TIME-OPTIMAL LATERAL MANEUVERS OF AN AIRCRAFT

Results and analysis are presented from a study of time-optimal latera l maneuvers for an aircraft during the power-on-approach-to-landing po rtion of the flight, typically used for landing on an aircraft carrier . A full six-degree-of-freedom model is used to model the motions of t he aircraft. The optimal control problems of interest are formulated a nd a family of optimal solutions obtained for two classes of lateral m aneuvers. These include an unconstrained maneuver and one with bank-an gle and sideslip-angle constraints imposed on the approach trajectory. The control powers of elevator, rudder, and aileron are varied indivi dually, and thus an estimate of the change in downrange distance to pe rform the lateral maneuvers due to the control power change is obtaine d.