Rotorcraft Handling Qualities meet Simulation Fidelity

关于旋翼机操纵品质好坏的要求和标准已经发展到这样一个程度，即新的设计和改进可以在很低的风险下投入使用，即由于飞行特性的缺陷而对飞行安全或执行预定任务的能力造成任何限制。提升该学科的研究基础是在二十多年的飞行和地面模拟测试中建立的，由建模和仿真支持，并由多国工程师和飞行员团队进行。与这些努力一起，飞行模拟器的技术一直在发展，但缺乏基础研究基础的好处。现行标准中的度量和公差是从固定翼标准中得出的，在许多重要方面都有所欠缺。EPSRC资助的研究在利物浦，起重标准（2008-11），已经开发了一个更合理的基础，量化模拟保真度，使用操纵品质的方法。利物浦的研究采用了6自由度运动模拟器HELIFLIGHT-R，并与飞行研究实验室（NRC，渥太华）密切合作。用于预测保真度和捕获飞行员感知保真度的模型已经被推导出来，并用于开发一种新的统一的鉴定方法。该方法的核心是需要了解和量化飞行员从模拟器过渡到飞行时的适应水平。超过一定程度的适应，由此产生的负面培训意味着安全和操作能力可能会受到损害。在战略适应的概念是控制补偿的程度，因此，操纵质量和保真度之间的联系加强。悬而未决的问题涉及可接受的公差预测和感知保真度指标，模拟器是“适合的目的”，什么构成1级保真度，以及如何关键的处理质量，这个问题是持续的研究问题。这些问题构成了2011年5月在弗吉尼亚海滩举行的美国直升机协会（AHS）仿真逼真度研讨会的背景。研讨会由提议者主持，有70多名代表参加，为研究实验室和工业界之间进一步合作奠定了基础，以建立所需的证据基础;需要从历史的角度来发展需要纳入持续研究的最佳做法。很多都没有得到很好的记录。在这个简短的研究项目中，提议者将把这些主题结合在一起。研究项目的核心活动将是准备著名的AHS Nikolsky论文和演讲，并在美国各中心传播，在那里将有机会加强合作。帕德菲尔德将回顾自70年前实用直升机诞生以来操纵品质标准的发展。将确定和描述使该行业能够突破制定和采用质量标准的障碍的关键创新。关键的使能飞行控制技术也将被审查，并继续发展，赋予超级处理分析和说明。旋翼机操纵品质的改进，一方面对安全性和操作能力，另一方面对模拟器的技术要求和训练效果，都将产生巨大的影响。作者将借此机会加强在操纵品质和仿真逼真度方面的合作，为2012年在沃斯堡举行的逼真度研讨会做好准备，并将继续合作到2013年

The requirements and criteria for what constitute good and bad rotorcraft handling qualities have developed to the point that new designs and upgrades can be brought to service with a very low risk that any limitations on flight safety or on the capability to perform intended missions will result from deficiencies in flying characteristics. The research base that has elevated the discipline was created over more than two decades of flight and ground-based simulation testing, supported by modelling and simulation, and undertaken by multi-national teams of engineers and pilots.Alongside these endeavours, the technologies for flight simulators have been developing, but have lacked the benefit of an underpinning research base. The metrics and tolerances in current standards are derived from fixed-wing criteria and shown to be lacking in a number of important aspects. The EPSRC funded research at Liverpool, Lifting Standards (2008-11), has developed a more rational basis for quantifying simulation fidelity, using a handling qualities approach. The research at Liverpool features the 6 degree of freedom motion simulator, HELIFLIGHT-R, alongside close collaboration with the Flight Research Laboratory (NRC, Ottawa). Metrics for predicting fidelity and capturing pilot perceptual fidelity have been derived and used in the development of a new unified approach to qualification. Central to the approach is the need to understand and quantify the level of adaptation that pilots apply as they transition from the simulator to flight. Beyond a certain level of adaptation, the resulting negative training means that safety and operational capability may be compromised. Within the concept of strategy adaptation is the degree of control compensation and hence the link between handling quality and fidelity strengthens. Outstanding questions concern the acceptable tolerances on predicted and perceptual fidelity metrics that a simulator is 'fit for purpose'; what constitutes Level 1 fidelity, and how critical are the handling qualities to this question are continuing research questions. These questions formed the backdrop to the American Helicopter Society (AHS) workshop on Simulation Fidelity held in Virginia Beach, May 2011. The workshop, chaired by the proposer, was attended by more than 70 delegates and seeds were sown for further collaboration between research laboratories and industry to develop the required evidence base; there is a historical perspective to the development of best practice that needs to be brought into the continuing research. Much has been left poorly documented. In this short research project, the proposer will bring these themes together.A core activity of the research project will be the preparation of the prestigious AHS Nikolsky paper and lecture, and dissemination at various US Centres, where the opportunity will be taken to reinforce collaboration. Padfield will review the developments of handling qualities criteria since the birth of the practical helicopter 70 years ago. The key innovations that have allowed the industry to break through the barriers to formulating and adopting quality criteria will be identified and described. The critical enabling flight control technologies will also be reviewed and the continuing developments that confer super handling analysed and conjectured. The improvements in rotorcraft handling qualities should have a massive impact on safety and operational capability on the one hand and the technical requirements and training effectiveness of simulators on the other. The author will take the opportunity to strengthen the collaboration on handling qualities and simulation fidelity, setting the stage for the 2012 fidelity workshop in Fort Worth and continuing collaboration into 2013