A methodology referred to as the continuation design framework is developed for application to nonlinear flight control problems. This forms the basis of a systematic approach to control system design for aircraft operating in highly nonlinear regions of the flight envelope. The essence of the continuation design framework is to combine bifurcation analysis with modern control methods such as eigenstructure assignment. Theoretical and practical issues of the approach are discussed with particular reference to the problems posed by agile fighter aircraft. The proposed methodology is applied to a fifth order hypothetical aircraft model and is shown to provide a visible, flexible and logical approach to nonlinear aircraft control law design.

Since the late 1980s, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has been leading a programme of research aimed at improving the safety of offshore helicopter operations. The motivation for this initiative came from a major joint CAA/Industry review of helicopter airworthiness, commissioned in 1982. This study led to a number of research projects and other reviews which, in turn, led to further research projects. A total of over 20 projects have been undertaken covering airworthiness and operational issues, and covering helicopters and helidecks. This programme of work has been jointly funded and monitored by the UK CAA-run Helicopter Safety Research Management Committee (HSRMC). This paper provides a top-level summary of current activities on the seven main ‘live’ research projects.

This paper describes a study which has been concerned with numerical predictions of the airwakes resulting from two simplified ship geometries: the internationally agreed Simple Frigate Shape, SFS1, and its successor, SFS2. Extensive steady-state simulations have been carried out for a wide range of wind conditions using Fluent, a commercially available Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code. The CFD predictions have been partially validated against wind tunnel data produced by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and have shown good agreement. The resulting airwake velocity components have been exported from Fluent, interpolated onto suitable grids and attached to the FLIGHTLAB flight-simulation environment as look-up tables; piloted flight trials were then carried out using the Liverpool full-motion simulator. The pilot workload and helicopter control margins resulting from a range of wind-over-deck conditions have been used to develop the Ship-Helicopter Operating Limits (SHOL) for a Lynx-like helicopter and the SFS2. The workload was compared to the pilot’s experiences on a similar aircraft and a Type 23 Frigate and the simulated SHOL compared with SHOLs derived from sea trials. The results are very encouraging and open up further the long awaited prospect of such simulations being used in the future to reduce at-sea trials, and to provide a safe environment for pilot training.

In low-speed wind tunnel tests at α = 25 and 30º of a 45º delta wing with semicircular leading edges limit cycle oscillations occurred around the 50º roll trim angle. In some cases the oscillations were highly regular, in other cases, highly irregular. An analysis of the observed roll-oscillation dynamics has shown that several viscous flow phenomena are involved, which depend strongly on the leading-edge geometry, and whose relative importance can vary dramatically with the existing Reynolds number in critical flow regions. The possible role of surface roughness in modifying the viscous flow/motion coupling to cause these dramatically different test results is examined.

The force measurements were conducted in low speed wind tunnel to investigate the effects of the scale, shape and the installation type of Gurney flap on a forward-swept aircraft model. The results indicated that both rectangular and triangular Gurney flaps can enhance the lift coefficient of the model tested, but with a little decrease of stall angle from 38° to 36°. The lift and drag coefficients increased with the Gurney flap scales. Meanwhile, the triangular Gurney flap can improve the aerodynamic performance more effectively when its high side is located near the wing root than the reverse installation with the low side near the wing root and the high side near the wing tip. Additionally, for the same Gurney flap, the model with smaller forward-swept angle can generate higher lift-enhancement in comparison with the larger forward-swept angle model.

Kite testing by flying in a horizontal circle, was developed in order to address the inevitable accuracy problems inherent in pre-existing kite measurement techniques. However the raw results from this circular flight method are not directly comparable with traditional kite performance measurements. To enable direct comparisons to be made, modifying equations have been developed to convert the raw circular flight results into the traditional measurements of lift to drag ratio, and lift coefficient. This paper derives the modifying equations, and presents experimental results comparing traditional measurements with both the raw and modified circular flight results. The modifying equations are applied to an example set of results to assess the sensitivity of the test environment parameters. It is concluded that for many cases, the discrepancy between the raw circular flight test results and traditional measurement techniques is small enough to ignore. Alternatively, the modifying equations given in the paper may readily be encoded so that traditional results may be quickly obtained from this novel test method.

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the future of adaptive structures leading towards the concept of a fully morphing aircraft configuration. First, examples are shown to illustrate the potential system-level mission benefits of morphing wing geometry. The challenges of design integration are discussed along with the question of how to address the optimisation of such a system. This leads to a suggestion that non-traditional methods need to be developed. It is suggested that an integrated approach to defining the work to be done and the energy to be used is the solution. This approach is introduced and then some challenges are examined in more detail. First, concepts of mechanisation are discussed as ways to achieve optimum geometries. Then there are discussions of non-linearities that could be important. Finally, the flight control design challenge is considered in terms of the rate of change of the morphing geometry. The paper concludes with recommendations for future work.

The paper describes a key risk area threatening the widespread deployment of unmanned air vehicles (UAVs), that of attaining high levels of autonomy. Autonomy is loosely defined in the context of UAVs and the meaning of ‘level of autonomy’ discussed. The paper argues that the achievement of high levels of autonomy is not merely a function of increasing machine intelligence but also of maintaining the human operator’s engagement with the decision making process and retaining human authority. An assumption is that a human being in the loop will be a requirement for safety, flight clearance and legal reasons on early systems. Therefore, developers of highly autonomous systems are presented with a paradox. It will be argued that the human must be placed at the centre of the design process and consequently human factors, the human machine interface and the system architecture become critical to achieving high levels of autonomy. This quality impacts on the entire knowledge acquisition and design cycle and broadens what is meant by that term placing it as a discipline firmly in the systems design community. The paper concludes by outlining the key barriers to the successful development of highly autonomous UAVs.

Currently, there is great emphasis, worldwide, on environmental issues. This will have an impact on civil aircraft design, manufacture and operation.

Since the advent of the jet engine and swept wing aircraft, the trends have naturally tended towards greater productivity through increasing speed and payload. The cruise speed of conventional civil aircraft is unlikely to increase beyond current levels. Further increases in productivity are achieved by increasing payloads. This has led towards larger aircraft with the capability for increased ranges. It is shown that designing aircraft for longer ranges increases fuel burn significantly.

A series of aircraft operational parameters have been analysed. Selected data and established trends for current and future aircraft are presented. The data has been interpreted into efficiency terms, relating payload, range, fuel consumed and a measure of unit costs. It is shown that ‘value’ (cost) and noise effective efficiencies decrease dramatically with increasing range.

Environmental and economic considerations, in the future, may well demand greater efficiency in preference to productivity. One solution for long-range services is to use short-range hops. Another is via air-to-air refuelling. This will be addressed, in more detail, in a future paper.

An experimental investigation was conducted to study the effect of synthetic jet (oscillatory, zero net mass flow jet) blowing near the wing tip, as a means of diffusing the trailing vortex. Velocity measurements were taken, using a Particle Image Velocimetry system, around the tip and in the near wake of a rectangular wing, which was equipped with several blowing slots. The effect of the synthetic jet was compared to that of a continuous jet blowing from the same configurations. The results show that the use of synthetic jet blowing is generally beneficial in diffusing the trailing vortex and comparable to the use of continuous jet. The effect was more pronounced for the highest blowing coefficient used. The driving frequency of the jet did not generally prove to be a significant parameter. Finally, the instantaneous and the phase-locked velocity measurements helped explain the different mechanisms employed by the continuous and synthetic jets in diffusing the trailing vortex.

The prediction of blade deflections and vibratory hub loads concerning helicopter main rotors in forward flight is the objective of this work. They are determined by using an aeroelastic model derived through the coupling between a nonlinear blade structural model and a boundary integral equation solver for three-dimensional, unsteady, potential aerodynamics. The Galerkin method is used for the spatial integration, whereas the periodic blade response is determined by a harmonic balance approach. This aeroelastic model yields a unified approach for aeroelastic response and blade pressure prediction that may be used for aeroacoustic purposes, with the possibility of including effects from both blade-vortex interaction and multiple-body aerodynamic interaction. Quasi-steady aerodynamic models with wake-inflow from the three-dimensional aerodynamic solver are also applied, in order to perform a comparative study. Numerical results show the capability of the aeroelastic tool to evaluate blade response and vibratory hub loads for a helicopter main rotor in level flight conditions, and examine the sensitivity of the predictions on the aerodynamics model used.

The SMARTFIRE computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software was used to predict the ‘possible’ behaviour of airflow as well as the spread of fire and smoke within a Swissair configured McDonnell Douglas MD-11 commercial transport aircraft. This work was undertaken by the Fire Safety Engineering Group (FSEG) of the University of Greenwich as part of Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada, Fire & Explosion Group’s investigation into the in-flight fire occurrence onboard Swissair Flight 111 (SR111): TSB Report Number A98H0003. The main aims of the CFD analysis were to develop a better understanding of the possible effects, or lack thereof, of numerous variables relating to the in-flight fire. This assisted investigators in assessing possible fire dynamics for cause and origin determination. In Part 1, the numerical analyses to pre-fire airflow patterns within the cockpit and its vicinity are presented. The pre-fire simulations serve two ends. One is to provide insight into the flow patterns within the cockpit and its vicinity and further supportive numerical evidence for the airflow flight test observations. The other is to provide plausible initial flow conditions for fire simulations. In this paper, some flow patterns at a number of primary locations within the cockpit and its vicinity are highlighted and the predicted flow patterns are compared with the findings from the airflow flight tests. The predicted patterns are found to be in good qualitative agreement with the experimental test findings.

Any time a new aircraft is introduced into service, or an old aircraft undergoes substantial modifications or needs to be certified to carry and employ new stores, the store separation engineer is faced with a decision about how much effort will be required to provide an airworthiness certification for the aircraft and stores. Generally, there are three approaches that have been used: wind-tunnel testing, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analyses and flight testing. During the past twenty years there have been considerable advances in all three areas. In particular, there has been a considerable improvement in the speed and validity of CFD results for store separation. The Holy Grail of CFD has long been the reduction/replacement of wind-tunnel testing. This would mean in store separation the ability to go from a CFD calculation to flight testing at the end point. The paper will describe how this was achieved for the F/A-18C/Litening pod program.

In 1998, Swissair Flight 111 (SR111) developed an in-flight fire shortly after take-off which resulted in the loss of the aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11, and all passengers and crew. The Transportation Safety Board (TSB) of Canada, Fire and Explosion Group launched a four year investigation into the incident in an attempt to understand the cause and subsequent mechanisms which lead to the rapid spread of the in-flight fire. As part of this investigation, the SMARTFIRE Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software was used to predict the ‘possible’ development of the fire and associated smoke movement. In this paper the CFD fire simulations are presented and model predictions compared with key findings from the investigation. The model predictions are shown to be consistent with a number of the investigation findings associated with the early stages of the fire development. The analysis makes use of simulated pre-fire airflow conditions within the MD-11 cockpit and above ceiling region presented in an earlier publication (Part I) which was published in The Aeronautical Journal in January 2006.

The relationship between a pilot workload rating for a simulated flight task in the proximity of an offshore platform helideck and three experimental factors – wind speed, wind direction and pilot is investigated. The statistical method employed is ordinal logistic regression, which allows the specifying and fitting of regression relationships between ordered categorical response variables and explanatory variables. The response variable in this context is a pilot’s rating of the workload induced by certain flight tasks, measured on an ordered categorical scale 1 to 10. Estimates of the effects of the explanatory variables are given and their practical significance discussed.

Twin-tail fighter aircraft may experience intense buffet loads when flying at high angles of attack. One such aircraft is the F/A-18 where the broadband buffet loads primarily excite the first bending and torsional modes of the vertical fin, resulting in significant vibration and dynamic stresses on the vertical tail structure. This buffet phenomenon reduces the fatigue life of the aircraft structure while decreasing mission availability.

An international technical co-operation program was initiated to develop a novel hybrid actuation system to actively alleviate the buffet response of a full-scale F/A-18 vertical fin. A hydraulic rudder actuator was used to control the bending mode of the vertical fin using rudder inertia forces. Multiple macro fiber composite actuators were distributed optimally to provide maximum induced strain control authority for the torsional mode. In order to develop an effective control law, a system identification approach was conducted to obtain a state-space model of the vertical fin using open-loop test data. An LQG control law was selected to minimise the dynamic response of the vertical fin at critical locations. The effectiveness of the control law was verified through extensive simulation prior to closed-loop experiments. The LQG control law demonstrated high robustness in all excitation load conditions; both bending and torsional vibration modes of the vertical tail were suppressed effectively and simultaneously. The dynamic stress and acceleration response at critical locations were also reduced significantly. A closed-loop experiment was conducted on a full-scale F/A-18 empennage using the IFOSTP test rig, and the experimental results verified the effectiveness of the control law development methodology used for the full-scale hybrid buffet load system for the F/A-18 aircraft. In addition, the ground vibration test demonstrated that the hybrid actuation system is a feasible solution to alleviate the vertical tail buffet loads in high performance fighter aircraft.

This paper presents a dynamic analysis of a single-line kite with two degrees of freedom. A Lagrangian formulation is used to write convenient equations of motion. The equilibrium states of the system and their stability are studied; Eigenvalues and eigenmodes are calculated by using linear theory. The stability in the parametric plane δ – W0 is discussed, where δ defines the bridle geometry and W0 is wind velocity. The system goes through a Hopf bifurcation and periodic branches of solutions appear. The orbits and their stability have been calculated numerically using Floquet theory and wind velocity seems to play an important role in their existence. Finally the kite response against gusts is considered and an open loop control system developed to keep the flight altitude invariant under changing atmospheric conditions. Modifying the bridle’s geometry seems to be a convenient way to control a kite’s performance.

South Africa has strategic requirements for tasks such as maritime patrol and border control. Research on UAVs should be done in order to design, certify and operate UAVs in civil airspace to satisfy these requirements. If principles such as ‘equivalence’, initially proposed by Eurocontrol are to be adopted in South Africa, it then follows that similar standards used by manned aircraft should be used by UAVs. Similarly, because the process of creating UAV regulations has not kept up with the pace of UAV development, and because dedicated UAV regulations do not yet exist in South Africa, UAVs must be tested and evaluated in order to prove compliance with comparable manned aircraft regulations in the foreseeable future until regulations are created or modified to accommodate UAVs. Given the airspace restrictions, and lack of applicable standards and regulations, proper flight testing of UAVs can become a very specialised task. Most test techniques applied to testing of manned aircraft are fortunately equally applicable to UAVs. This is a research-based paper that provides guidance to flight testers, UAV developers and research organisations wishing to execute tests in South Africa by suggesting a number of considerations for testing of UAVs.