Kestrel -- A Fixed Wing Virtual Aircraft Product of the CREATE Program

Abstract

This paper documents a new integrating product that allows cross-over between simulation of aerodynamics, dynamic stability and control, structures, propulsion, and store separation. The Kestrel software product is an integrating product written in modular form with a Python infrastructure to allow growth to additional capabilities as needed. Computational efficiency will also be improved by targeting the next generation peta-flop architectures envisioned for the 2010+ timeframe. Kestrel is also targeted to the need of simulating multidisciplinary physics, such as fluid-structure interactions, inclusion of propulsion effects, moving control surfaces, and coupled flight control systems. The Kestrel software product is to address these needs for fixed-wing aircraft in flight regimes ranging from subsonic through supersonic flight, including maneuvers, multi-aircraft configurations, and operational conditions. Preliminary results of the F-16C with comparison to experiments are provided. Parallel scalability analysis of the initial version of Kestrel is also presented.