Bright, Michelle M. — Page 2 | Engineering Papers

NASA NTRS1991

The NASA Lewis integrated propulsion and flight control simulator

A new flight simulation facility has been developed at NASA Lewis to allow integrated propulsion-control and flight-control algorithm development and evaluation in real time. As a preliminary check of the simulator facility and the correct integration of its components, the control design and physics models for an STOVL fighter aircraft model have been demonstrated, with their associated system integration and architecture, pilot vehicle interfaces, and display symbology. The results show that this fixed-based flight simulator can provide real-time feedback and display of both airframe and propulsion variables for validation of integrated systems and testing of control design methodologies and cockpit mechanizations.

Bright, Michelle M.↗

NASA NTRS1990

H-infinity based integrated flight-propulsion control design for a STOVL aircraft in transition flight

Results are presented from an application of H-infinity control design methodology to a centralized integrated flight/propulsion control (IFPC) system design for a supersonic Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) fighter aircraft in transition flight. The overall design methodology consists of a centralized IFPC controller design with controller partitioning. Only the feedback controller design portion of the methodology is addressed. Design and evaluation vehicle models are summarized, and insight is provided into formulating the H-infinity control problem such that it reflects the IFPC design objectives. The H-infinity controller is shown to provide decoupled command tracking for the design model. The controller order could be significantly reduced by modal residualization of the fast controller modes without any deterioration in performance. A discussion is presented of the areas in which the controller performance needs to be improved, and ways in which these improvements can be achieved within the framework of an H-infinity based linear control design.

Garg, Sanjay↗