TASK-TAILORED FLIGHT CONTROL AND FLYING QUALITIES (APPLICATIONS TO IMPROVE SHUTTLE, NASP, AND FIGHTER ADVANCEDFLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS)

WITH PILOTS FACING INCREASINGLY DEMANDING MANAGERIAL SITUATIONS IN FLIGHT, THE ATTENTION REQUIRED FOR MANUAL CONTROL MUST BE MINIMIZED BY PROVIDING THE BEST POSSIBLE FLYING QUALITIES. THE APPROACH PRESENTED HERE TO ACCOMPLISHTHIS INVOLVES THE INVENTION AND APPLICATIONS OF TASK-ORIENTED FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS. THE BASIC INNOVATIONSEXPECTED FROM RESEARCH ON THE PROPOSED APPROACH INCLUDE: IMPROVED EFFECTIVE VEHICLE DYNAMIC CHARACTERISTICS AND FLYING QUALITIES IN CRITICAL MISSION PHASES; REDUCED PILOT ATTENTIONAL DEMANDS FROM CONTROL OPERATIONS WITH CONCOMITANTENHANCED SAFETY; SPECIFIC DYNAMIC FORMS AND PARAMETERS FOR TASK-TAILORING THE EFFECTIVE VEHICLE DYNAMICS (PROVIDING DESIGN GUIDANCE FOR PREFERRED AIRCRAFT-FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM DYNAMICS). THE THREE BASIC PHASE I PROJECT OBJECTIVES ARE TO: IDENTIFY AND CATALOG POTENTIAL MISSION CONTROL TASKS AND RELATED TASK-TAILORED FLIGHT CONTROL MODES TO ACHIEVE THE BEST POSSIBLE FLYING QUALITIES FOR SPECIFIC MISSION PHASES OF ADVANCED AIRCRAFT WITH ADVANCED FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEMS; SELECT THOSE TASKS, TASK-TAILORED MODES/DYNAMIC FORMS WITH THE MOST PROMISE FOR FUTURE APPLICATIONS; AND FORMULATE EXPERIMENTAL DESIGNS FOR VERIFICATION OF DYNAMIC FORMS, PARAMETERS AND TASK TRANSITIONS IN MANNED SIMULATIONS.