Robust, reduced-order, linear parameter-varying flight control for an F-16

Recent theoretical advances in systematically gainscheduled control of linear parameter-varying (LPV) systems are used to design robust, reduced-order, parameter-dependent Hoo controllers for the longitudinal and lateral-directional axes of the F-16D VISTA. The design provides induced-£2 performance in the presence of real-tune variations in Mach and altitude, incorporates known bounds on the rates of variation, and covers most of the aircraft's subsonic flight envelope. The controllers are also robust to time-varying parametric uncertainty and relatively low-order. Preliminary nonlinear simulations predict satisfactory handling qualities. Furthermore, the design technique automatically schedules the controllers throughout the design envelope, thus avoiding the need to gain-schedule many multivariable Hoo point designs.