To obtain handling qualities ratings similar to flight in a ground based motion simulator, the motion and visual pilot cueing systems should be optimized to provide realistic cues. A handling qualities experiment conducted on the Vertical Motion Simulator using the GenHel UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter math model demonstrated the benefits of an optimized simulation system. The simulator's motion and visual system frequency responses were measured, the aircraft math model was adjusted to account for the simulator motion system delays, and the motion system gains and washouts were tuned for the bob-up, sidestep and hover tasks. The resulting handling quality ratings from the optimized simulation system are better than the simulation system with the standard GenHel math model for all three tasks. The sidestep and bob-up handling qualities ratings for the optimized simulation system are similar to those from actual flight tests.

This paper describes the maturation of a control allocation technique designed to assist pilots in recovery from pilot-induced oscillations. The control allocation technique to recover from pilot-induced oscillations is designed to enable next-generation high-efficiency aircraft designs. Energy-efficient next-generation aircraft require feedback control strategies that will enable lowering the actuator rate limit requirements for optimal airframe design. A common issue on aircraft with actuator rate limitations is they are susceptible to pilot-induced oscillations caused by the phase lag between the pilot inputs and control surface response. The control allocation technique to recover from pilot-induced oscillations uses real-time optimization for control allocation to eliminate phase lag in the system caused by control surface rate limiting. System impacts of the control allocator were assessed through a piloted simulation evaluation of a nonlinear aircraft model in the NASA Ames Research Center's Vertical Motion Simulator. Results indicate that the control allocation technique to recover from pilot-induced oscillations helps reduce oscillatory behavior introduced by control surface rate limiting, including the pilot-induced oscillation tendencies reported by pilots.

This paper describes the maturation of a control allocation technique designed to assist pilots in the recovery from pilot induced oscillations (PIOs). The Control Allocation technique to recover from Pilot Induced Oscillations (CAPIO) is designed to enable next generation high efficiency aircraft designs. Energy efficient next generation aircraft require feedback control strategies that will enable lowering the actuator rate limit requirements for optimal airframe design. One of the common issues flying with actuator rate limits is PIOs caused by the phase lag between the pilot inputs and control surface response. CAPIO utilizes real-time optimization for control allocation to eliminate phase lag in the system caused by control surface rate limiting. System impacts of the control allocator were assessed through a piloted simulation evaluation of a non-linear aircraft simulation in the NASA Ames Vertical Motion Simulator. Results indicate that CAPIO helps reduce oscillatory behavior, including the severity and duration of PIOs, introduced by control surface rate limiting.

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There has been a significant effort within the simulation community to standardize many aspects of flight simulation. More recently, an effort has begun to develop a formal scenario definition language for aviation. A working group within the AIAA Modeling and Simulation Technical Committee has been created to develop a standard aviation scenario definition language, though much of the initial effort has been tailored to training simulators. Research and development (R&D) simulators, like the Vertical Motion Simulator (VMS), and training simulators have different missions and thus have different scenario requirements. The purpose of this paper is to highlight some of the unique tasks and scenario elements used at the VMS so they may be captured by scenario standardization efforts. The VMS most often performs handling qualities studies and transfer of training studies. Three representative handling qualities simulation studies and two transfer of training simulation studies are described in this paper. Unique scenario elements discussed in this paper include special out-the-window (OTW) targets and environmental conditions, motion system parameters, active inceptor parameters, and configurable vehicle math model parameters.