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Development of an optimal software-pilot rating scale for flight in turbulence evaluation

Pourtakdoust, S. H ; Sharif University of Technology | 2005

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  1. Type of Document: Article
  2. Publisher: 2005
  3. Abstract:
  4. Traditionally, flying and handling quality evaluation of an aircraft in various flight phases is aimed at pilot workload assessment to guarantee a successful mission. Subsequently, Different levels of acceptability are defined for the aircraft based on the additional work required by the pilot to achieve a desired performance level, feting scales are usually numerical, which pilots utilize as a mean to quantify their subjective opinion about an existing aircraft after hours of flying. Cornell aeronautical laboratory used their own scales in flying qualities research for many years and Cooper of NASA originated a ten-point numerical scale that was used more universally. When Harper of Cornell and Cooper published scale combining their experience, the resulting cooper-Harper scale became universal and has been utilized since 1966. In this paper, an optimal software-pilot rating scale for flight through turbulence is developed. The methodology allows for quantitative evaluation of aircrafts with/without autopilots engaged in the form of an optimal controller. Due to stochastic nature of an aircraft response flying through turbulence, an additional performance index is defined which utilizes the RMS of the state responses. A paper-pilot rating scale is next proposed which is a function of this index as well as the pilot physical parameters. With this methodology, flying/handling quality evaluation is performed without actual flight. So it can be potentially useful for new prototype/system evaluations with no risks. As a case study, flying and handling quality of a very large, four-engined, passenger jet aircraft in turbulence has been investigated. In addition, Sensitivity analysis of the performance index due to changing pilot parameters such as lead/delay time in different turbulence levels has been studied. Finally, some recommendations have been presented. Copyright © 2005 by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Inc. All rights reserved
  5. Keywords:
  6. Flight phases ; Quantitative evaluation ; Software-pilot rating ; Workload assessment ; Aircraft ; Aircraft engines ; Computer software ; Evaluation ; Turbulence ; Flight dynamics
  7. Source: AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference 2005, San Francisco, CA, 15 August 2005 through 18 August 2005 ; Volume 1 , 2005 , Pages 387-402 ; 156347736X (ISBN); 9781563477362 (ISBN)
  8. URL: https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/6.2005-5910