Model and controller reduction for flexible aircraft preserving robust performance

This paper presents a systematic model/controller order reduction method applied to flexible aircraft. The method, based on mixed μ -synthesis, determines which flexible modes can be truncated from the full-order model of the aircraft and finds a corresponding reduced-order controller preserving robust closed-loop performance. This method is of interest for practical model and controller reduction for flexible aircraft because in this context it is important to keep the physical interpretation of the truncated and remaining modes. A numerical example is worked out for a flexible model of a B-52 bomber.