C-17 Centerlining - Analysis of Paratrooper Trajectory

摘要

The C-17's widebody design creates concern over its tendency to 'centerline' paratroopers as they exit. This effect increases the probability of collision between jumpers from opposite sides of the aircraft. Previous work has been accomplished based on calculating the separation distance between trajectories and creating cumulative distributions of separation distances. This project focuses its analysis on the trajectories and any trends that can be seen over time, based on changing aircraft gross weight. The trajectories are also analyzed for time dependence. In the end, new insight is gained into the behavior of the trajectories and can supplement previous efforts with additional methodology.