Total energy control system for helicopter flight/propulsion integrated controller design

The purpose of this paper is to design a helicopter flight control system using a total energy control system approach. A total energy control system design uses change rates of the sum and of the difference between kinetic and potential energies as control indices. This paper documents the first known application of a total energy control system design for helicopter control. Energy change rate and energy distribution rate are manipulated to provide automatic tracking of desired altitude, velocity, and flight-path-angle profiles for a Westland Lynx helicopter. A linearized helicopter dynamic model is obtained in the total energy control system framework, and control laws are synthesized using H_∞ control theory and the method of linear matrix inequalities. Numerical simulation is used to verify the effectiveness of the proposed total energy control system helicopter flight control laws. The total energy control system reduces engine fuel consumption by alleviating unnecessary fluctuations in energy change and distribution rates when tracking flight path and propulsion commands.