A Simulation Benchmark for Integrated Fault Tolerant Flight Control Evaluation

Abstract

This paper presents a description of a large transp ort aircraft simulation benchmark that includes a suitable set of assessment criteria , for the integrated evaluation of fault tolerant flight control systems (FTFC). These syste ms consist of a combination of novel fault detection, isolation (FDI) and reconfigurable contr ol schemes. In 2004, a research group on Fault Tolerant Control, comprising a collaboration of nine European partners from industry, universities and research institutions, w as established within the framework of the Group for Aeronautical Research and Technology in Europe (GARTEUR) co-operation program. The aim of the research group, Flight Mechanics Action Group FM-AG(16), is to demonstrate the capability and viability of modern FTFC schemes when applied to a realistic, nonlinear design problem and to assess t heir capability to improve aircraft survivability. The test scenarios that are an integ ral part of the benchmark were selected to provide challenging assessment criteria to evaluate the effectiveness and potential of the FTFC methods being investigated. The application of fault reconstruction and modelling techniques based on (accident) flight data, as desc ribed in this paper, has resulted in high fidelity non-linear aircraft and fault models for t he design and evaluation of modern FTFC methods.