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Stability augmentation of a sailplane in towed flight

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2016

G. de Matteis  and
W. Tamilia
G. de Matteis
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanics and Aeronautics, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Via Eudossiana 18, Rome 00184, Italy
W. Tamilia
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanics and Aeronautics, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Via Eudossiana 18, Rome 00184, Italy
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Abstract

This study details the design of an automatic control system for a sailplane in towed flight, the principal objective of which is control the relative position of the tow-aircraft and glider, since a large vertical distance is expected to drive unstable motions of the whole system. The synthesis of the control system is based on an approximated model for the constrained sailplane. The controlled motion of the sailplane is simulated by a general dynamic model of the three bodies, namely the two aircraft and the rope. Significant numerical results are presented and discussed in order to determine the effectiveness of the stability augmentation.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 97 , Issue 970 , December 1993 , pp. 349 - 356
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 1993 

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