Nonlinear gain-scheduled flight controller design via stable manifold method

This research presents a nonlinear gain-scheduled flight controller design method via a stable manifold theory in order to handle the nonlinearities of the F-18 High Alpha Research Vehicle due to the change in the aerodynamic characteristics at different angles of attack and the airspeed variation. The designed longitudinal flight control system consists of a nonlinear gain-scheduled stabilization augmentation system which is designed using the stable manifold method, and a linear gain-scheduled control augmentation system which consists of proportional and integral gains. The nonlinear longitudinal flight controller is verified in a 6 degree-of-freedom simulator.