AN INVESTIGATION OF THE TRACKING CAPABILITY OF A HUMAN PILOT.

Abstract

The idea of substituting a mathematical model for a human pilot has been considered for some period of time in hopes of obtaining better results of prototype models of aircraft which are being constructed every day. In order to make this idea a useful tool, certain characteristics must be known about the behavior of a human pilot. This thesis investigates the tracking capability of human pilots and also arrives at suitable transfer functions that can be used as mathematical representations of a human pilot that is subjected to small perturbations in the pitching and rolling modes of flight. A simulator was constructed from salvaged aircraft parts and one completed represented a basic instrument flying configuration less the fact that the rudders were not free to move. The equations of motion were programmed on an analog computer and disturbances were fed into the system through the use of a function generator.

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 19, 1964
Accession Number
AD0603477

Entities

People

  • Walter Hansen

Organizations

  • University of Arizona

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aircrafts
  • Analog Computers
  • Computers
  • Control Simulators
  • Equations
  • Equations Of Motion
  • Generators
  • Mathematical Models
  • Mathematics
  • Models
  • Perturbations
  • Prototypes
  • Simulators
  • Transfer Functions

Readers

  • Aviation Science / Aeronautics.
  • Control Systems Engineering.
  • Systems Analysis and Design