Pilot-Involved-Oscillation Suppression Using Low-Order Antiwindup: Flight-Test Evaluation

Abstract

This paper presents results from the Saturation Alleviation In-Flight Experiment flight-test campaign in which several antiwindup compensators, designed to reduce the adverse effects of rate saturation of the control surfaces, were tested on the Advanced Technologies Testing Aircraft System. The objectives of the tests were twofold: 1) to demonstrate the potential for rigorously designed low-order antiwindup compensators to reduce the pilot-involvedoscillation proneness and to improve the handling qualities of the aircraft and 2) to compare a variety of low-order antiwindup compensators to determine the importance of different design parameters. The antiwindup compensators were assessed based on pilot handling-quality ratings, pilot-involved-oscillation ratings and pilot comments. The flight-test results demonstrated that the low-order antiwindup compensators tested reduced the pilot-involved-oscillation proneness and improved the handling qualities of the aircraft.