Hydrodynamic Analysis of Amphibious Aircraft Stability during Water Taxiing
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1590/jatm.v18.1435Keywords:
Amphibious aircraft float, Numerical simulation, Waves, Motion stabilityAbstract
Waves can impair the gliding stability of amphibious aircraft on the water. This study employed numerical modeling to investigate the hydrodynamics of aircraft floats. Hydrodynamic forces were evaluated for different float cross-sections using the volume of fluid (VOF) method. The influence of wave properties on gliding stability was also investigated, along with forces during accelerated taxiing and the role of the acceleration coefficient. By comparing pressure and vortex patterns, the effect mechanism of wave height and wavelength on the stability was clarified. The findings indicate that the stability is highly sensitive to the position of the wave crest impact relative to the center of gravity. An impact near the center of gravity can cause instability with a wave height of 0.5 m and a wavelength of 5 m. Moreover, the accelerated taxiing exerts the most substantial influence on aircraft stability, potentially triggering roll and pitch motions. These findings offer key theoretical support for the design and optimization of amphibious aircraft floats.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Li Zhandong, Feifan Zhang, Fanwei Kong, Ligang Qu, Jinfang Zhao
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