Pilot in the Loop Aeroservoelastic Simulation in Support to the Conceptual Design of a Fly by Wire Airplane

This paper deals with the creation of a low-budget interdisciplinary simulation environment to support design and optimization of new generation aircraft with Fly-By-Wire (FBW) control systems technology. Such tool must be able to merge flight and structural dynamics, allowing flight simulation with pilot-in-the-loop for handling qualities evaluations and providing valuable information for the conceptual design loop. Accounting for aeroservoelastic phenomena from early stages of the design, time to market and development costs of new aircrafts should be reduced. Flight test campaign has been addressed to verify the existence of a Control Spillover or Pilot Induced Oscillation (PIO), and whether the Aeroservoelastic airplane is able to influence the piloting technique while also considering the effect of turbulence and FCS time delays.