On the Use of Controls for Subsonic Transport Performance Improvement: Overview and Future Directions

Gilyard, Glenn and España, Martin (1994) On the Use of Controls for Subsonic Transport Performance Improvement: Overview and Future Directions. Technical Report NASA TM-4605, Research Engineering, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.

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Abstract

Increasing competition among airline manufacturers and operators has highlighted the issue of aircraft efficiency. Fewer aircraft orders have led to an all-out efficiency improvement effort among the manufacturers to maintain if not increase their share of the shrinking number of aircraft sales. Aircraft efficiency is important in airline profitability and is key if fuel prices increase from their current low. In a continuing effort to improve aircraft efficiency and develop an optimal performance technology base, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center developed and flight tested an adaptive performance seeking control system to optimize the quasi-steady-state performance of the F-15 aircraft. The demonstrated technology is equally applicable to transport aircraft although with less improvement. NASA Dryden, in transitioning this technology to transport aircraft, is specifically exploring the feasibility of applying adaptive optimal control techniques to performance optimization of redundant control effectors. A simulation evaluation of a preliminary control law optimizes wing–aileron camber for minimum net aircraft drag. Two submodes are evaluated: one to minimize fuel and the other to maximize velocity. This paper covers the status of performance optimization of the current fleet of subsonic transports; available integrated controls technologies are reviewed to define approaches using active controls. A candidate control law for adaptive performance optimization is presented along with examples of algorithm operation.

EPrint Type:	NASA Technical Memorandum
Keywords:	Aircraft performance, Cambered wings, Drag reduction, Flight optimization, Fuel consumption, Optimal control, Optimization
Subjects:	(01 - 09) Aeronautics: (05) Aircraft Design, Testing And Performance (01 - 09) Aeronautics: (02) Aerodynamics Aircraft/Project: F-15 (01 - 09) Aeronautics: (03) Air Transportation And Safety
ID Code:	246
Deposited On:	22 July 2004
Additional Information:	18 pages. Errata (dated June 24, 1994) on page 13, right column, in reference 18. This originally appeared as AIAA-94-3515 for the Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference, Scottsdale, Arizona, August 1–3, 1994.