New software to prevent aircraft spin

Combat aircraft crash caused by uncontrolled spinning owing to design faults may be prevented at the design stage using a software a city start-up,Researchers at Idea Research and Development Pvt Ltd,run by IITians,has come up with. “Spin is a common problem in fighter aircraft at particular speeds or angles of attack and has caused crashes across the globe. The software helps detect possibility of spin. Subsequent actions by the user can eliminate faults to prevent spin at the design stage itself,” said Nitin Gupta,IITian and CEO,Idea Research.

Based on bifurcation theory that mathematically analyses non-linear dynamics,the software is inspired by a research paper,Analytical Criterion for Aircraft Spin Susceptibility,by Dr Ananth Krishnan,former professor,IIT,Mumbai and US- based Aditya Paranjape published in the Journal of Aircraft (US) in September. “Currently,the methods used to determine spin characteristics are based on physical tests and experiments. This means the aircraft is flown at different permutations of speed,flying conditions,angle of attack and so on,based on which conditions at which spin might occur are determined. This method is not only expensive but also involves risk of life and consumption of time. Also,faults detected by this method can be corrected only by modifications in the actual aircraft that in no way ensures elimination of spin completely. The software detects them at the design stage increasing probability of a foolproof design,” said Dr Krishnan.

So far unnamed,the software was the result of research by a team of five IITians for two years. “Once spin starts,the pilot gets disoriented and loses control over the aircraft,which crashes nosedown. This is applicable to fighter planes and not commercial aircraft that fly neither at the speeds and envelopes as fighter planes. The software could immensely benefit Sukhoi 30 MKI,MIGs or for that matter the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas,” added Gupta.

The company plans to approach private aircraft manufacturers with the software soon.