MAVSS CONTROL OF AN ACTIVE FLAPERON FOR TILTROTOR VIBRATION REDUCTION

Wind tunnel testing of the Multipoint Adaptive Vibration Suppression System (MAVSS) controlled active flaperon on NASA LaRC Aeroelasticity Branch's Wing and Rotor Aeroelastic Test System (WRATS) demonstrated the efficiency of active control of an aerodynamic surface for tiltrotor vibration suppression in airplane mode. The NASA WRATS tiltrotor model was formerly the V-22 0.2-scale aeroelastic semispan model, which represented the scaled dynamic characteristics of the V-22 Full-Scale Development (FSD) aircraft (Ref. 1). This paper will present a discussion of the MAVSS algorithm, the active flaperon wind tunnel results, future MAVSS testing, and a brief history of the development of MAVSS. This testing showed that active control of an aerodynamic control surface can produce the forces required for a vibration suppression system, and that the MAVSS algorithm could control the motions. This testing also showed the limitations of utilizing only one active control element for the control of multiple responses. The success of this testing led the way for a 1997 flight test program of a MAVSS-controlled active elevator on the XV-15 tiltrotor research aircraft.