A Three-Axis Fixed-Simulator Investigation of the Effects on Control Precision of Various Ways of Utilizing Rate Signals

A three-axis vehicle control study has been made by use of a fixed simulator and analog computing equipment, to evaluate the effects of various ways of utilizing rate information. A side-arm controller providing proportional acceleration control was used with a simulated vehicle having no inherent stability or damping. Vehicle rate signals were used to provide control feedback or system damping and were used in the instrument display either separate from or summed with displacement signals. Near optimum performance of both transitions in roll and control of system disturbance was obtained by using a combination of system damping and summed displacement signals and rate signals.