Flight Testing a Propulsion-Controlled Aircraft Emergency Flight Control System on an F-15 Airplane

Burcham Jr., F. W. and Burken, John and Maine, Trindel A. (1994) Flight Testing a Propulsion-Controlled Aircraft Emergency Flight Control System on an F-15 Airplane. Technical Report NASA TM-4590, Research Engineering, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.

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Abstract

Flight tests of a propulsion-controlled aircraft (PCA) system on an F-15 airplane have been conducted at the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center. The airplane was flown with all flight control surfaces locked both in the manual throttles-only mode and in an augmented system mode. In the latter mode, pilot thumbwheel commands and aircraft feedback parameters were used to position the throttles. Flight evaluation results showed that the PCA system can be used to land an airplane that has suffered a major flight control system failure safely. The PCA system was used to recover the F-15 airplane from a severe upset condition, descend, and land. Pilots from NASA, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, and McDonnell Douglas Aerospace evaluated the PCA system and were favorably impressed with its capability. Manual throttles-only approaches were unsuccessful. This paper describes the PCA system operation and testing. It also presents flight test results and pilot comments.

EPrint Type:	NASA Technical Memorandum
Keywords:	Emergency control, F-15 airplane, Flight test, Hydraulic failure, Propulsion-controlled aircraft (PCA), Propulsion-only control
Subjects:	(01 - 09) Aeronautics: (08) Aircraft Stability And Control Aircraft/Project: F-15
ID Code:	239
Deposited On:	22 July 2004
Additional Information:	20 pages. Presented as AIAA 94-2123 at the 7th Biennial Flight Test Conference, June 20–23, 1994, Colorado Springs, Colorado.