Improving the aerodynamic stability and controllability of aircraft, considering the speed of sound and maneuvering oscillations under disturbing atmospheric conditions

Abstract

An aircraft's aerodynamic stability and controllability in pitch, roll, and yaw are determined by its flight performance and actual flight conditions. Traditional stability augmentation systems based on gyroscopic and inertial feedback are activated only after a disturbance has been applied, so the aircraft first acquires unwanted angular deflections and kinetic energy that must subsequently be damped. This article proposes an integrated smart aerometric approach that enables early detection of atmospheric disturbances before they affect the aircraft dynamics. Its key element is an atmospheric disturbance monitoring unit based on smart aerometric sensors located on the wingtips and in the tail section. Coupled with advanced feedback structures in the pitch, roll, and yaw channels, these sensors reduce transient response time and improve stability and control in turbulent conditions. The concept is evaluated by comparative modeling in MATLAB/Simulink for classical, modern, and proposed flight control architectures, with true airspeed relative to the speed of sound (Mach number) and load factor taken as the key flight parameters. In stable flight, adaptive modification of the transfer function coefficients increases the stability margin and prevents autopilot disengagement under intense turbulence and overload; in maneuvering mode, automatic coefficient readjustment improves controllability by reducing excess stability. The results of mathematical modeling indicate that the proposed approach reduces the amplitude and duration of damped transient processes during maneuvering. An explicit adaptive gain-scheduling law, a closed-loop stability analysis, and a quantitative case study with performance indices and robustness evaluation are also presented.