Modeling Human Pilot Adaptation to Flight Control Anomalies and Changing Task Demands

A control-theoretic model of the human pilot as an adaptive element in a flight control system is presented. An earlier version of the model has been discussed in the literature for use with single-axis linear, vehicle system descriptions, including an application to a two-axis task with a linear vehicle model. The current study expands the model’s applicability to multiaxis, nonlinear systems. Three illustrative examples are presented: 1) a single-axis control problem with a transfer function description of the controlled-element dynamics; 2) a two-axis flight control problem involving a linear, highly coupled rotorcraft model including fundamental rotor degrees of freedom; and 3) a two-axis flight control problem involving a nonlinear, coupled aircraft model with dynamics patterned after the subscale NASA Langley Research Center’s Generic Transport Model. The ability of the refined adaptive pilot model to accommodate significant and sudden variations in elements of the flight control system, as well as ...

[1]  Ronald A. Hess,et al.  Unified Theory for Aircraft Handl!ng Qualities and Adverse Aircraft-Pilot Coupling , 2022 .

[2]  Ronald A. Hess,et al.  Modeling Pilot Control Behavior with Sudden Changes in Vehicle Dynamics , 2009 .

[3]  Ezra S. Krendel,et al.  Mathematical Models of Human Pilot Behavior , 1974 .

[4]  Duane T. McRuer,et al.  A Review of Quasi-Linear Pilot Models , 1967 .

[5]  Ronald Hess.  Obtaining multi-loop pursuit-control pilot models from computer simulation , 2008 .

[6]  Ronald A. Hess.  Effects of Time Delays on Systems Subject to Manual Control , 1984 .

[7]  R A Hess,et al.  Simplified approach for modelling pilot pursuit control behaviour in multi-loop flight control tasks , 2006 .

[8]  Ronald A. Hess,et al.  A Rationale for Human Operator Pulsive Control Behavior , 1979 .

[9]  Ezra S. Krendel,et al.  A servomechanisms approach to skill development , 1960 .

[10]  A. E. Bryson,et al.  The inclusion of rotor dynamics in controller design for helicopters. , 1972 .

[11]  Jean-Etienne T. Dongmo,et al.  Nonlinear Analysis of Aircraft Loss of Control , 2013 .

[12]  Fan Liu,et al.  Digital virtual flight testing and evaluation method for flight characteristics airworthiness compliance of civil aircraft based on HQRM , 2015 .

[13]  Krishna R. Pattipati,et al.  A dynamic decision model of human task selection performance , 1983, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics.

[14]  David E. Cox,et al.  Analysis of Control Strategies for Aircraft Flight Upset Recovery , 2012 .

[15]  D. Klyde,et al.  Identifying a Pilot-Induced Oscillation Signature: New Techniques Applied to Old Problems , 2008 .

[16]  Neha Gandhi,et al.  Improved Upset Recovery Strategies Through Explicit Consideration of Pilot Dynamic Behavior , 2012 .

[17]  Ronald A. Hess.  Pursuit Tracking and Higher Levels of Skill Development in the Human Pilot , 1981, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics.

[18]  Ronald A. Hess,et al.  Modeling the Pilot Detection of Time-Varying Aircraft Dynamics , 2012 .

[19]  Ronald A. Hess,et al.  A model for pilot control behavior in analyzing potential loss-of-control events , 2014 .

[20]  Linghai Lu,et al.  Multiloop Pilot Model for Boundary-Triggered Pilot-Induced Oscillation Investigations , 2014 .

[21]  Ronald A. Hess.  Rudder Control Strategies and Force/Feel System Designs in Transport Aircraft , 2005 .

[22]  Duane T. McRuer,et al.  AVIATION SAFETY AND PILOT CONTROL: UNDERSTANDING AND PREVENTING UNFAVORABLE PILOT-VEHICLE INTERACTIONS , 1997 .

[23]  Christine M. Belcastro,et al.  Loss of Control Prevention and Recovery: Onboard Guidance, Control, and Systems Technologies , 2012 .

[24]  Ronald A. Hess.  A Preliminary Study of Human Pilot Dynamics in the Control of Time-Varying Systems , 2011 .

[25]  Ronald A. Hess.  Robust Flight Control Design to Minimize Aircraft Loss-of-Control Incidents , 2013 .