Bifurcation scenarios for pilot induced oscillations

Abstract

In this paper the problem of Pilot Induced Oscillations (PIOs) is faced from the point of view of nonlinear dynamics and nonlinear control. The occurrence of PIOs is considered a key problem, not only in the particular case of the interaction between a pilot and the aircraft behavior, but also in the general framework of human-machine interaction. The focus of this paper is on the investigation of PIOs from the perspective of nonlinear dynamics, providing analysis of cases in which strong nonlinear behavior occurs in general models and to give a possible explanation to some of the open problems in PIOs, and, in particular, in evaluating if dangerous PIOs phenomena are due to specific bifurcation scenarios, typical of nonlinear dynamics.