Maneuvering Flight Control

Abstract

The development of control laws for maneuvering e ight, specie cally, a high-amplitude velocity vector roll, is addressed. The plant model has seventh-order nonlinear dynamics with coupled pitch and lateral directional dynamics. Using time scale separation and pointwise linearization about nonequilibria trajectories, a receding horizon linear quadratic optimal control law with full state feedback is synthesized on-line. Also on-line, the pilot inputs are modie ed using linear programming to prevent actuator rate saturation over the optimization horizon. The nonlinear control law performance is demonstrated in a e ghter aircraft simulation with a rudder failure during a loaded roll maneuver. The performance of the controller during aggressive pitch and yaw maneuvers is also demonstrated. The work described in this paper is cone ned to model-based receding horizon optimal control law synthesis; one will rely on on-line system identie cation to provide the failed aerodynamic stability and control derivatives, thus achieving indirect adaptive control.