Development and Flight Evaluation of an Emergency Digital Flight Control System Using Only Engine Thrust on an F-15 Airplane

Burcham Jr., Frank W. and Maine, Trindel A. and Fullerton, C. Gordon and Webb, Lannie Dean (1996) Development and Flight Evaluation of an Emergency Digital Flight Control System Using Only Engine Thrust on an F-15 Airplane. Technical Report NASA TP-3627, Research Engineering, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.

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Abstract

A propulsion-controlled aircraft (PCA) system for emergency flight control of aircraft with no flight controls was developed and flight tested on an F-15 airplane at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center. The airplane has been flown in a throttles–only manual mode and with an augmented system called PCA in which pilot thumbwheel commands and aircraft feedback parameters were used to drive the throttles. Results from a 36-flight evaluation showed that the PCA system can be used to safely land an airplane that has suffered a major flight control system failure. The PCA system was used to recover from a severe upset condition, descend, and land. Guest pilots have also evaluated the PCA system. This paper describes the principles of throttles-only flight control; a history of loss-of-control accidents; a description of the F-15 airplane; the PCA system operation, simulation, and flight testing; and the pilot comments.

EPrint Type:	NASA Technical Publication
Keywords:	Emergency flight control, F-15 airplane, Flight control systems, Propulsion-controlled aircraft, Propulsive control, Throttle-only control
Subjects:	(01 - 09) Aeronautics: (05) Aircraft Design, Testing And Performance (01 - 09) Aeronautics: (08) Aircraft Stability And Control Aircraft/Project: F-15
ID Code:	181
Deposited On:	14 July 2004
Additional Information:	105 pages.