Experimental Fly-By-Wire Control System for General Aviation Aircraft

Abstract

In this paper, a proposal of employing an intuitive, human-centered, simplified software-based flight control system in general aviation aircraft has been presented. Airplanes equipped with such a flight control system with belong to a new class of general aviation aircraft with improved safety and efficiency handling properties – Facilitated Airplane (FA) or Simple Flying Airplane (SFA). The proposed method of aircraft control differs from traditional solutions. It proposes a different pilot role and different aircraft handling qualities. It is assumed that the aircraft is automatically controlled; pilot makes decisions and introduces corrections when necessary. Pilot displaces sidestick and controls the airplane indirectly, via forming filters, handling quality processor and stabilization control system. Depending on phase of flight, pilot enters flight parameters (for example: flight path, heading, altitude) into the system or manually controls aircraft's attitude and airspeed by manual control deflection. Algorithms that calculate and perform control have been equipped with built-in testing mechanisms, which minimize the possibility of exceeding operating limitations, both under automatic and manual control. The control system, without pilot's participation, counteracts the results of external disturbances (for example, air turbulence), dampens undesired oscillations (for example, dutch roll oscillations), and stabilization of flight parameters: bank angle or heading, flight altitude, pitch angle or airspeed. Flight control system is equipped with diagnostic subsystems to ensure the desired level of reliability. New design concepts allow improvements in operating properties of already existing and newly designed executive aircraft, as well as establishing a higher level of flight safety.