Adaptive output feedback control of aircraft flexible modes

The application of adaptive output feedback augmentative control to the flexible aircraft problem is presented. Experimental validation of control scheme was carried out using a three disk torsional pendulum. In the reference model adaptive control scheme, the rigid aircraft reference model and neural network adaptation is used to control structural flexible modes and compensate for the effects unmodeled dynamics and parametric variations of a classical high order large passenger aircraft. The attenuation of specific low and high frequency flexible mode depending on linear controller design specifications and adaptation parameters were observed. The effectiveness of the approach was seen in flexibility control of the high dimensional, nonminimum phase, nonlinear aircraft model with parametric uncertainties of wind and unmodeled dynamics of actuators and sensors.