Prediction, detection, and observation of rotorcraft pilot coupling

Unmasking Aircraft and Rotorcraft Pilot Couplings (A/RPC) prior to vehicle entry into service has been a long standing challenge in the Aerospace Industry. A/RPCs, often only exposed through unpredictable or very specifc circumstances have arisen throughout the history of manned powered ight, and have required short-term 'fixes' to ensure system safety. One of the reasons for this occurrence is th lack of detailed practice regarding the prediction and detection of RPCs prior to full-scale testing. Often in simulation, A/RPCs are only investigated once problems have been experienced during other aircraft qualifcation activities. This is a particular issue for the rotorcraft community, where system sophistication is 'catching-up' with their fixed-wing counterparts. This research helps to extend the state-of-art knowledge surrounding the exposure of RPCs prior to any catastrophic occurrences, through the introduction of novel tools for use both in the rotorcraft design process and beyond. Using key definitions and findings from previous research efforts, objective and subjective measures have been developed for use in both real-time piloted flight and for pre- or post-flight analysis. These tools have been designed to compliment one another, in a process that should reduce the susceptibility to RPC in future rotorcraft. Novel tools developed have been tested through real-time piloted simulation, with results allowing RPC susceptibility boundaries and regions to be identified. Application of all tools developed, both subjective and objective, have been validated through comparison with existing methods. This work provides novel methods to quantify both the propensity of pilot-vehicle systems to RPCs, and the severity of these interactions. Methods have been designed with simplicity of use in mind, whereby they can be applied to vehicles of different configuration, are applicable to a wide range of RPCs, and are easily understandable for prospective users. It is believed that research contained within can contribute to the realisation of European Commission 2020 objectives, by helping to reduce the average accident rate of global aircraft operators