A model following controller optimized for gust rejection during shipboard operations

A flight control design methodology for reducing pilot workload during shipboard operation of helicopters is presented. The objective of the control synthesis is to improve the gust rejection properties of the aircraft when operating in an unsteady ship airwake. An airwake compensator is designed to integrate with a standard model following control scheme. The spectral properties of the ship airwake are used in the design of the airwake compensator. The model following controller and airwake compensator are implemented in a simulation model of a UH-60A Black Hawk operating near an LHA-class ship. Simulations were performed for approaches and hovering over the deck. The results show that the airwake compensator results in significantly lower angular motion of the aircraft when compared to a basic model following controller without the airwake compensator.