6DOF nonlinear control loading system for a large transport aircraft simulator

• Published in: Aircraft engineering 2022-05, Vol.94 (7), p.1047-1057
• Main Authors: Amir Ahmadi Chomachar, Saeb, Kuppusamy, Ashok
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Active control; Aerospace engineering; Aircraft; Aircraft design; Aviation; Boeing 747 aircraft; Boeing aircraft; Columns (structural); Control systems; Design; Flight simulation; Flight simulators; Flight training; Hardware; Mathematical analysis; Mathematical models; Motion simulators; Nonlinear control; Pilots; Prototyping; Simulation; Sliding friction; Transport aircraft; Velocity; Wide-body aircraft
• ISSN: 1748-8842; 1758-4213
• DOI: 10.1108/AEAT-08-2021-0240

Purpose Flight simulators are one of the noticeable breakthroughs in aerospace engineering. One of the main compartments of flight simulators is its control loading system (CLS). The CLS functions as a generator of virtual aerodynamic control-loads over control columns of a simulator. This paper aims to present the design of a high-fidelity six six degrees of freedom (6DOF) nonlinear CLS for the Boeing-747 aircraft simulator. Design/methodology/approach An introduction to CLS for flight motion simulators are first recapitulated. Afterward, the commanding devices are explained through schematics available in an engineering sense. This paper then presents in detail, the active control loading strategy and hardware design for the CLS, while also introducing the aerodynamic model structure. The satisfactory computer numerical simulations are presented before the paper ends up in concluding remarks. Findings The multiple input multiple output (MIMO) 6DOF nonlinear CLS for Boeing-747 flight simulator has been successfully developed. The outcome of computer simulations in real-time verifies practicality of the design strategy. The research presented in this paper could be a simple roadmap for prototyping high-fidelity 6DOF nonlinear CLS for flight motion simulators. Originality/value The available control architecture and hardware technologies cannot enable a high-fidelity load realization in a CLS. The existing research has not yet presented a 6DOF nonlinear MIMO CLS architecture along with the underlying controller setup for a high-fidelity load realization. In this paper, the design of a high-fidelity 6DOF nonlinear MIMO CLS for flight simulator of a large transport aircraft has been accomplished.