Design, flight simulation, and handling qualities evaluation of an LPV gain-scheduled helicopter flight control system

This paper summarises a recent project involving the design, piloted simula tion, and handling qualities evaluation of a linear parameter varying (LPV) gain-scheduled helicopter flight control law. The work was jointly carried out by the Control Systems Research group of Leicester University and the Advanced Engineering group of GKN Westland Helicopters, Yeovil, England. Th e controller design was based on a Lynx MK7 helicopter model and used the q uadratic H infinity performance methodology with a 2-degrees-of-freedom con troller to achieve robustness and good handling qualities across a large re gion of operation. In an off-line computer analysis, the controller consist ently achieved Level 1 Cooper-Harper handling qualities ratings. A series o f flight simulations were performed by two test pilots on GKN Westland's Ad vanced Engineering Simulation Facility. Both pilots consistently awarded Le vel I handling qualities ratings for the LPV gain-scheduled controller. The paper is tutorial in nature, it presents a novel application, and it demon strates the potential of LPV methods for designing practical gain-scheduled controllers.