Longitudinal handling qualities criteria - An evaluation.

Abstract

Compliance with current longitudinal handling qualities criteria is not a guaranteed acceptance of vehicle characteristics. Several criteria for satisfactory characteristics resulting from handling qualities investigations in simulators and variable-stability airplanes are reviewed; in comparison, these criteria reveal significant areas of disagreement. Further, much of the large-airplane data available that reflect satisfactory characteristics in flight would be judged unacceptable to unsatisfactory from these criteria. Consideration of the piloting technique involved in flightpath control indicates the significance of the parameters La/ 15 g/rad also yield good agreement when mapped onto the nza/0}n vs f plane. These three parameters—nza, La/<j3n, and nza/(j}n—-furnish the framework for complete longitudinal handling qualities criteria. These criteria provide the basis for an over-all correlation of pilot opinion data from four sources: 1) airplane characteristics from fixed-base and inflight simulation of airplanes exhibiting high natural short-period frequency, 2) flight experience of commercial jet transports, 3) fixed-base simulation of the B-52, and 4) inflight simulation of very large transports with low natural short-period frequency on the Boeing 367-80 jet transport prototype.