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Aeronautical Engineering Department, Military Institute of Science & Technology, Mirpur Cantt, Dhaka-1216
Abstract— In past, the aircraft control systems were based on aircraft and are currently used in small aircraft where the
conventional methods of mechanical and hydro-mechanical aerodynamic forces are not excessive. A fly-by-wire (FBW)
system. The present generation aircraft are using fly-by-wire system replaces manual flight control of an aircraft with an
(FBW) and in future likely to migrate to fly-by-light (FBL) method electronic interface. The movements of flight controls are
for aircraft control system. Mechanical & Hydro-mechanical
flight control systems have been replaced by Electrical Flight
converted to electronic signals transmitted by wires (hence the
Control System basically Fly-By-Wire due to increasing speed of fly-by-wire term), and flight control computers determine how
modern aircraft. Due to inherent characteristics of FBL like light to move the actuators at each control surface to provide the
weight, compact size, large bandwidth, immunity to EMI & HIRF expected response. Commands from the computers are also
FBL, it is expected to be ideal futuristic flight control system. Fly- input without the pilot's knowledge to stabilize the aircraft and
by-Wire control systems offer inherent resistance to the new perform other tasks. Electronics for aircraft flight control
generation more hostile military environments. The inherent systems are part of the field known as avionics. [1]
features are the motivator to achieve the technological advances
to make Fly-by-Wire systems a successful replacement aircraft II. FLIGHT CONTROLS
control system technology for future. The application of Fly-by-
Wire in aviation promises to be very exciting study, covering
highly complex aircraft stability and controls. A. Airplane flight control surfaces, axes and controllers
Keywords—Mechanical flight control system, Hydro-mechanical Whenever an airplane changes its flight attitude or position
flight control system, Fly-By-Wire flight control system, Fly-By- in flight, it turns on one or more of its three axes, which are
Light flight control system. imaginary lines that pass through the airplane’s centre of
gravity. [2]
I. INTRODUCTION
A control system is a collection of mechanical and electronic
equipment that allows an aircraft to be flown with exceptional
precision and reliability. In flight, an aircraft and its operating
crew form a 'man-machine' system loop which, depending on
the size and type of aircraft, may be fairly simple or very
complex. The function of the crew within the loop is that of
controller, and the extent of the control function is governed by
the simplicity or otherwise of the aircraft as an integrated whole.
For example, in manually flying an aircraft, and manually
initiating adjustments to essential systems, the controller's
function is said to be a fully active one. If, on the other hand,
the flight of an aircraft and system's adjustments are automatic
in operation, then the controller's function becomes one of
monitoring, with the possibility of reverting to the active
function in the event of failure of systems. A conventional Fig 1: Airplane control surfaces
fixed-wing aircraft flight control system consists of flight
At the point where all three axes intersect, they are mutually
control surfaces, the respective cockpit controls, connecting
perpendicular. The axis that extends lengthwise through the
linkages, and the necessary operating mechanisms to control an
fuselage from the nose to the tail is called as longitudinal axis,
aircraft's direction in flight. Aircraft engine controls are also
the axis which extends crosswise from wingtip to wingtip is
considered as flight controls as they change speed. Mechanical
known as lateral axis, and the third axis, is vertical axis passing
or manually operated flight control systems are the most basic
through the through the centre of gravity. [3]
method of controlling an aircraft. They were used in early
IV. MECHANICAL FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM
Components Purpose
Cable To transmit the power
Cable connector To connect the cable
Turnbuckle To adjust the Cable length
Pulley To guide the in radial direction
Push pull rod To go for and aft as per requirement
Fig 2: Airplane controls, movement, axes of rotation, and type Control stick To make orders for the remaining circuit
of stability [4]
Fig 5: Push pull rod system for aircraft control The basic principle of the hydro-mechanical control is
simple, but two aspects must be noticed when a powered
From this simplified description the main requirements of a control is introduced:
push-pull rod system are clear. First of all the linkage must be The system must control the surface in a proportional
stiff, to avoid any unwanted deflection during flight and due to way, i.e. the surface response (deflection) must be
fuselage elasticity. Second, axial instability during function to the pilot’s demand (stick deflection, for
compression must be excluded; the instability load P for a rod instance) [5][10]
is given by: The pilot that with little effort acts on a control valve
must have a feedback on the maneuver intensity
The first problem is solved by using (hydraulic) servo-
E = Young modulus; mechanisms, where the components are linked in such
I = cross-section moment of inertia; a way to introduce an actuator stroke proportional to
λ = reference length. [8][9] the pilot’s demand [5]
The pilot, in normal hydraulic operating conditions, is
B. Cables & Pulleys System
requested for a very low effort, necessary to contrast
the mechanical frictions of the linkage and the
• Vibrations of the rods can introduce oscillating movement of the control valve
deflections of the surface. This problem is important on An artificial feel is introduced in powered systems,
helicopters, because vibrations generated by the main rotor can acting directly on the cabin control stick or pedals
induce severe vibrations of the flight control rods
The simplest solution is a spring system, then It modifies the manual inputs of the pilot in accordance with
responding to the pilot’s demand with a force control parameters. [11] It can be-
proportional to the stick deflection; this solution has • Analoge FBW system
of course the limit to be not sensitive to the actual • Digital FBW system
flight conditions.
A more sophisticated artificial feel is the so-called Q
feel. This system receives data from the pitot-static
probes, reading the dynamic pressure, or the
difference between total (pt) and static (ps) pressure,
that is proportional to the aircraft speed v through the
air density ρ
[3]
This signal is used to modulate a hydraulic cylinder
that increases the stiffness in the artificial feel system,
in such a way that the pilot is given a contrast force in
the pedals or stick that is also proportional to the
aircraft speed
A. Principle of operation
B. FBW-Stability