Abstract:
The Model-Based Pilot Controller (MBPC) had been developed to mathematically model pilot control behavior. Using optimal estimation and modern control theories, the MBPC takes the psychophysical limitations into account while modeling the multimodal control characteristics of a human operator. This paper herein discusses the validation process of the MBPC by conducting a set of Mission-Task-Element (MTE) experiments with a test pilot on a fixed-based flight simulator. The control activities of both the MBPC and the test pilot are compared in terms of pilot workload that is available through the frequency-domain-based metric, the power frequency. Three of the MTEs executed in this study reveal similar temporal workload variations for both parties, making the MBPC a promising tool to assess the handling qualities of a vehicle solely based on mathematical models of the system.