Flying Qualities Criteria!

Robert Stengel, Aircraft Flight Dynamics!

MAE 331, 2014"
Learning Objectives!
!
!
!
!
!

MIL-F-8785C criteria!
CAP, C*, and other longitudinal criteria"
!/", #!/#
, and other lateral-directional criteria"
Pilot-vehicle interactions"
Flight control system design"

Flight Dynamics!
419-428, 525-533, 624-629!
Airplane Stability and Control!
Chapter 21!
Copyright 2014 by Robert Stengel. All rights reserved. For educational use only.!
http://www.princeton.edu/~stengel/MAE331.html!
http://www.princeton.edu/~stengel/FlightDynamics.html!

1!

Flying Qualities Research Moves

with the Times!

Chapter 21, Airplane Stability and

Control, Abzug and Larrabee"
! What are the principal subject and scope of the
chapter?"
! What technical ideas are needed to understand the
chapter?"
! During what time period did the events covered in
the chapter take place?"
! What are the three main "takeaway" points or
conclusions from the reading?"
! What are the three most surprising or remarkable
facts that you found in the reading?"
2!

Design for Satisfactory Flying Qualities"

! Satisfy procurement requirement (e.g., Mil
Standard)"
! Satisfy test pilots (e.g., Cooper-Harper ratings)"
! Avoid pilot-induced oscillations (PIO)"
! Minimize time-delay effects"
! Time- and frequency-domain criteria"

3!

Short-Period Bullseye or Thumbprint"

! nSP

Robert Harper,
Cornell Aero Lab"

! SP
4!

Cooper-Harper Handling Qualities !

Rating Scale"

5!

NASA TN-D-5153,1969!

MIL-F-8785C Identies Satisfactory, Acceptable,

and Unacceptable Response Characteristics"
Damping Ratio"
Short-period angle-of-attack
response to elevator input!

Frequency Response"

Step Response"

6!

Military Flying Qualities

Specications, MIL-F-8785C"
! Specications established during WWII "
! US Air Force and Navy coordinated efforts
beginning in 1945"
! First version appeared in 1948, last in 1980"
! Distinctions by ight phase, mission, and aircraft
type"
! Replaced by Military Flying Qualities Standard,
MIL-STD-1797A, with procurement-specic criteria"
7!

MIL-F-8785C Aircraft Types"

I.#

Small, light airplanes, e.g., utility aircraft and

primary trainers"
II.# Medium-weight, low-to-medium
maneuverability airplanes, e.g., small
transports or tactical bombers"
III.# Large, heavy, low-to-medium
maneuverability airplanes, e.g., heavy
transports, tankers, or bombers"
IV.# Highly maneuverable aircraft, e.g., ghter
and attack airplanes"
8!

MIL-F-8785C Flight Phase"

A.# Non-terminal ight requiring rapid maneuvering precise
tracking, or precise ight path control "
!
!
!
!
!
!

air-to-air combat "

ground attack "
in-ight refueling (receiver) "
close reconnaissance "
terrain following "
close formation ying"

!
!
!

climb, cruise "

in-ight refueling (tanker) "
descent"

!
!
!
!

takeoff (normal and catapult) "

approach "
wave-off/go-around "
landing"

B.# Non-terminal ight requiring gradual maneuvering"

C.# Terminal ight "

9!

MIL-F-8785C Levels of Performance"

1.# Flying qualities clearly adequate for the mission
ight phase"
2.# Flying qualities adequate to accomplish the
mission ight phase, with some increase in pilot
workload or degradation of mission effectiveness"
3.# Flying qualities such that the aircraft can be
controlled safely, but pilot workload is excessive
or mission effectiveness is inadequate"
10!

Principal MIL-F-8785C Metrics"

! Longitudinal ying
qualities"

static speed stability"

phugoid stability"
ight path stability"
short period frequency
and its relationship to
command acceleration
sensitivity"
! short period damping"
! control-force gradients"
!
!
!
!

! Lateral-directional ying
qualities"

! natural frequency and damping

of the Dutch roll mode"
! time constants of the roll and
spiral modes"
! rolling response to commands
and Dutch roll oscillation"
! sideslip excursions"
! maximum stick and pedal forces"
! turn coordination"
11!

Longitudinal Criteria!

12!

Long-Period Flying Qualities Criteria

(MIL-F-8785C)!

Flight Phase!
A.#
B.#
C.#

Level of Performance!

Non-terminal ight requiring rapid

maneuvering"
Non-terminal ight requiring gradual
maneuvering"
Terminal ight"

1.#
2.#
3.#

Clearly adequate for the mission"

Adequate to accomplish the mission,
with some increase in workload"
Aircraft can be controlled safely, but
workload is excessive"

! Static speed stability"

! No tendency for aperiodic divergence"

! Phugoid oscillation -> 2 real roots, 1 that is unstable"

! Stable control stick position and force gradients"

! e.g., Increasing pull

 position and force with decreasing speed"
13!

Long-Period Flying Qualities Criteria

(MIL-F-8785C)!

! Flight path stability [Phase C]"

1.# (!
!"/!
!V)SS < 0.06 deg/kt"
2.# (!
!"/!
!V)SS < 0.15 deg/kt"
3.# (!
!"/!
!V)SS < 0.24 deg/kt"

Steady-State Response to Elevator"

!VSS = a!" ESS

!# SS = c!" ESS
Ratio"

!" SS c
=
!VSS a

(with appropriate scaling)

14!

Long-Period Flying Qualities Criteria

(MIL-F-8785C)!

! Phugoid stability"

1.#Damping ratio $ 0.04"

2.#Damping ratio $ 0"
3.#Time to double
, T2 $ 55 sec"

Time to Double!

T2 Ph = "0.693/# Ph$ n Ph
15!

Short Period Criteria"

! Important parameters"
! Short-period natural
frequency"
! Damping ratio"
! Lift slope"
! Step response"
!
!
!
!

Space Shuttle Pitch-Response Criterion"

Over-/under-shoot"
Rise time"
Settling time"
Pure time delay"

! Pitch angle response"

! Normal load factor
response"
! Flight path angle response
(landing)"

16!

Short-Period Approximation
Transfer Functions"
! Elevator to pitch rate"

(
+
kq * s + 1 T'2 ,
k q ( s # zq )
!q(s)
)
=
&
!" E(s) s 2 + 2$ SP% nSP s + % n2SP s 2 + 2$ SP% nSP s + % n2SP

Bode Plot!
Nichols Chart!

! Pure gain or phase change (< 90) in

feedback control cannot produce
instability"

Root Locus!

17!

Short-Period Approximation
Transfer Functions"
! Elevator to pitch angle"
! Integral of prior example"

k q ( s $ zq )
!" (s)
=
!# E(s) s ( s 2 + 2% SP& nSP s + & n2SP)

Nichols Chart!
Bode Plot!

! Pure gain or phase change (< 45) in

feedback control cannot produce
instability"

Root Locus!

18!

Normal Load Factor"

!nz =

(
VN
V %L
L
( !"! # !q ) = # N ' " !" + $ E !$ E *
g
g & VN
VN
)

! Therefore, with negligible L$E (aft tail/canard effect)"

positive down!

( % L$ ( ! "$ (s)
! "nz (s) 1 % ! "$ (s)
= ' L$
+ L# E * + ' *
! "# E(s) g & ! "# E(s)
) & g ) ! "# E(s)

positive up!

! Elevator to angle of attack (L$E = 0)"

k"
!" (s)
$ 2
!# E(s) s + 2% SP& nSP s + & n2SP
19!

Control Anticipation
Parameter, CAP"
Inner ear senses angular acceleration about 3 axes"
Initial Angular Acceleration!

%
(
M$
! = ' M" E #
L" E * !" ESS
!q(0)
VN + L$
&
)
Desired Normal Load Factor!

#V &
V
!nSS = N !qSS = " % N (
$ g'
g

L*

L) E
VN " M *
VN
!) ESS
L*
M q V + M*
N

M) E

20!

Control Anticipation Parameter,

CAP"
Inner ear cue should aid pilot in anticipating
commanded normal acceleration"

%
(
M$
" ' M #E "
L# E * M q L$ + M $
VN
VN + L$
!
!q(0)
&
)
=
CAP =
!nSS
( L$ M #E " L#E M $ ) g

CAP =

! Mq

MIL-F-8785C
Short-Period
Flying
Qualities
Criterion"
CAP =
constant along
Level
Boundaries"

with L$E = 0!

L"

$ nSP 2
VN + M "
#
L" g
nz / "

" n SP vs.

nz

21!

CAP!

Level of Performance!
1.# Clearly adequate for the mission"
2.# Adequate to accomplish the mission,
with some increase in workload"
3.# Aircraft can be controlled safely, but
workload is excessive"
22!

Control Anticipation Parameter vs.

Short-Period Damping Ratio"
(MIL-F-8785C, Category A)"

CAP =

! Mq

L"

VN + M "
L" g

$ nSP 2
#
nz / "
23!

C* Criterion"
! Hypothesis"

! C* blends normal load factor at pilot

s location and pitch rate"
! Step response of C* should lie within acceptable envelope"

Vcrossover
!q
g
V
= (l pilot !q! + !ncm ) + crossover !q
g
$
' V
V
= &l pilot !q! + N ( !q " !#! )) + crossover !q
g
g
%
(

C* = !n pilot +

!! Below Vcrossover, !q is pilot

s primary control objective"
!! Above Vcrossover, !npilot is the primary control objective"

Fighter Aircraft: Vcrossover ! 125 m / s

24!

Gibson Dropback Criterion

for Pitch Angle Control"
! Step response of pitch rate
should have overshoot for
satisfactory pitch and ight
path angle response!

$
1 '
kq && s + ))
!q(s)
% T#2 (
= 2
!" E(s) s + 2* SP+ nSP s + + n2SP
$ +
'
kq & s + nSP
* SP )(
%
= 2
s + 2* SP+ nSP s + + n2SP

! Criterion is satised when!

zq ! !

%#
(
1
= ! ' nSP
$ SP *)
&
T"2

Gibson, 1997!

25!

!! Shift to Lecture on Advanced

Problems in LateralDirectional Dynamics!
!! Return to Lateral-Directional
Flying Qualities Criteria!
26!

Early Lateral-Directional
Flying Qualities Criteria!

OHara, via Etkin!

T1 = 0.693 / ! " n
2

v = VN #

Ashkenas, via Etkin!

Time to Half!
27!

Lateral-Directional
Flying Qualities
Parameters"
!Lateral Control Divergence Parameter,
LCDP!
!!/" Effect"
!#!/#
Effect!

28!

Lateral Control Divergence

Parameter (LCDP)"

! Aileron deection produces yawing as well as rolling moment"

! Favorable yaw aids the turn command"
 opposes it"
! Adverse yaw

! Equilibrium response to constant aileron input "

%
(
%
(
Y
Y
' N $ + N r $ V * L# A + ' L$ + Lr $ V * N# A
!"S &
&
N)
N)
=
g
!# AS
L N + Lr N $ )
VN ( $ r
! Large-enough N$A effect can reverse the sign of the response"
! Can occur at high angle of attack "
! Can cause departure from controlled ight
"

! Lateral Control Divergence Parameter provides simplied criterion"

(N )L
!

"A

( )

# L! N " A

L" A

N
= N ! # " A L!
L" A

LCDP ! Cn" #

Cn$ A
Cl$ A

C l"
29!

#!/#d Effect!
!Aileron-to-roll-angle transfer function "

k" ( s 2 + 2$ "%" s + %"2 )

!" (s)
=
!# A(s) ( s & 'S ) ( s & ' R ) ( s 2 + 2$ DR% nDR s + % n2DR )

! #! is the natural frequency of the complex zeros"

! #d = #nDR is the natural frequency of the Dutch roll mode"

!Conditional instability may occur with closedloop control of roll angle, even with a perfect pilot"
30!

#!/#
Effect is Important

in Roll Angle Control"

k" ( s 2 + 2$ "%" s + %"2 )

!" (s)
=
!# A(s) ( s & 'S ) ( s & ' R ) ( s 2 + 2$ DR% nDR s + % n2DR )

! As feedback gain increases, Dutch roll roots go to numerator zeros"

! If zeros are over poles, conditional instability results"

31!

!/" Effect"
!!/" measures the degree of rolling response in the
Dutch roll mode"
! Large !/": Dutch roll is primarily a rolling motion"
! Small !/": Dutch roll is primarily a yawing motion"

!Eigenvectors, ei, indicate the degree of participation

of the state component in the ith mode of motion"

det ( sI ! F ) = ( s ! "1 ) ( s ! "2 ) ...( s ! "n )

( "i I ! F ) e i = 0

32!

Eigenvectors!

!Eigenvectors, ei, are solutions to the equation"

( !i I " F ) ei = 0,
or

i = 1,n

!i ei = Fei , i = 1,n

!For each eigenvalue, the corresponding eigenvector

can be found (within an arbitrary constant) from"

Adj ( !i I " F ) =

( ae

1 i

),

a2 ei an ei

i = 1,n

MATLAB

( V,D ) = eig ( F )

V: Modal Matrix (i.e., Matrix of Eigenvectors)

D: Diagonal Matrix of Corresponding Eigenvalues

33!

!/" Effect"
! With %i chosen as a complex root of the Dutch roll mode,
the corresponding eigenvector is"

e DR+

#
%
%
=%
%
%
$

# () + j* )
er &
r
%
(
% () + j* )!
e! (
=%
(
ep
% () + j* ) p
(
%
(
e"
' DR+ %$ () + j* )"

# AR e j"
)r
&
% (
(
% AR e j"
(
)!
% (
( =%
j"
(
% ( AR e ) p
(
%
j"
(
' DR+ % ( AR e )"
$

&
(
(
(
(
(
(
(
' DR+

! !/" is the magnitude of the ratio of the ! and " eigenvectors"

"=

( AR )!
( AR )"

Y
L &
# V & ,#
= % N ( .% ) DR* nDR + " + " ( + * nDR 1+ ) DR 2
$ g ' .$
VN Lr '
-

34!

/
1
10

!/" Effect for the Business

Jet Example!
e DR+

#
%
%
=%
%
%
%
%$

er &
(
# 0.525 &
e! (
(
%
( = % 0.416 (
ep (
% 0.603 (
(
%$ 0.433 ('
DR+
e" (
(' DR+

" = 1.04

Roll/Sideslip Angle ratio in the Dutch roll mode!

35!

Criteria for Lateral-Directional

Modes (MIL-F-8785C)"
Maximum RollMode Time
Constant"

Minimum
Spiral-Mode
Time to Double"
36!

Minimum Dutch Roll Natural

Frequency and Damping (MIL-F-8785C)"

37!

Pilot-Vehicle Interactions!

38!

YF-16 Test Flight Zero"

! High-speed taxi test; no ight intended!
! Pilot-induced oscillations from overly
sensitive roll control"
! Tail strike"
! Pilot elected to go around rather than eject"

39!

YF-16!

Pilot-Induced Roll Oscillation"

Pilot Transfer Function!

Aircraft Transfer Function!

$ K p / Tp ' .
k" s 2 + 2*"+ " s + + "2
!" (s)
0
=
!# A(s) pilot in loop &% s + 1 / T p )( 0 ( s , -S ) ( s , - R ) s 2 + 2* DR+ nDR s + + n2DR
/

Aileron-to-Roll Angle
Root Locus!

Pilot-Aircraft Nichols Chart!

40!

1
3
32

Yaw Angle"

Inverse
Problem of
Lateral Control"
Given a ight path, what
is the control history that
generates it? "

Roll Angle"

Lateral-Stick
Command"

Angle of attack (&) =

10 deg; ARI off"

& = 30 deg; ARI off"

! Necessary piloting
actions "
! Control-law design"

Aileron-rudder
interconnect (ARI)
simplies pilot input"
& = 30 deg; ARI on"

Grumman F-14 Tomcat!

Stengel, Broussard, 1978!

41!

Next Time:!
Maneuvering at High Angles
and Rates!
Flight Dynamics!
681-785!
Airplane Stability and Control!
Chapter 8!

42!

Supplemental
Material

43!

Large Aircraft Flying Qualities"

!
!
!
!

High wing loading, W/S"

Distance from pilot to rotational center"
Slosh susceptibility of large tanks"
High wing span -> short relative tail length"

Altitude response during approach"

Longitudinal dynamics"

!
!
!

Rolling response (e.g., time to bank)"

Reduced static stability"
Off-axis passenger comfort in BWB turns"

! Higher trim drag"

! Increased yaw due to roll, need for rudder
coordination"
! Reduced rudder effect"
! Increased non-minimum-phase delay in
response to elevator"
! Potential improvement from canard"
! Phugoid/short-period resonance"

44!

Criteria for Oscillations and Excursions

(MIL-F-8785C)"

45!

Criteria for Oscillations and Excursions

(MIL-F-8785C)!

46!

Flight Testing Videos"

TSR2 Test Flight!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXdJxjvQZW4!

Neil Armstrong, Test Pilot!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6DdlPoPOE4!

NASA Dryden(now Armstrong) Flight Research Center!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j85jlc1Zfk4!

Avro Arrow Revisited!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S74zf0YZX20!

47!