Stability and Control of Aircraft Systems

Roy Langton has recently retired from his position as Vice-President, Engineering & Integrity at Parker Aerospace, where he was responsible for internal seminars & training into feedback control.

"Armed with the details in this book a new practitioner could enter any control laboratory and be effective." (The Aeronautical Journal, March 2008)

• Series Preface. Preface.1. Developing the Foundation.1.1 Engineering Units.1.2 Block Diagrams.1.3 Differential Equations.1.4 Spring–Mass System Example.1.5 Primer on Complex Numbers.1.6 Chapter Summary.2. Closing the Loop.2.1 The Generic Closed Loop System.2.2 The Concept of Stability.2.3 Response Testing of Control Systems.2.4 The Integration Process.2.5 Hydraulic Servo-actuator Example.2.6 Calculating Frequency Response.2.7 Aircraft Flight Control System Example.2.8 Alternative Graphical Methods for Response Analysis.2.9 Chapter Summary.3. Control System Compensation Techniques.3.1 Control System Requirements.3.2 Compensation Methods.3.3 Applications of Control Compensation.3.4 Chapter Summary.4. Introduction to Laplace Transforms.4.1 An Overview of the Application of Laplace Transforms.4.2 The Evolution of the Laplace Transform.4.2.1 Proof of the General Case.4.3 Applying Laplace Transforms to Linear Systems Analysis.4.4 Laplace Transforms – Summary of Key Points.4.5 Root Locus.4.6 Root Locus Example.4.7 Chapter Summary.5. Dealing with Nonlinearities.5.1 Definition of Nonlinearity Types.5.2 Continuous Nonlinearities.5.3 Discontinuous Nonlinearities.5.4 The Transport Delay.5.5 Simulation.5.6 Chapter Summary.6. Electronic Controls.6.1 Analog Electronic Controls.6.2 The Digital Computer as a Dynamic Control Element.6.3 The Stability Impact of Digital Controls.6.4 Digital Control Design Example.6.5 Creating Digital Control Algorithms.6.6 Chapter Summary.7. Concluding Commentary.7.1 An Overview of the Material.7.2 Graphical Tools.7.3 Compensation Techniques.7.4 Laplace Transforms and Root Locus Techniques.7.5 Nonlinearities.7.6 Digital Electronic Control.7.7 The Way Forward.Index.