Helicopter Side Stick Controller

As one of its research themes, Advanced Technology Institute of Commuter Helicopter (ATIC), Gifu - Japan, is conducting a research and development of an Active Side Stick Controller (ASSC) which will provide pilot with a safer, more comfortable, and pilot-friendly flight control environments. This paper describes the system layout of the ASSC that has been built for evaluating its benefits on an experimental helicopter, Kawasaki BK117 Modified. This paper also outlines some of its technical features, including its unique function of back drive that enables a pilot to monitor movements of sticks during auto-pilot mode and also provides a potential function of interlocking between control sticks of a pilot and co-pilot. After reviewing some of the advantages which can be expected from the use of the ASSC, this paper concludes with a discussion of an ATIC’s future study to integrate the ASSC with a flight management system.