Flight Control Systems

Annotation Bridging the gap between academic research and real-world applications, this reference on modern flight control methods for fixed-wing aircraft deals with fundamentals of flight control systems design, then concentrates on applications based on the modern control methods used in the latest aircraft. The book is written for practicing engineers who are new to the aviation industry, postgraduate students in strategic or applied research, and advanced undergraduates. Some knowledge of classical control is assumed. Pratt is a member of IEEE and is UK Member for AIAA's Technical Committee on Guidance, Navigation and Control. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

The #1 guide to understanding the "why and how" of fly-by-wire flight control systems. This book is an approachable and easily understandable must-read for aviation professionals! Why don't new aircraft designs allow the pilots a mechanical control connection? This book explains how fly-by-wire fixes the top 5 problems with mechanical controls for high performance aircraft. Rather than describe a particular aircraft’s design with confusing acronyms, readers will get a "behind the scenes" understanding for the critical concepts that apply to any modern aircraft. Because these design principles are easily described and understood, readers of this book will be armed with knowledge as they approach their flight manual procedures. Including: - Problems with mechanical flight controls - Advantages of fly-by-wire - How and why can fly-by-wire control systems fail? - Why are four computers better than one or two? - Explanations of the control laws used by business jets, fighters, and airliners - What sensors are needed, and how the system maintains control when sensors are lost - Design considerations for risk mitigation in case of component failures Buy this book to read on your next layover!

This book focuses on flight vehicles and their navigational systems, discussing different forms of flight structures and their control systems, from fixed wings to rotary crafts. Software simulation enables testing of the hardware without actual implementation, and the flight simulators, mechanics, glider development and navigation systems presented here are suitable for lab-based experimentation studies. It explores laboratory testing of flight navigational sensors, such as the magnetic, acceleration and Global Positioning System (GPS) units, and illustrates the six-axis inertial measurement unit (IMU) instrumentation as well as its data acquisition methodology. The book offers an introduction to the various unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems and their accessories, including the linear quadratic regulator (LQR) method for controlling the rotorcraft. It also describes a Matrix Laboratory (MATLAB) control algorithm that simulates and runs the lab-based 3 degrees of freedom (DOF) helicopter, as well as LabVIEW software used to validate controller design and data acquisition. Lastly, the book explores future developments in aviation techniques.

Test Techniques for Flight Control Systems of Large Transport Aircraft offers theory and practice of flight control system tests. It is a systematic and practical guide, providing insights to engineers in flight control, particularly those working on system integration and test validation. Ten chapters cover an introduction to flight control system tests, equipment tests and validation, software tests and validation, flight control law and flying qualities evaluation, tests of flight control subsystems, integration and validation based on the iron bird, ground-based test, flight-tests, airworthiness tests and validation, and finally, the current status and prospects for flight control tests and evaluation. Presents flight control system integration tests and validation for large transport aircraft Includes the most advanced methods and technologies available Details the latest research and its applications Offers theoretical and practical guidance that engineers can use Considers the state-of-the-art and looks to the future of flight control system tests

This book provides readers with a design approach to the automatic flight control systems (AFCS). The AFCS is the primary on-board tool for long flight operations, and is the foundation for the airspace modernization initiatives. In this text, AFCS and autopilot are employed interchangeably. It presents fundamentals of AFCS/autopilot, including primary subsystems, dynamic modeling, AFCS categories/functions/modes, servos/actuators, measurement devices, requirements, functional block diagrams, design techniques, and control laws. The book consists of six chapters. The first two chapters cover the fundamentals of AFCS and closed-loop control systems in manned and unmanned aircraft. The last four chapters present features of Attitude control systems (Hold functions), Flight path control systems (Navigation functions), Stability augmentation systems, and Command augmentation systems, respectively.

A treatment of automatic flight control systems (AFCS) for fixed wing and rotary wing aircraft. The text covers in detail the subject of stability and control theory. All the principal AFC modes are covered and the effects of atmospheric turbulance and structural flexibility are charted.

This book provides a single comprehensive resource that reviews many of the current aircraft flight control programmes from the perspective of experienced practitioners directly involved in the projects. Each chapter discusses a specific aircraft flight programme covering the control system design considerations, control law architecture, simulation and analysis, flight test optimization and handling qualities evaluations. The programmes described have widely exploited modern interdisciplinary tools and techniques and the discussions include extensive flight test results. Many important `lessons learned' are included from the experience gained when design methods and requirements were tested and optimized in actual flight demonstration.

The problem of fault diagnosis and reconfigurable control is a new and actually developing field of science and engineering. The subject becomes more interesting since there is an increasing demand for the navigation and control systems of aerospace vehicles, automated actuators etc. to be more safe and reliable. Nowadays, the problems of fault detection and isolation and reconfigurable control attract the attention the scientists in the world. The subject is emphasized in the recent international congresses such as IF AC World Congresses (San Francisco-1996, Beijing-1999, and Barcelona-2002) and lMEKO World Congresses (Tampere-1997, Osaka-1999, Vienna-2000), and also in the international conferences on fault diagnosis such as SAFEPROCESS Conferences (Hull-1997, Budapest-2000). The presented methods in the book are based on linear and nonlinear dynamic mathematical models of the systems. Technical objects and systems stated by these models are very large, and include various control systems, actuators, sensors, computer systems, communication systems, and mechanical, hydraulic, pneumatic, electrical and electronic devices. The analytical fault diagnosis techniques of these objects have been developed for several decades. Many of those techniques are based on the use of the results of modem control theory. This is natural, because it is known that fault diagnosis process in control systems is considered as a part of general control process. xxii In organization of fault diagnosis of control systems, the use of the concepts and methods of modem control theory including concepts of state space, modeling, controllability, observability, estimation, identification, and filtering is very efficient.