Ride comfort in commercial aircraft during formation flight using conventional flight control

Abstract

This paper presents the simulation and evaluation of ride comfort in large commercial airliners flying in formation using conventional fly-by-wire flight control systems. The ride comfort in formation aircraft is influenced by disturbance loads due to turbulence and the trailing vortex of a leader aircraft as well as by compensatory control inputs produced by the pilot and flight control laws. A conventional Boeing B747-100 simulation model is augmented with formation flight effects and a fly-by-wire flight control model. Simulation results of the accelerations experienced at different locations in the trailing aircraft are presented, along with an analysis and evaluation of the associated effects of vibrations on comfort and motion sickness incidence. It was concluded that the vibration magnitudes do not differ much between aircraft in isolated flight and formation flight under the same conditions. For both aircraft, a seating location at the front of the aircraft is more comfortable than one at the back of the aircraft.