Introduction to Flight Mechanics and Control

What it is about

You learn the fundamentals of flight system dynamics and classical flight control. In the end you will perform flight performance calculations for typical flight states and design simple flight controllers to stabilize and improve flight characteristics.

What you will be able to do

• Understanding coordinate systems in flight system dynamics
• Calculation of steady-state flight performance (glide, horizontal, turns and cruise flight)
• Analysis of static stability and controllability in longitudinal and lateral motion
• Modeling of aerodynamic forces and moments using aerodynamic derivatives
• Recognizing eigenmodal motions in longitudinal and lateral motion
• Design of basic flight controllers and understanding autopilot functions

What the module consists of

• LecturesConveying the theoretical foundations of flight performance calculation and flight control
• TutorialApplication of the theory in example calculations for consolidation and practical design

Teaching method

• Presentation / LectureExplains the theoretical foundations and conveys interrelationships
• exercises with sample solutionsClarify the topic through example calculations and practical application
• Script and Matlab Live ScriptsSupport independent study and the numerical implementation of tasks