Flight-Test Evaluation of STOL Control and Flight Director Concepts in a Powered-Lift Aircraft Flying Curved Decelerating Approaches (Evaluation des Essais en Vol d'un Directeur de Vol et des Commands d'un Adac portance Assistee e

摘要

Flight tests were carried out to assess the feasibility of piloted steep, curved, and decelerating-approach profiles in powered-lift STOL aircraft. Several STOL control concepts representative of a variety of aircraft were evaluated in conjunction with suitably designed flight directors. The tests were carried out in a real navigation environment, employed special electronic cockpit displays, and included the development of operational procedures considered appropriate to this class of aircraft. Data are presented describing the performance achieved and the control utilization involved in flying 180 deg turning, descending, and decelerating-approach profiles to landing. The results suggest that such moderately complex piloted instrument approaches may indeed be feasible from a pilot acceptance point of view, given an acceptable navigation environment. Systems with the capability of those used in this experiment can provide the potential of achieving instrument operations on curved, descending, and decelerating landing approaches to weather minima corresponding to CTOL Category II criteria, while also providing a means of realizing more efficient operations during visual flight conditions. (Author)