Full Conventional Envelope Longitudinal Axis Flight Control with Thrust Vectoring

The model-based flight control system design for a highly flexible flutter demonstrator, developed in the European FLEXOP project, is presented. The flight control system includes a baseline controller to operate the aircraft fully autonomously and a flutter suppression controller to stabilize the unstable aeroelastic modes and extend the aircraft’s operational range. The baseline control system features a classical cascade flight control structure with scheduled control loops to augment the lateral and longitudinal axis of the aircraft. The flutter suppression controller uses an advanced blending technique to blend the flutter relevant sensor and actuator signals. These blends decouple the unstable modes and individually control them by scheduled single loop controllers. For the tuning of the free parameters in the defined controller structures, a model-based approach solving multi-objective, non-linear optimization problems is used. The developed control system, including baseline and flutter control algorithms, is verified in an extensive simulation campaign using a high fidelity simulator. The simulator is embedded in MATLAB and a features non-linear model of the aircraft dynamics itself and detailed sensor and actuator descriptions.

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Editorial on Future Jet Technologies

International Journal of Turbo and Jet Engines ◽

10.1515/tjj-2014-1001 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

Author(s):

Benjamin Gal-Or

Keyword(s):

Flight Control ◽

Landing Gear ◽

Engineering Practice ◽

Mobile Telecommunication ◽

Fighter Aircraft ◽

Thrust Vectoring ◽

Jet Engine ◽

Stealth Technology ◽

Forced Landing ◽

Expected Benefits

AbstractThe jet engine is the prime flight controller in post-stall flight domains where conventional flight control fails, or when the engine prevents catastrophes in training, combat, loss of all airframe hydraulics (the engine retains its own hydraulics), loss of one engine, pilot errors, icing on the wings, landing gear and runway issues in takeoff and landing and in bad-whether recoveries. The scientific term for this revolutionary technology is “jet-steering”, and in engineering practice – “thrust vectoring”, or “TV”.Jet-Steering in advanced fighter aircraft designs is integrated with stealth technology. The resulting classified Thrust-Vectoring-Stealth (“TVS”) technology has generated a second jet-revolution by which all Air-&-Sea-Propulsion Science and R&D are now being reassessed.ClassifiedOne, and perhaps a key conclusion presented here, means that bothMobile telecommunication of safe links between flyers and combat drones (“UCAVs”) at increasingly deep penetrations into remote, congested areas, can gradually be purchased-developed-deployed and then operated by extant cader of tens of thousandsWe also provide 26 references [17–43] to a different, unclassified technology that enhances TV-inducedExpected benefits include anti-terror recoveries from emergencies, like forced landing on unprepared runways or highways, or recoveries from all airframe-hydraulics-outs, asymmetric ice on wings, landing gear catastrophes, and recoveries from pilot errors and bad-whether incidents [Rule 9(7)].

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Flight Control Design for a Tailless Aircraft Using Eigenstructure Assignment

International Journal of Aerospace Engineering ◽

10.1155/2011/549131 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 2011 ◽

pp. 1-13 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Clara Nieto-Wire ◽

Kenneth Sobel

Keyword(s):

Control System ◽

Flight Control ◽

Eigenstructure Assignment ◽

Flight Control System ◽

Nonlinear Simulation ◽

Thrust Vectoring ◽

Stability Margins ◽

Gain Margin ◽

Command Systems ◽

Tailless Aircraft

We apply eigenstructure assignment to the design of a flight control system for a wind tunnel model of a tailless aircraft. The aircraft, known as the innovative control effectors (ICEs) aircraft, has unconventional control surfaces plus pitch and yaw thrust vectoring. We linearize the aircraft in straight and level flight at an altitude of 15,000 feet and Mach number 0.4. Then, we separately design flight control systems for the longitudinal and lateral dynamics. We use a control allocation scheme with weights so that the lateral pseudoinputs are yaw and roll moment, and the longitudinal pseudoinput is pitching moment. In contrast to previous eigenstructure assignment designs for the ICE aircraft, we consider the phugoid mode, thrust vectoring, and stability margins. We show how to simultaneously stabilize the phugoid mode, satisfy MIL-F-8785C mode specifications, and satisfy MIL-F-9490D phase and gain margin specifications. We also use a cstar command system that is preferable to earlier pitch-rate command systems. Finally, we present simulation results of the combined longitudinal/lateral flight control system using a full 6DOF nonlinear simulation with approximately 20,000 values for the aerodynamic coefficients. Our simulation includes limiters on actuator deflections, deflection rates, and control system integrators.

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2A2-A03 Flight control of thrust vectoring VTOL using twin ducted fan(Aerial Robot and Mechatronics (2))

The Proceedings of JSME annual Conference on Robotics and Mechatronics (Robomec) ◽

10.1299/jsmermd.2014._2a2-a03_1 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 (0) ◽

pp. _2A2-A03_1-_2A2-A03_3

Author(s):

Shinya MARUBASHI ◽

Masafumi MIWA

Keyword(s):

Flight Control ◽

Thrust Vectoring ◽

Ducted Fan ◽

Aerial Robot

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VECTOR Program Background and Plan

Volume 2: Aircraft Engine; Marine; Microturbines and Small Turbomachinery ◽

10.1115/98-gt-145 ◽

1998 ◽

Author(s):

J. Patrick Schondel ◽

Michael R. Robinson

Keyword(s):

Flight Control ◽

System Integration ◽

Flight Test ◽

The United States ◽

Data System ◽

Demonstration Program ◽

Thrust Vectoring ◽

Stability And Control ◽

Short Takeoff And Landing ◽

And Control

The U.S. Navy in cooperation with the Ministries of Defense of Germany and Sweden are initiating a 3-year demonstration program in 1998 to evaluate and define the benefits of thrust vectoring beyond those already understood for Close-in-Combat (CiC). The VECTOR (Vectoring ESTOL Control and Tailless Operational Research) program will capitalize on the X-31 airframe and a contractor team that includes Boeing, G.E., DASA, Volvo, and SAAB to demonstrate the following technologies: • AVEN® Nozzle - a G.E. designed vectoring nozzle applicable to the F404 family of engines • Extremely Short Takeoff and Landing (ESTOL) - employ thrust vectoring and precision control for poststall flight in approach to landing and during take off • Reduced Tail/Tailless - rely on thrust vectoring for primary aircraft stability and control • Advanced Air Data System (AADS) - flush air data ports or optical air data system integrated with the control system to handle the extensive angle-of-attack and sideslip envelope. The flight test activity will be conducted in the United States. However, technical development activities will be conducted in all three countries. Germany and Sweden will contribute technical expertise primarily related to flight control and propulsion system integration, respectively.

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