Evaluation of a real-time predictive guidance law for landing VTOL aircraft at seaA piloted simulation evaluation was conducted to assess the merits of a predictive lull/swell guidance law for landing a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft at sea. Two cases were evaluated. The first was performed by the pilot without the aid of the lull/swell guidance indicator, which indicates a landing opportunity. The second was performed in a similar manner with the aid of the guidance indicator. The pilot was instructed to use the guidance indicator only as a landing aid. The results indicated the pilots were able to visually determine ship lulls and swells prior to landing. However, use of the lull/swell guidance resulted in increased pilot confidence in the existence of a landing opportunity, which resulted in significantly shorter hover waiting times prior to landing. The performance of the lull/swell guidance was conservative, in that it forecast the onset of deck lulls and swells later than the pilot could detect them, but with greater reliability and therefore greater pilot confidence. In no instances did the guidance algorithm predict a false ship lull with which the pilot did not agree.
Document ID
19850035705
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Paulk, C. H., Jr. (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Phatak, A. V. (Analytical Mechanics Associates, Inc. Mountain View, CA, United States)