SOME PILOTING EXPERIENCES WITH MULTI FUNCTION ISOMETRIC SIDE-ARM CONTROLLERS IN A HELICOPTER

The installation of two side-arm mounted, isometric controllers in the NAE Airborne Simulator, a modified, variable stability Bell 205A is described, as is the development of various control systems for use with them. The results of two experiments are presented indicating both the feasibility and acceptability of such systems for a wide variety of tasks in a conventional single rotor helicopter, with a minimum of stability augmentation. Areas of future research are indicated.