A PRACTICAL INVESTIGATION OF A TAKEOFF PERFORMANCE MONITOR FOR TURBOPROP AIRCRAFT

The purpose of an aircraft Takeoff Performance Monitoring System (TOPMS) is to provide to the pilot information pertaining to the level of safety with which a takeoff is proceeding. The concept of a TOPMS is not new. Instruments have been developed and flight tested, however the inclusion of a TOPMS as a standard instrument has yet to be embraced by manufacturers and operators. The authors have investigated the feasibility of using an observer system during the roll and takeoff phase of aircraft operation to provide to the pilot the information that is needed to manoeuver safely. Unlike previous work in this field, this investigation focussed on various factors that are unique to the far-northern environment. Further, the Global Positioning System(GPS) was proposed as the sole source of kinematic information. This provided the possibility that a TOPMS could be devised that would require no additional ground-based installation. A theoretical dynamic model of an aircraft in contact with the ground appears in AIAA 2001-4374, together with an uncertainty analysis and a description of the signal processing technique. A GPS receiver and data acquisition system were installed in an aircraft