Analytical Investigation of Control Requirements for High Speed Low Altitude Penetration

摘要

The purpose of this work was investigation of control requirements for high speed, low altitude penetration. The course of action taken made use of a moderately sophisticated simulation of all elements of the automatic control of an aircraft in pitch. The control techniques which were used are a departure in concept from those popularly used to date. Evaluation of the simulated system performance was the chief means of system analysis. The evaluations were made using four terrain samples, and included seventeen combinations of aircraft configuration and flight conditions, gust disturbances, and radar errors. A limited evaluation of manual control was made. In the interests of brevity and the desire to keep this 'Report Brief' unclassified, specific results have not been included. It is concluded that the conceptual approach and techniques studied promise to give advanced automatic terrain following systems with superior performance in real environments without adjustment for changes in flight dynamics or terrain characteristics. (Author)