Digital Fly-By-Wire Flight Control Validation Experience
Szalai, Kenneth J. and Jarvis, Calvin R. and Krier, Gary E. and Megna, Vincent A. and Brock, Larry D. and O'Donnell, Robert N. (1978) Digital Fly-By-Wire Flight Control Validation Experience. Technical Report NASA TM-72860, Research Engineering, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.
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Abstract
This report describes experience gained in digital fly-by-wire technology through a flight test program being conducted by the NASA Dryden Flight Research Center in an F-8C aircraft. The system requirements are outlined, along with the requirements for flight qualification. A brief description is then given of the system, including the hardware components, the aircraft installation, and the system operation. The emphasis of this report is on flight qualification experience. The qualification process included the theoretical validation of the basic design, laboratory testing of the hardware and software elements, systems level testing, and flight testing. The most productive testing was performed on an "iron bird" aircraft, which used the actual electronic and hydraulic hardware and a simulation of the F-8 characteristics to provide the flight environment. The iron bird was used for sensor and system redundacy management testing, failure modes and effects testing, and stress testing in many cases with the pilot in the loop. The flight test program confirmed the quality of the validation process by achieving 50 flights without a known undetected failure and with no false alarms. There was no failure of the primary digital system that required the use of the backup system, even though there were several hardware failures.
| EPrint Type: | NASA Technical Memorandum |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | Digital flight control, Digital fly by wire, Software verification |
| Subjects: | Aircraft/Project: F-8 (01 - 09) Aeronautics: (08) Aircraft Stability And Control |
| ID Code: | 704 |
| Deposited On: | 13 Febuary 2006 |
| Additional Information: | 241 pages. |
