Flight Test Evaluation of Proposed High-Speed Break Turn MTE

Abstract

The present work provides the results and findings from continuing research investigations into the high-speed mission task elements (MTEs) for Future Vertical Lift configurations. This study focuses solely on the recently proposed break turn MTE, an aggressive heading change performed at high forward speeds. All prior development and testing of this MTE had been performed in simulators with advanced rotorcraft configurations. The goal of the present study was to conduct a limited-scope flight test assessment of the break turn MTE. The MTE was flown with two helicopters (the UH-72A and UH-60L) and one fixed-wing airplane (the T-6B) to demonstrate how the MTE and its performance criteria applied to aircraft of varying performance and operational limitations. In the design and conduct of the test, a build-up/build-down philosophy of testing was applied to ensure that aircraft limitations were approached deliberately. Additionally, the maneuver conditions were modified in the present study to ensure that the MTE was an assessment of handling qualities alone, i.e., not aircraft performance. The study demonstrated that the break turn MTE is a suitable maneuver to evaluate high speed handling qualities for rotorcraft with the appropriate performance considerations, and the maneuver course layout provided adequate cueing to the pilots.