Life improving flight control system
A flight control system includes a command model modified in response to a Life Improving Control (LIC) algorithm. An inverse aircraft model is in communication with the command model to generate a flight control system command to command an aircraft state. A feedback path from the command model and the aircraft state is also modified in response to the Life Improving Control (LIC) algorithm.
1. A flight control system comprising:
a command model modified in response to a Life Improving Control (LIC) algorithm;
an inverse aircraft model in communication with said command model to generate a flight control system command to command an aircraft state; and
a feedback path from said command model and said aircraft state, said feedback path in communication with said flight control system command, said feedback path modified in response to said Life Improving Control (LIC) algorithm, wherein said Life Improving Control (LIC) algorithm is configured to modify the command model to reduce fatigue loads applied to an aircraft component in response to an aircraft maneuver.
2. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said Life Improving Control (LIC) algorithm is configured to reduce fatigue loads applied to a pitch link, a component of a squash plate, or both, in response to an aircraft maneuver.
3. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said Life Improving Control (LIC) algorithm is configured to reduce peak loads applied to an aircraft component in response to an aircraft maneuver.
4. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein a set of flight control system (FCS) parameters in a command model and in a feedback path within a simulation of said flight control system are adjusted in an iterative process, said set of FCS parameters utilized to modify said command model and said feedback path, wherein said set of FCS parameters generate a desired aircraft state in response to aircrew inputs.
5. The system as recited in claim 4 , wherein said set of FCS parameters are static.
6. The system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising a baseline flight control system to achieve a baseline level of agility, said baseline flight control system comprises:
a baseline command model;
a baseline inverse aircraft model in communication with said baseline command model to generate a baseline flight control system command to command said aircraft state; and
a baseline feedback path from said baseline command model and said aircraft state, said baseline feedback path in communication with said flight control system command, said baseline flight control system operable to achieve a first level of agility and a first fatigue load application limit, said command model modified in response to said Life Improving Control (LIC) algorithm and said feedback path modified in response to said Life Improving Control (LIC) algorithm operable to achieve a second level of agility and a second fatigue load application limit, said second level of agility less than said first level of agility and said second fatigue load application limit less than said first fatigue load application limit.
7. The system as recited in claim 5 , wherein said baseline flight control system is aircrew selectable.
8. The system as recited in claim 7 , wherein said Life Improving Control (LIC) algorithm is adaptive.
9. The system as recited in claim 8 , wherein said Life Improving Control (LIC) algorithm is adaptive in response to a Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS).
10. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said Life Improving Control (LIC) algorithm is adaptive in response to a Health and Usage Monitoring System (HUMS).
11. The system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said Life Improving Control (LIC) algorithm is configured to modify the command model to alter commands sent from said command model to an aircraft component, the commands altered to reduce fatigue loads applied to said aircraft component in response to an aircraft maneuver.
12. A method of flight control comprising:
generating a flight control system command to command an aircraft state using an inverse aircraft model in communication with a command model; and
modifying the command model and a feedback path in communication with the command model in response to a Life Improving Control (LIC) algorithm, the Life Improving Control (LIC) algorithm to reduce fatigue loads applied to at least one aircraft component, the feedback path communicating with the flight control system command.
13. A method as recited in claim 12 , wherein modifying the command model and the feedback path is adaptively performed.
14. A method as recited in claim 12 , wherein modifying the command model and the feedback path is aircrew selectable.
15. A method as recited in claim 12 , wherein the Life Improving Control (LIC) algorithm modifies the command model to alter commands sent from the command model to the at least one aircraft component, the Life Improving Control (LIC) algorithm altering the commands to reduce fatigue loads applied to said aircraft component in response to an aircraft maneuver.