A Control Method Based on Dynamic Response of the Airplane for Compensation of Pilot-Induced Oscillations: Benefits and Flaws

Pilot-Induced Oscillation (PIO) is an unwanted, inadvertent phenomenon that has the ability to damage the aircraft completely. This paper suggests a novel control method that can damp PIO after predicting its occurrence. The specific point of this control algorithm is that it contains a preprocessor that will not let the controller be activated unless in the case of probable PIOs, so pilot commands will not be disturbed in normal flight situations. Besides, with regard to the unconscious tendency of pilot towards establishing PIO, this control algorithm decides on pilot and controller shares in the control signal. By implementing the suggested method, the control algorithm is able to prevent and suppress a general form of PIO. This paper focuses on those groups of phenomena which take place as a result of a sudden disturbance which perturbs one of the states of Pilot-Vehicle System (PVS). It is also shown that the method can block PIO in cases of complex tracking. As a case study, an airplane model based on F-4 derivatives is presented.