The automatic flight control system of civil aircraft plays a vital role in enhancing flight safety and alleviating the pilot’s workload. The control laws and switching logic of the modes are crucial to ensuring flight safety. An in-depth analysis of the mode control and switching logic of the automatic flight control system during the cruise phase was provided in this study. By designing the control laws and establishing a rational mode switching mechanism, aircraft safety and control stability under different flight modes were guaranteed. First, to meet the longitudinal and lateral control requirements of the automatic flight system, load factor (Nz) and roll rate-sideslip angle (p-β) command tracking control was adopted in the inner loop to ensure stable flight and precise attitude control in different modes. The outer loop incorporated gain adjustment and feedback mechanisms to optimize the aircraft’s responsiveness and stability, further improving the handling accuracy during flight. Regarding the mode switching logic, a mode switching scheme based on the finite state machine theory was proposed in this research. A state machine model for longitudinal and lateral mode switching was developed using the Stateflow module, which ensures that the mode transition between different flight stages complies with safety protocols, thus avoiding confusion in the control system. To enhance human-machine interaction performance, a new human-machine interface was designed, through which the pilot can input commands, perform mode switching, and set target values. Simulation results show that the proposed control laws can precisely track the desired Nz and p-β commands, that the transition between different operational modes is smooth and safe, and that the automatic control requirements during the cruise phase are satisfied.
MENG Yun-xin, LIU Shi-qian, ZHANG Qian, LÜ Wei-zhi, GUO Lian-yu.
Mode Control and Switching of Automatic Flight Control System for Civil Aircraft[J].
Science Technology and Engineering, 2026, 26(30): 13258-13266 DOI:10.12404/j.issn.1671-1815.2600405
针对自动飞行控制系统的设计与优化,中外众多学者开展了大量相关研究,其中模式控制律设计是研究的核心方向之一。Zhai等[5]深入分析垂直制导的典型子模式并设计相应制导律,开发了具有速率限制与幅度限制的平滑模式切换技术,为民用飞机飞行管理系统垂直剖面设计提供了重要的方法指导与实验依据;杨建营[6]采用数字式可变参数自适应比例-积分-微分(proportional integral derivative, PID)控制设计,有效提升了自动飞行系统的控制精度;Cheng等[7]针对飞行员误操作和风干扰情况下民用飞机轨迹跟踪控制问题,提出一种基于神经网络的增量非线性动态逆控制器,增强了系统的抗干扰能力;Kaviratna等[8]在NzU(normal acceleration and airspeed)控制律的基础上,设计了一种采用反馈环路整形的飞行路径指令自动驾驶仪,进一步优化了轨迹跟踪性能;秦天成等[9]则聚焦飞行控制系统故障场景,提出一种增量动态逆的容错控制方法,为故障模式下的安全飞行控制提供了有效解决方案;文献[10]提出了一种基于模糊模型的IT2(interval type-2)的控制系统,不仅能稳定飞机动力学性能,还能提供更优的瞬态响应特性;文献[11]采用语言模糊神经网络并提出自适应学习规则代替传统的自动着陆控制器,使其更具有鲁棒性,能适应多种风扰动条件。
飞行模式控制面板(flight control mode panel, FMCP)作为自动飞行模式间切换的核心操作工具,也是人机交互的重要载体,其设计合理性与可靠性直接影响自动飞行系统的操作效率与安全性。刘希等[19]以多模态自动驾驶仪仿真设计为例,提出一种通用的飞行控制系统可视化仿真平台,为FMCP的设计与验证提供了支撑。刘姝等[20-21]利用 MATLAB 的图形用户界面(graphical user interface, GUI)工具,设计了可实现模式切换及控制目标数值调整的FMCP,为自动飞行模式操作控制的集成模型验证提供了重要参考;郑海菠等[22]针对自动飞行控制面板在振动等不利工况下的可靠性开展验证试验,为FMCP的设计改进提供了试验依据。
自动飞行控制系统通常包括多个工作模式,而模式之间的转换过程可以视为系统状态的转变。为实现这种模式切换,本研究选择使用Stateflow工具。Stateflow的核心原理基于有限状态机(finite state machine, FSM)概念,指的是系统包含有限个状态,当特定条件触发时,系统会从一个状态转换到另一个状态。FSM模型基于事件驱动机制,当特定事件发生时,系统会触发状态转移。Stateflow通过图形化方式实现FSM,利用可视化的状态图和状态转移关系,并结合事件与条件判断,来控制系统的运行过程。
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