Flight Simulator Study Results on Landing Approaches with Automatic and Continuously Moving High-Lift Devices

Abstract

During approach most airliners move the flap system in fixed steps. As soon as the structural maximum speed of the next higher flap position is undershot, the pilot commands the next flap position via a cockpit lever. The timing when the slats/flaps are deployed by the automatic system proposed by the authors varies from the standard conventional approach. This paper describes the results of a flight simulator study with airline pilots to evaluate the automatic continuously moving slat/flap function, including a gear deployment recommendation function. Different mass and center of gravity scenarios and different approach scenarios are flown and discussed. The investigated high-lift system with continuously moving high-lift devices automatically adapts the slat/flap setting based on flight mechanical optimal points and enables the aircraft to fly in an aerodynamic configuration close to minimal power. The automatic system allows a stabilized approach, which means that an a priori defined low velocity for landing is reached before descending below 1, 000 ft and no configuration change is needed afterwards. The flight simulator study showed that the automatic continuous slat/flap function is beneficial for the pilots, and can be integrated to acutal approach procedures. For the use of the higher drag configuration, further investigations in the coupling with flight path and airspeed is needed to avoid oscillations.