Work to develop advanced fly-by-wire flight control laws for the Sikorsky H-92 helicopter has won the National Research Council of Canada Institute for Aerospace Research (NRC Aerospace) an award from the American Helicopter Society.
The Gruppo Agusta International Helicopter Fellowship award was presented jointly to Sikorsky and NRC Aerospace following work to introduce automatic load limiting control on the H-92. The advanced control laws were implemented using a Bell 412 in-flight simulator. Tests showed significant reductions in main rotor hub loads during aggressive manoeuvring with no effect on pilot handling qualities.
Tests use a fourth-generation fly-by-wire helicopter simulator which modifies the helicopter's dynamic characteristics. Flight tests were conducted in two phases with in-flight optimisation of the flight control laws being carried out at the NRC Aerospace facility in Ottawa, Canada. This was followed by flight test evaluations by 10 pilots at the Sikorsky plant in Stratford, Connecticut.
The Gruppo Agusta International Helicopter Fellowship award was presented jointly to Sikorsky and NRC Aerospace following work to introduce automatic load limiting control on the H-92. The advanced control laws were implemented using a Bell 412 in-flight simulator. Tests showed significant reductions in main rotor hub loads during aggressive manoeuvring with no effect on pilot handling qualities.
Tests use a fourth-generation fly-by-wire helicopter simulator which modifies the helicopter's dynamic characteristics. Flight tests were conducted in two phases with in-flight optimisation of the flight control laws being carried out at the NRC Aerospace facility in Ottawa, Canada. This was followed by flight test evaluations by 10 pilots at the Sikorsky plant in Stratford, Connecticut.
Source: Flight Daily News
