Flight control computer operational flight program development for the control laws switching mechanism

Abstract

All new flight control law and flight control computer developments have historically been an extremely expensive and time-consuming proposition specially in a flight-critical system. To reduce and avoid these kind of problems, the switching mechanism method has been addressed. Here the switching mechanism needs two computers. One is a basic(or primary) computer already customized to the production airframe and the other one is a new developed computer with a research control law algorithm. So the basic computer provides a pilot-selectable research flight control law capability during flight. This paper describes the modified basic digital fly-by-wire Flight Control Computer(FCC) software development for the switching mechanism which has been already verified for the safety of flight in its operational field. This paper also presents and describes system design, software mechanization design, autocode design for the switching algorithm, and system verification and validation(V&V). The function of switching and data communication can minimize the interferences between two computers, two control laws, or both. This successful flight control system for switching mechanism will provide a useful equipment for the future development of risk challengeable control laws algorithm, software, and hardware development.