A Genetic Search Technique for Identification of Aircraft Departures

Ryan III, George W. (1995) A Genetic Search Technique for Identification of Aircraft Departures. Technical Report NASA CR-4688, Research Engineering, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center.

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Abstract

Methods of testing aircraft for departures range from simple, single-parameter criteria to complex, in-flight departure resistance maneuvers. These methods are useful for predicting departure characteristics, but single-parameter methods may be limited in accuracy because of simplifying assumptions made in their derivation. Also, in-flight or simulation testing of departure resistance maneuvers can be limited by the small number of conditions tested. These limitations increase at high angles of attack where the dynamics of the aircraft are more complex. This paper presents a method for using genetic algorithms to augment traditional evaluation criteria. Quasi-random control inputs are generated by a genetic algorithm for a high fidelity X-31 simulation. Each input is evaluated to determine if it causes a departure. The result of the genetic-algorithm based search is a population, or set, of control input combinations that lead to uncontrolled flight conditions in the simulation. Recognizing possible differences and simplifications between simulation models and the real aircraft, the results show that the method used is effective for finding possible departures caused by inertial coupling and aerodynamic asymmetries. Simulation data are used to show the results of the genetic algorithm search.

EPrint Type:	NASA Contractor Report
Keywords:	Departure analysis, Genetic algorithms, Flight dynamics, Machine learning, Thrust vectoring
Subjects:	(01 - 09) Aeronautics: (08) Aircraft Stability And Control Aircraft/Project: X-31
ID Code:	1008
Deposited On:	07 July 2006
Additional Information:	16 pages. George W. Ryan III (PRC Inc., Edwards, California). NASA Technical Monitor: Robert Clarke. Presented as AIAA 95-3453 at AIAA Atmospheric Flight Mechanics Conference, Baltimore, Maryland, Aug. 7–9, 1995.