A Pilot-Control Device Model for Helicopter Sensitivity to Collective Bounce

This work presents a parametric dynamic model of a helicopter collective control inceptor that includes the biodynamics of the pilot. The biodynamic feedthrough and neuromuscular admittance of a helicopter pilot are characterized using a detailed multibody analysis of the pilot's left arm holding the inceptor as a 'virtual experiment' to produce the results required to identify the parameters of the coupled system. The goal is to develop an analytical model of the dynamics of the coupled pilot-device system and gain insight into the effect of several design parameters on the characteristics of the coupled system. The effect of device inertia, damping, stiffness and friction on the stability margins of the coupled system with respect to the collective bounce instability phenomenon are analyzed and discussed. The analytical model is verified using it in place of the detailed multibody model of the pilot's arm in the fully detailed multibody simulation of the coupled system. It is then used in linearized analysis of the complete system in support of the vehicle design.