A Low Cost Simulation System to Demonstrate Pilot Induced Oscillation Phenomenon

A flight simulation system with graphics and software on Silicon Graphics computer workstations has been installed in the Flight Vehicle Design Laboratory at Tuskegee University. The system has F-15E flight simulation software from NASA Dryden which uses the graphics of SGI flight simulation demos. On the system, thus installed, a study of pilot induced oscillations is planned for future work. Preliminary research is conducted by obtaining two sets of straight level flights with pilot in the loop. In one set of flights no additional delay is used between the stick input and the appearance of airplane response on the computer monitor. In another set of flights, a 500 ms additional delay is used. The flight data is analyzed to find cross correlations between deflections of control surfaces and response of the airplane. The pilot dynamics features depicted from cross correlations of straight level flights are discussed in this report. The correlations presented here will serve as reference material for the corresponding correlations in a future study of pitch attitude tracking tasks involving pilot induced oscillations

Parametric Study of a Turbofan Engine With an Auxiliary High-Pressure Bypass

A parametric study of a novel turbofan engine with an auxiliary high-pressure bypass (AHPB) is presented. The underlying motivation for the study was to introduce and explore a configuration of a turbofan engine which could facilitate clean secondary burning of fuel at a higher temperature than conventionally realized. The study was also motivated by the developments in engineering materials for high-temperature applications and the potential utility of these developments. The parametric study is presented in two phases. Phase I presents a schematic of the turbofan engine with AHPB and the mathematics of the performance parameters at various stations. The proposed engine is hypothesized to consist of three streams—core stream, low-pressure bypass (LPB) stream, and the AHPB or, simply, the high-pressure bypass (HPB) stream. Phase II delves into the performance simulation and the analysis of the results in an ideal set-up. The simulation and results are presented for performance analysis when (i) maximizing engine thrust while varying the LPB and AHPB ratios, and (ii) varying the AHPB ratio while maintaining the LPB ratio constant. The results demonstrate the variations in performance of the engine and a basis for examining its potential utility for practical applications

Data Framework Management System

The goal of this project is to design a system for managing multiple data source through networks. The end user is concerned about the computations that depend on information from several data sources. The access will be from a portal. The system should use grid computing standards to fetch information from the different information sources, consolidates them, presented them as required

Correlating Computed and Flight Instructor Assessments of Straight-In Landing Approaches by Novice Pilots on a Flight Simulator

The rising cost of flight training and the low cost of powerful computers have resulted in increasing use of PC-based flight simulators. This has prompted FAA standards regulating such use and allowing aspects of training on simulators meeting these standards to be substituted for flight time. However, the FAA regulations require an authorized flight instructor as part of the training environment. Thus, while costs associated with flight time have been reduced, the cost associated with the need for a flight instructor still remains. The obvious area of research, therefore, has been to develop intelligent simulators. However, the two main challenges of such attempts have been training strategies and assessment. The research reported in this paper was conducted to evaluate various performance metrics of a straight-in landing approach by 33 novice pilots flying a light single engine aircraft simulation. These metrics were compared to assessments of these flights by two flight instructors to establish a correlation between the two techniques in an attempt to determine a composite performance metric for this flight maneuver

Parametric Study of a Turbojet Engine With Auxiliary Bypass Combustion- The TurboAux Engine

A parametric study of a novel turbojet engine with an auxiliary combustion chamber, nicknamed the TurboAux engine is presented. The TurboAux engine is conceived as an extension of a turbojet engine with an auxiliary bypass annular combustion chamber around the core stream. The study presented in this article is motivated by the need to facilitate clean secondary burning of fuel at temperatures higher than conventionally realized from air exiting the low-pressure compressor. The parametric study is initiated by performing a simple optimization analysis to identify optimal ‘fan’ pressure ratios for a series of conventional low-bypass turbofan engines with varying bypass ratios (0.1 to 1.5). The fan pressure ratios for corresponding bypass ratios are chosen for studying varying configurations of the TurboAux engine. The article is presented in two phases – (i) Phase I presents the simulations carried out to arrive at an optimal configuration of a TurboAux engine and it formulation, (ii) Phase II presents simulations and results to compare the performance of a low-bypass turbofan engine to the TurboAux engine. The formulation and results are an attempt to make a case for charter aircrafts and efficient close-air-support aircrafts

Effect of Above Real Time Training and Post Flight Feedback in Training of Novice Pilots in a PC-Based Flight Simulator

The use of Post-Flight Feedback (PFFB) and Above Real-Time Training (ARTT) while training novice pilots to perform a coordinated level turn on a PC-based flight simulator was investigated. One group trained at 1.5 ARTT followed by an equal number of flights at 2.0 ARTT; the second group experienced Real Time Training (RTT). The total number of flights for both groups was equal. Each group was further subdivided into two groups one of which was provided PFFB while the other was not. Then, all participants experienced two challenging evaluation missions in real time. Performance was assessed by comparing root-mean-square error in bank-angle and altitude. Participants in the 1.512.0 ARTT No-PFFB sequence did not show improvement in performance across training sessions. An ANOVA on performance in evaluation flights found that the PFFB groups performed significantly better than those with No-PFFB. Also, the RTT groups performed significantly better than the ARTT groups. Data from two additional groups trained under a 2.011.5 ARTT PFFB and No-PFFB regimes were collected and combined with data from the previously Trainers, Real-time simulation, Personal studied groups and reanalyzed to study the computers, Man-in-the-loop simulation influence of sequence. An ANOVA on test trials found no significant effects between groups. Under training situations involving ARTT we recommend that appropriate PFFB be provided

Development and Assessment of a Novel Training Package for Basic Maneuvering Tasks on a Flight Simulator Using Self Instruction Methods and Above Real Time Training (ARTT)

One result of the relatively recent advances in computing technology has been the decreasing cost of computers and increasing computational power. This has allowed high fidelity airplane simulations to be run on personal computers (PC). Thus, simulators are now used routinely by pilots to substitute real flight hours for simulated flight hours for training for an aircraft type rating thereby reducing the cost of flight training. However, FAA regulations require that such substitution training must be supervised by Certified Flight Instructors (CFI). If the CFI presence could be reduced or eliminated for certain tasks this would mean a further cost savings to the pilot. This would require that the flight simulator have a certain level of 'intelligence' in order to provide feedback on pilot performance similar to that of a CFI. The 'intelligent' flight simulator would have at least the capability to use data gathered from the flight to create a measure for the performance of the student pilot. Also, to fully utilize the advances in computational power, the simulator would be capable of interacting with the student pilot using the best possible training interventions. This thesis reports on the two studies conducted at Tuskegee University investigating the effects of interventions on the learning of two flight maneuvers on a flight simulator and the robustness and accuracy of calculated performance indices as compared to CFI evaluations of performance. The intent of these studies is to take a step in the direction of creating an 'intelligent' flight simulator. The first study deals with the comparisons of novice pilot performance trained at different levels of above real-time to execute a level S-turn. The second study examined the effect of out-of-the-window (OTW) visual cues in the form of hoops on the performance of novice pilots learning to fly a landing approach on the flight simulator. The reliability/robustness of the computed performance metrics was assessed by comparing them with the evaluations of the landing approach maneuver by a number of CFIs

Parametric Study of a Turbofan Engine with an Auxiliary High-Pressure Bypass

A parametric study of a novel turbofan engine with an auxiliary high-pressure bypass (AHPB) is presented. The underlying motivation for the study was to introduce and explore a configuration of a turbofan engine which could facilitate clean secondary burning of fuel at a higher temperature than conventionally realized. The study was also motivated by the developments in engineering materials for high-temperature applications and the potential utility of these developments. The parametric study is presented in two phases. Phase I presents a schematic of the turbofan engine with AHPB and the mathematics of the performance parameters at various stations. The proposed engine is hypothesized to consist of three streams—core stream, low-pressure bypass (LPB) stream, and the AHPB or, simply, the high-pressure bypass (HPB) stream. Phase II delves into the performance simulation and the analysis of the results in an ideal set-up. The simulation and results are presented for performance analysis when (i) maximizing engine thrust while varying the LPB and AHPB ratios, and (ii) varying the AHPB ratio while maintaining the LPB ratio constant. The results demonstrate the variations in performance of the engine and a basis for examining its potential utility for practical applications

Effects of Above Real Time Training (ARTT) On Individual Skills and Contributions to Crew/Team Performance

Above Real Time Training (ARTT) is the training acquired on a real time simulator when it is modified to present events at a faster pace than normal. The experiments on training of pilots performed by NASA engineers and others have indicated that real time training (RTT) reinforced with ARTT would offer an effective training strategy for such tasks which require significant effort at time and workload management. A study was conducted to find how ARTT and RTT complement each other for training of novice pilot-navigator teams to fly on a required route. In the experiment, each of the participating pilot-navigator teams was required to conduct simulator flights on a prescribed two-legged ground track while maintaining required air speed and altitude. At any instant in a flight, the distance between the actual spatial point location of the airplane and the required spatial point was used as a measure of deviation from the required route. A smaller deviation represented better performance. Over a segment of flight or over complete flight, an average value of the deviation represented consolidated performance. The deviations were computed from the information on latitude, longitude, and altitude. In the combined ARTT and RTT program, ARTT at intermediate training intervals was beneficial in improving the real time performance of the trainees. It was observed that the team interaction between pilot and navigator resulted in maintaining high motivation and active participation throughout the training program