NASA and McDonnell Douglas researchers
are developing and testing ideas to make
aircraft safer using NASA's f-15 test
vehicle propulsion controlled aircraft
software or PCA software is being tested
at NASA's Dryden Flight Research
Facility if the complete hydraulic
system on an aircraft fails the PCA
software takes over providing enough
engine control power to steer and safely
land the vehicle until this breakthrough
a complete hydraulic failure basically
rendered a normal aircraft
uncontrollable here's how the PCA
software works the propulsion controlled
aircraft or PCA system uses a mixture of
common sensor signals and the pilots
pitch and roll commands to adjust the
throttles and keep the plane on course
the software generates collective or
equal throttle commands for the engines
without this PCA system throttle only
control is virtually impossible on an
aircraft here the pilot is trying to
maintain a steady approach by manually
controlling the throttles now with the
PCA system on the aircraft is steadied
and is actually taken to a safe
touchdown at Dryden April 21st 1993
without using conventional flight
controllers piloted real-time md-11
simulations incorporating this PCA
technology are currently underway these
tests show that with a PCA system
installed the simulated md-11 commercial
aircraft can be safely landed without
conventional flight controls this will
be invaluable on military and commercial
aircraft of the future NASA and the
aviation industry will continue to work
towards a safer more controllable
aircraft in the future PCA technology is
just one example of today's work towards
reaching that goal