SIMPLER , the System for Improved Maritime Piloted Landing Evolution - Rotorcraft

To improve fixed wing shipboard recoveries, the Navy introduced the Precision Landing Mode (PLM) system known as “MAGIC CARPET” with its advanced direct lift flight control laws and new head-up display symbology that has greatly reduced pilot workload while increasing safety since its F/A-18E/F/G fleet introduction. The system has been so successful that new pilots are trained to land on the carrier with the new system and not the baseline flight control modes. Based on this success, a related system, “MAGIC PROP,” is in development for the E-2D. Improving rotorcraft shipboard recoveries remains an important Navy objective as well. To this end, Systems Technology, Inc. (STI) proposes in this Phase II program to support the Navy development of SIMPLER, the System for Improved Maritime Piloted Landing Evolutions – Rotorcraft. In this proposed program, STI will produce advanced cockpit display symbology, guidance control law enhancements, and cockpit inceptor cueing elements for SIMPLER. The evolution of enhanced degraded visual environment (DVE) capabilities for rotorcraft shipboard operations begins with improved augmentation via the NAVAIR developed Low Speed Precision Control (LSPC) system that is designed to augment legacy helicopter platforms. Display symbology and related flight director guidance will evolve from STI’s Advanced Shipboard Guidance and Recovery Display (ASGaRD) for rotorcraft and Jet Aircraft Shipboard landing Man-machine Interface for Naval Environments (JASMINE) that was developed to augment PLM recoveries in DVE conditions. Eventually, when coupled with the fly-by-wire (FBW) controls introduced in the future vertical lift (FVL) program, SIMPLER will add active tactile cueing to the system capabilities that will be explored in this program. Here, STI will build upon its past work for NASA wherein active inceptor cueing methods were introduced to mitigate pilot-vehicle system loss of control including pilot-induced oscillations.