Integration effects of pylon geometry and rearward mounted nacelles for a high-wing transport

Results of a wind-tunnel study of the effect of pylon cross-sectional shape and tow angle on airplane drag and an aft-mounted nacelle are presented. The 1/24-scale wide-body high-wing transport model was tested in the Langley 16-Foot Transonic Tunnel at free-stream Mach 0.7-0.8 and angles of attack from -3 to 4 degrees. A compression-type pylon is found to have the lowest drag at both Mach 0.7 and 0.8 and to be capable of suppressing the velocities in the inboard region of the pylon-wing junction, reducing the extent of supersonic flow and the probability of flow separation. It is also shown that the D-shaped aft-mounted nacelle has a low interference drag, as do previously tested circular nacelles in the same position.