Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-22T10:30:38.745Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Recent experience in flight testing for pilot induced oscillations (PIO) on transport aircraft

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2016

B. P. Lee*
Affiliation:
Airplane Handling Qualities, Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Seattle, WA, USA

Abstract

Though the subject of pilot induced oscillations (PIO) is not new, it has garnered significant attention in the past several years. Since the mid-1990s, Boeing Commercial Airplanes has been conducting specific flight tests of its products in order to evaluate PIO tendencies. Beginning with the 777-200, a generic suite of test manoeuvres has been used to evaluate PIO tendencies on each product. The testing has been conducted on a ‘window of opportunity’ basis with the intent to gather data and evaluate each model. To date, specific evaluations have been carried out on six different aircraft models spanning a wide range of aircraft sizes, inertial characteristics, and control system implementations. Each manoeuvre in the generic suite is discussed in detail. In addition, along the way, a large number of other manoeuvres have been used at various times to evaluate PIO tendencies. These are briefly described. No single test manoeuvre or technique has been identified which provides effective discrimination of PIO tendencies. Finally, the subject of the pilot in the loop is discussed with regard to achieving consistency in conducting PIO evaluations.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2000 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. ANON Aviation safety and flight control: understanding and preventing unfavourable pilot-vehicle interactions, National Research Council, National Academy Press, Washington, 1997.Google Scholar
2. Shafer, M. and Steinmetz, P. PIO Research: The status at the end of the century, Proceedings of a Workshop held at NASA Dryden Flight Research Center, April, 1999, In press.Google Scholar
3. ANON Flight Test Guide for certification of transport category airplanes, FAA Advisory Circular, 31 March, 1998, AC 25-7A.Google Scholar
4. Maine, R. and Iliff, K. Application of parameter estimation to aircraft stability and control, NASA, 1986, RP-1169.Google Scholar
5. Nelson, T., and Landes, R. Boeing 777 development and APC assessment, Presented at Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) control and Guidance Systems Conference, Salt Lake City, Utah, March, 1996.Google Scholar