratio plane. The entire process is accomplished in a single computer run.