Engine inlet distortion in a 9.2 percent scaled vectored thrust STOVL model in ground effect

Advanced Short Takeoff/Vertical Landing (STOVL) aircraft which can operate from remote locations, damaged runways, and small air capable ships are being pursued for deployment around the turn of the century. To achieve this goal, a cooperative program has been defined for testing in the NASA Lewis 9- by 15-foot Low Speed Wind Tunnel (LSWT) to establish a database for hot gas ingestion, one of the technologies critical to STOVL. This paper presents results showing the engine inlet distortions (both temperature and pressure) in a 9.2 percent scale Vectored Thrust STOVL model in ground effects. Results are shown for the forward nozzle splay angles of 0, -6, and 18 deg. The model support system had 4 deg of freedom, heated high pressure air for nozzle flow, and a suction system exhaust for inlet flow. The headwind (freestream) velocity was varied from 8 to 23 kn.