Nonlinear Aerodynamic Responses of Flight Control Surfaces to Thrust Reverser Jet-Induced Flow Interference

Numerical simulations were performed using the RANS (Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes) approach to analyze the flow field around an aircraft during the landing rollout phase with thrust reversers deployed. The objective was to characterize the flow structure modifications induced by the reversed jet flow and to assess its impact on the aerodynamic performance of various control surfaces. The results demonstrate that the reverse jet flow introduces significant disturbances to the flow field, substantially altering the aerodynamic load distribution over the airframe and causing a marked reduction in overall lift. High-lift devices are particularly susceptible to these effects: the pressure distributions on both the leading-edge slats and trailing-edge flaps are severely disrupted, resulting in a notable degradation of their lift augmentation capabilities. The rudder retains a generally linear response characteristic, though a slight reduction in effectiveness is observed. In contrast, the elevator exhibits a pronounced asymmetry in control effectiveness, with significantly greater degradation under positive deflection compared to negative deflection. This study elucidates the complex interference mechanisms associated with thrust reverser-induced flows and provides valuable insights for the optimization of thrust reverser system design and the enhancement of flight control strategies during the landing phase. It further delivers the first quantitative evaluation of elevator response asymmetry and accompanying lift degradation caused by reverse jet plumes, supplying design-ready metrics for reverser integration.