Full Flight Simulator Study for Evaluation of Aircraft Dynamics while Encountering Curved Wake Vortices (Part II - Result Evaluation)

Abstract

This report deals with the detailed analysis of a simulator campaign conducted to evaluate the influence of vortex curvature on the encounter hazard. There are two main topics described in this report: - The pure encounter characteristics like vortex forces and moments, aircraft response, and pilot ratings and - The influence of vortex curvature on the interaction between pilot and aircraft for controller augmented aircraft. The accomplishment of the simulator campaign is described in a separate report and will only briefly be summarised in this report. The analysis of the simulation results revealed that curved wake vortices result in shorter encounter duration and thus much smaller absolute integral forces and moments. Nevertheless aircraft response is similar compared to encounters with straight vortices same as the pilot ratings. The simulator campaign also revealed an increased risk of pilot-involved/induced-oscillations when encountering curved vortices.