A feasibility study of the use of axisymmetric thrust vectoring for enhanced in-flight simulation

Abstract

The use of axisynmctric thrust vectoring technology to expand the VISTA (Variable Stability In-Flight Simulator Test Aircraft) F-16 simulation capability is explored. First, axisymnietric thrust vectoring control power is used to expand the VISTA Short Period and Dutch Roll Simulation Envelopes. This is accomplished by augmenting conventional aerodynamic control surface control power with asisymmetric thrust vectoring control power. The increased control pohver is used to respond to feedback command signals to cspand the number of Short Period and Dutch Roll natural frequency and damping ratio combinations the VISTA can simulate at fixed flight conditions. Second, asisymnietric thrust vectoring control ponw is used to replace the aerodynamic control pov,er required for high fidelity VISTA tracking. Model Following Flight Control Systems (MFFCS) are developed for the VISTA with and \vithout thrust vectoring. In-flight simulation tracking operations are performed for both VISTA configurations. VISTA aerodynamic control surface effort during inflight simulation is measured for each configuration. Benefits provided by asisymmetric thrust vectoring are quantified in terms of percent reduction in peak and RSS (root of the summed square) aerodynamic control effort for the simulation.