Computer simulation of a pilot in V/STOL aircraft control loops. Appendix III

Original publisher: Cleveland, OH : NASA Lewis Research Center, [1988] OCLC Number: (OCoLC)67142752 Excerpt: ... 10 Ai ! erons, elevators, rudders and tabs are typical parts of an aircraft that can move relative to the air_ame. These are activated by the pilot for different purposes. The forces that would be required for the pilot to hold or displace them directly over some region of the flight envelope, far exceed the human capability. They are, therefore, provided by power boost in the form of hydraulic actuators. The pilot feels the artificial force of these actuators which define his boundary. These power boosted and manual controls, together with automatic gadgetry, assist the pilot, e.g., autopilots are employed to help maintain the direction, speed, and altitude of flight, while Stability Augmentation Systems ( SAS ) modify the apparent behavior so as to improve controllability of the aircraft and make the handling qualities more acceptable to the pilot. Thrust is the reactive force applied to the vehicle, which may simply counterbalance drag ( the aerodynamic force opposing the direction of the motion in the atmosphere ), or may produce longitudinal acceleration or increased altitude. The thrust or engine throttle setting is the most common input for controlling the rate of climb or descent. The propulsion system is often housed in a distinct element of vehicle such as a nacelle or jet-engine pod. Ahematively, it may be internal with only an air inlet or exhaust nozzle visible from the outside. Weight is another force that dominates the performance of the vehicle. In level cruising flight, weight is counterbalanced by an aerodynamic force ( Lift ) normal to the flight direction. Some lift is usually contributed by the fuselage, but a more efficient device for its production is the wing. A wing is a flattened, often cambered or twisted surface which intersects the fuselage, but usually has its longest dimension ( span ) normal to the airspeed vector. A ...