A Theory for Handling Qualities with Applications to MIL-F-8785B.
Abstract
This report hypothesizes a model for pilot-airplane system dynamics which, it is claimed, will unify existing theories, explain peculiarities in available human response data, and permit the prediction of pilot opinion rating (POR) for tasks of interest to the assessment of aircraft flying qualities. The hypothesized model structure is multiple loop with essential nonlinearities. The proposed pilot model is further hypothesized to account for much that has been identified as pilot adaptation in past work. An attempt to parameterize the proposed model by a trial and error digital computer simulation produced promising but inconclusive results. However, comparison of the proposed pilot model with known forms of measured pilot dynamics for a wide range of aircraft dynamics suggested a metric for the correlation and prediction of POR that appears to be physically related to activity at a particular point within the central nervous system. This metric was evaluated for certain available data sets and was shown to be a consistent and sensitive measure of POR. It was then used to evaluate the short-period requirements of the flying qualities specification MIL-F-8785B. Several general and specific changes to the specification are recommended as a result of this study. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 1975
- Accession Number
- ADA040940
Entities
People
- Ralph H. Smith