Optical Closed-Loop Flight Control Demonstration. Fly-by-Light Aircraft Closed Loop Test (FACT) Program and Fly-by-Light Installation and Test (FIT) Program

摘要

The optical closed-loop flight control demonstration consists of two independent programs. The objective of the Fly-By-Light Aircraft Closed-Loop Test (FACT) program is to demonstrate in-flight optical closed-loop control equivalent to a production Fly-By-Wire system for a rudder control surface. The FACT system has been designed, developed, and tested and is a robust system ready for flight tests on NASA-Dryden's F/A-18 Systems Research Aircraft. The FACT program was sponsored by NASA-Lewis Research Center and developed by McDonnell Douglas. The FACT architecture inserts electro-optic avionics between the flight control computer and a rudder actuator modified with an optic sensor. Tbc avionics transmits optic command signals for the actuator, determines actuator position by decoding the optic sensor, and provides error monitoring. Several tests verified the system's readiness for flight test. Component tests verified proper operation of each low-level function. Vibration, temperature and altitude, and electromagnetic compatibility tests verified the system can survive the military aircraft environment. System tests verified FACT system performance was equivalent to production system performance. This final report describes the FACT system architecture, development, and test up to delivery to NASA-Dryden. Also described is the Fly-By-Light Installation and Test (FIT) program that investigated optic fiber installation, repair, and signal quality.