In-Flight Investigation of Longitudinal Flying Qualities Criteria.
Abstract
Flight tests were conducted to aid in the development of new longitudinal flying qualities criteria and to investigate some of the implications of equivalent system analysis, in which an aircraft's high-order dynamics are modelled by a low-order system. These tests were flown by U.S. Navy test pilots in Princeton's Variable-Response Research Aircraft (VRA), a fly-by-wire, in-flight simulator. Both analog and digital (microprocessor-based) systems were used for closed-loop control. Tests of 22 dynamic configurations evaluated by 5 pilots are reported, with emphasis on tasks representative of approach and landing on an aircraft carrier. A standard carrier landing mirror provided pilot cues, and all flights were evaluated from the long approach through touchdown. Conclusions regarding flying qualities are based on a limited number of flights. Ratings of conventional configurations generally indicated a compatibility with present flying qualities boundaries based upon the control anticipation parameter (CAP), but the latter do not adequately predict pilot ratings for short period natural frequencies of 2 rad/sec and less. CAP tended to confirm landing task ratings, but it did not confirm ratings based solely on pitch response.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 01, 1983
- Accession Number
- ADA143614
Entities
People
- D. B. Glade Ii
- M. E. Murphy
Organizations
- Princeton University