| Abstract: | An aircraft's response to control inputs varies widely throughout its full flight envelope. Furthermore, the aircraft configuration impacts control response through variations in centre of gravity and moments of inertia. Quantitative feedback theory (QFT) is a robust control system design method which provides a full-envelope flight control system design and gives the engineer direct control over compensator order and gain. A full subsonic flight envelope FCS is designed for using QFT for four representative aircraft configurations. Flying qualities are embedded in the longitudinal design by using a control variable which varies with the aircraft's energy state throughout the flight envelope. Linear simulations with realistically large control inputs are used to validate the design. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. This paper was prepared under the auspices of the US Government and it is therefore not subject to copyright in the US. |
