ACTIVE INCEPTORS IN FHS FOR PILOT ASSISTANCE SYSTEMS

Abstract

Pilot assistance systems or their functions can help the pilot to easier perform a safe and effective 24h all weather operation by a combination of advanced visual cueing and intelligent control augmentation. This classical two dimensional optimization problem can be extended by a third dimension, namely tactile cueing. With increasing level of control augmentation for helicopters, driven by fly-by-wire technology, also their handling qualities (flying qualities) are tailored by using advanced control modes like attitude command or translational rate command. To get fully access to the overall active rotorcraft, also the pilot inceptors are considered to exhibit active features, which are the dynamic force-displacement characteristics. This allows the adaptation of these characteristics to the control law and control modes, and in addition tactile cueing or feedback in an integrated approach. This reduces the workload and increases the situational awareness. DLR has integrated two active sidesticks into its flying helicop-ter simulator FHS: one stick replaces the cyclic centrestick, the other one the collective lever and optionally the pedals.