The detection of pilot‐induced oscillations

Fly‐by‐wire systems enable superior control of chosen flight parameters. A pilot can modify stabilized parameters by adequate movement of control inceptors such as a side‐stick or trust lever. Fly‐by‐wire control reduces the load on a pilot and allows a pilot to focus on the main tasks. Unfortunately, the use of more complicated interfaces between human and machine can cause incorrect pilot behavior and in many cases lead to erroneous interactions between the operator and effective aircraft dynamics. The structure of control laws and dynamics of electromechanical actuators are especially important factors. They can influence unfavorable aircraft‐pilot coupling and can lead to pilot‐induced oscillations (PIO) in certain cases. The automatic detection of PIOs is presented in this paper. The practical realization of a PIO‐detector and examples of diagnostics of human‐machine systems are reported on in this article. First published online: 14 Oct 201