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At least 55 records · Page 3

Analytical display design for flight tasks conducted under instrument meteorological conditions

A relatively straightforward, nearly algorithmic procedure for deriving model-based pilot-centered display requirements is presented. A pilot model based on modern control theory serves as the backbone of the design methodology, which is specifically directed toward the synthesis of head-down, electronic cockpit display formats. Some novel applications of the optimal pilot model are discussed, including the generation of vehicle-handling-qualities levels via numerical pilot-opinion ratings. An analytical design example is offered which aids in the definition of a format for the electronic display to be used in a UH-1H helicopter in a landing-approach task involving longitudinal and lateral degrees of freedom. It is proposed that the design procedure offers a systematic means for generating candidate display formats and flight-director laws for simulator evaluation.

Hess, R. A.↗

Analytical methodology for determination of helicopter IFR precision approach requirements

A systematic analytical approach to the determination of helicopter IFR precision approach requirements is formulated. The approach is based upon the hypothesis that pilot acceptance level or opinion rating of a given system is inversely related to the degree of pilot involvement in the control task. A nonlinear simulation of the helicopter approach to landing task incorporating appropriate models for UH-1H aircraft, the environmental disturbances and the human pilot was developed as a tool for evaluating the pilot acceptance hypothesis. The simulated pilot model is generic in nature and includes analytical representation of the human information acquisition, processing, and control strategies. Simulation analyses in the flight director mode indicate that the pilot model used is reasonable. Results of the simulation are used to identify candidate pilot workload metrics and to test the well known performance-work-load relationship. A pilot acceptance analytical methodology is formulated as a basis for further investigation, development and validation.

Phatak, A. V.↗

Flight tests of IFR landing approach systems for helicopters

Joint NASA/FAA helicopter flight tests were conducted to investigate airborne radar approaches (ARA) and microwave landing system (MLS) approaches. Flight-test results were utilized to prove NASA with a data base to be used as a performance measure for advanced guidance and navigation concepts, and to provide FAA with data for establishment of TERPS criteria. The first flight-test investigation consisted of helicopter IFR approaches to offshore oil rigs in the Gulf of Mexico, using weather/mapping radar, operational pilots, and a Bell 212 helicopter. The second flight-test investigation consisted of IFR MLS approaches at Crows Landing (near Ames Research Center), with a Bell UH-1H helicopter, using NASA, FAA, and operational industry pilots. Tests are described and results discussed.

Bull, J. S.↗

NASA/FAA flight-test investigation of helicopter microwave landing system approaches

The helicopter Microwave Landing System flight-test investigations, conducted by a joint NASA/FAA effort in order to gather statistical data for establishing terminal instrument procedures criteria, and to provide a performance data base for developing advanced MLS guidance concepts, are presented. The specific flight-test objectives were to: (1) develop acceptable angle-only MLS approach profiles; (2) determine tracking errors; (3) determine altitude loss during missed approach; (4) evaluate guidance display sensitivities; and (5) evaluate pilot acceptability. Fourteen pilots flew 140 manual (without stability augmentation) dual-pilot simulated instrument approaches in a UH-1H helicopter. The flight profiles flown included 3-, 6-, and 9-degree glideslope, centerline approaches to decision heights of 50, 100, and 150 ft, respectively. The angular guidance display sensitivities and the data acquisition system are also described. Eight major conclusions are made, and include the following: (1) the use of pitch attitude to control airspeed and collective to control glideslope was the preferred pilot technique for the steep glideslope approaches, and (2) angular guidance deviation indicator sensitivity requirements for helicopter MLS approaches to STOLports and heliports have been found to be significantly different from standard ILS sensitivities.

Peach, I. L., Jr.↗

Automatic helical rotorcraft descent and landing using a Microwave Landing System

A helical-approach concept is presented for Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) operation of rotorcraft into congested terminal areas where separation from high-speed jet traffic is highly desirable and the airport-precision-approach aid is a Microwave Landing System (MLS). The concept takes advantage of the fact that rotorcraft need not land on the main runway but can operate from a pad that lies on an MLS radial offset from the centerline. The results of 48 flights using a UH-1H helicopter and a research avionics system are presented. Three levels of navigation sophistication were also investigated. It is shown that an approach helix can be contained in a relatively small volume and that being within the Instrument Landing System (ILS) Category II window at a 30-m (100-ft) altitude is not a requirement for a successful hover over a landing pad. Only two of the three navigation systems provided estimates that allowed all flights to descend from hover to touchdown.

Mcgee, L. A.↗

A flight investigation of static stability, control augmentation, and flight director influences on helicopter IFR handling qualities

A flight experiment was conducted using the NASA-Army V/STOLAND UH-1H variable-stability helicopter to investigate the influence of several longitudinal-static-stability, control-augmentation, and flight-director parameters on helicopter flying qualities during terminal area operations in instrument conditions. This experiment, which was part of a joint NASA/FAA program pertaining to helicopter IFR airworthiness, was designed to corroborate and extend previous ground simulation results obtained in this program. Variations examined included stable and neutral longitudinal control position gradients, rate-damping and attitude-command augmentation, and raw data versus flight-director displays. Pilot rating results agreed excellently with the ground simulation data, indicating an adequate instrument capability with rate-damping augmentation and neutral statics and the need for pitch-roll attitude augmentation to achieve a satisfactory system.

Lebacqz, J. V.↗

Results of NASA/FAA ground and flight simulation experiments concerning helicopter IFR airworthiness criteria

A sequence of ground and flight simulation experiments was conducted to investigate helicopter instrument-flight-rules airworthiness criteria. The first six of these experiments and major results are summarized. Five of the experiments were conducted on large-amplitude motion base simulators. The NASA-Army V/STOLAND UH-1H variable-stability helicopter was used in the flight experiment. Artificial stability and control augmentation, longitudinal and lateral control, and in pitch and roll attitude augmentation were investigated.

Lebacqz, J. V.↗

Sensitivity analysis of helicopter IMC decelerating steep approach and landing performance to navigation system parameters

Results of a study to investigate, by means of a computer simulation, the performance sensitivity of helicopter IMC DSAL operations as a function of navigation system parameters are presented. A mathematical model representing generically a navigation system is formulated. The scenario simulated consists of a straight in helicopter approach to landing along a 6 deg glideslope. The deceleration magnitude chosen is 03g. The navigation model parameters are varied and the statistics of the total system errors (TSE) computed. These statistics are used to determine the critical navigation system parameters that affect the performance of the closed-loop navigation, guidance and control system of a UH-1H helicopter.

Karmali, M. S.↗

Helical automatic approaches of helicopters with microwave landing systems

A program is under way to develop a data base for establishing navigation and guidance concepts for all-weather operation of rotorcraft. One of the objectives is to examine the feasibility of conducting simultaneous rotorcraft and conventional fixed-wing, noninterfering, landing operations in instrument meteorological conditions at airports equipped with microwave landing systems (MLSs) for fixed-wing traffic. An initial test program to investigate the feasibility of conducting automatic helical approaches was completed, using the MLS at Crows Landing near Ames. These tests were flown on board a UH-1H helicopter equipped with a digital automatic landing system. A total of 48 automatic approaches and landings were flown along a two-turn helical descent, tangent to the centerline of the MLS-equipped runway to determine helical light performance and to provide a data base for comparison with future flights for which the helical approach path will be located near the edge of the MLS coverage. In addition, 13 straight-in approaches were conducted. The performance with varying levels of state-estimation system sophistication was evaluated as part of the flight tests. The results indicate that helical approaches to MLS-equipped runways are feasible for rotorcraft and that the best position accuracy was obtained using the Kalman-filter state-estimation with inertial navigation systems sensors.

Foster, J. D.↗

NASA/FAA experiments concerning helicopter IFR airworthiness criteria

A sequence of ground and flight simulation experiments was conducted as part of a joint NASA/FAA program to investigate helicopter instrument flight rules (IFR) airworthiness criteria. The first six of these experiments are described and the results summarized. Five of the experiments were conducted on large amplitude motion base simulators; V/STOLAND UH-1H variable stability helicopter was used in the flight experiment. Airworthiness implications of selected variables that were investigated across all of the experiments are discussed, including the level of longitudinal static stability, the type of stability and control augmentation, the addition of flight director displays, and the type of instrument approach task. Among the specific results reviewed are the adequacy of neutral longitudinal statics for dual pilot approaches and the requirement for pitch and roll attitude stabilization in the stability and control augmentation system to achieve flying qualities evaluated as satisfactory.

Lebacqz, J. V.↗

A summary of NASA/FAA experiments concerning helicopter IFR airworthiness criteria

A sequence of ground and flight simulation experiments was conducted to investigate helicopter instrument-flight-rules airworthiness criteria. The first six of these experiments and major results are summarized. Five of the experiments were conducted on large-amplitude motion base simulators. The NASA-Army V/STOLAND UH-1H variable-stability helicopter was used in the flight experiment. Artificial stability and control augmentation, longitudinal and lateral control, and in pitch and roll attitude augmentation were investigated. Previously announced in STAR as N82-23219

Lebacqz, J. V.↗

A helicopter flight investigation of roll-control sensitivity, damping and cross coupling in a low altitude lateral maneuvering task

A helicopter in-flight simulation was conducted to determine the effects of variations in roll damping, roll sensitivity, and pitch and roll rate cross-coupling on helicopter flying qualities in a low altitude maneuver. The experiment utilized the UH-1H helicopter in-flight simulator, which is equipped with the V/STOLAND avionics system. The response envelope of this vehicle allowed simulation of configurations with low to moderate damping and sensitivity. A visual, low level slalom course was set up, consisting of constant speed and constant altitude S-turns around the 1000 ft makers of an 8000 ft runway. Results are shown in terms of Cooper-Harper pilot ratings, pilot commentary, and statistical and frequency analyses of the lateral characteristics. These results show good consistency with previous ground simulator results and are compared with existing flying qualities criteria.

Corliss, L. D.↗

NASA-FAA helicopter Microwave Landing System curved path flight test

An ongoing series of joint NASA/FAA helicopter Microwave Landing System (MLS) flight tests was conducted at Ames Research Center. This paper deals with tests done from the spring through the fall of 1983. This flight test investigated and developed solutions to the problem of manually flying curved-path and steep glide slope approaches into the terminal area using the MLS and flight director guidance. An MLS-equipped Bell UH-1H helicopter flown by NASA test pilots was used to develop approaches and procedures for flying these approaches. The approaches took the form of Straight-in, U-turn, and S-turn flightpaths with glide slopes of 6 deg, 9 deg, and 12 deg. These procedures were evaluated by 18 pilots from various elements of the helicopter community, flying a total of 221 hooded instrument approaches. Flying these curved path and steep glide slopes was found to be operationally acceptable with flight director guidance using the MLS.

Swenson, H. N.↗

Application of nonlinear transformations to automatic flight control

The theory of transformations of nonlinear systems to linear ones is applied to the design of an automatic flight controller for the UH-1H helicopter. The helicopter mathematical model is described and it is shown to satisfy the necessary and sufficient conditions for transformability. The mapping is constructed, taking the nonlinear model to canonical form. The performance of the automatic control system in a detailed simulation on the flight computer is summarized.

Meyer, G.↗

Guidance and navigation programs and plans

System technology concepts for all weather helicopter operations in both remote and high density areas were examined. The SH-36 was used to support the remote area investigations. The primary emphasis was on the development of advanced navigation concepts to allow rotorcraft to land in remote areas where there may not be a ground based navigational aid. The focus was on the used airborne weather radar, the use of high resolution radar and satellite based navigation concepts. The high density work was conducted using the UH-1H system that allows alternate guidance and navigation algorithms to be tested in flight.

Denery, D. G.↗

Helicopter noise as predicted by three-dimensional monopole and quasi-steady full-potential dipole sources

A three-dimensional quasi-steady full-potential rotor-flow-analysis program, called ROT22 developed at NASA Ames Research Center is run in conjunction with Farassat's (1981) helicopter-noise-prediction code to assess the thickness and loading noises made by a rotor blade. As a model example, the case of a 1/7th UH-1H NACA-0012-profile straight nonlifting rotor blade in hover is studied. Results for tip Mach numbers ranging from .4 to .962 are presented. Also presented is the effect of blade-tip loading on the overall noise and of profile curvature on the thickness noise. The study confirms that the blade volume displacement is a dominant source of helicopter noise and further concludes that the blade tip makes only a small noise contribution that steadily decreases with increasing tip Mach numbers, and that the inclusion of blade profile curvature tends to improve the negative peak amplitudes overpredicted by Schmitz and Yu (1983).

Aggarwal, H. R.↗

Aircraft automatic digital flight control system with inversion of the model in the feed-forward path

A full-flight-envelope automatic trajectory control system concept is being investigated at Ames Research Center. This concept was developed for advanced aircraft configurations with severe nonlinear characteristics. A feature of the system is an inverse of the complete nonlinear aircraft model as part of the feed-forward control path. Simulation and flight tests have been reported at previous Digital Avionics Systems conferences. A new method for the continuous real-time inversion of the aircraft model using a Newton-Raphson trim algorithm instead of the original inverse table look-up procedure has been developed. The results of a simulation study of a vertical attitude takeoff and landing aircraft using the new inversion technique are presented. Maneuvers were successfully carried out in all directions in the vertical-attitude hover mode. Transition runs from conventional flight through the region of lift-curve-slope reversal at an angle of attack of about 32 deg and to hover at zero speed in the vertical attitude showed satisfactory transient response. Simulations were also conducted in conventional flight at high subsonic speed in steep climb and with turns up to 4 g. Successful flight tests of the system with the new model-inversion technique in a UH-1H helicopter have recently been carried out.

Smith, G. A.↗