Flight Control System Design for Propulsion-Controlled Aircraft

Abstract The loss of an aircraft's primary flight controls can lead to a fatal accident. However, if the engine thrust is available, controllability and safety can be retained. This article describes flight control using engine thrust only when an aircraft has lost all primary flight controls. This is a kind of flight control reconfiguration. For safe return, the aircraft must first descend to a landing area, decelerate to a landing speed, and then be capable of precise flight control for approach and landing. For these purposes, two kinds of controllers are required: a controller for descent and deceleration and a controller for approach and landing. The former controller is designed for longitudinal motion using a model-following control method, based on a linear quadratic regulator. The latter is designed by an H∞ state-feedback control method for both longitudinal and lateral-directional motions. Computer simulation is conducted using linear models of the Boeing 747. The results indicate that flight path control, including approach and landing, is possible using thrust only; however, speed control proves more difficult. However, if the horizontal stabilizer is available, the airspeed can be reduced to a safe landing speed.