Hi folks, i was just wondering if anyone knows which aircraft was used by NASA to conduct the Propulsion controlled aircraft testing done in the mid 90's. All the photos are pretty low res and i cant see any reg marks. The aircraft is bare alloy finish.

 

thanks

Alan

The Transport Test

 

On August 29, 1995, Gordon Fullerton once again made a successful landing using only engine power for control, but for this flight the PCA system was installed on a McDonnell-Douglas MD-11 transport aircraft. The success of the program was the result of a partnership between NASA and McDonnell Douglas Aerospace, St. Louis, MO, with Pratt & Whitney together with Honeywell designing the software used in the aircraft's control computer. NASA Ames Research Center, Mountain View, CA, assisted in the program by performing simulations.

 

For the MD-11, the PCA system uses standard autopilot controls already present in the cockpit, together with programming in the aircraft's flight control computers. The aircraft demonstrated software used in the flight control computer that essentially landed the MD-11 without a need for the pilot to manipulate the flight controls and without the use of conventional, hydraulic controls.

 

The PCA concept is simple -- for pitch control, the program increases thrust to climb and reduces thrust to descend. To turn right, the autopilot increases the left engine thrust while decreasing the right engine thrust. Since thrust response is slow, and the control forces are relatively small, a pilot would require extensive practice and intense concentration to do this task manually. Using computer-controlled thrust greatly improves flight precision and reduces pilot workload.

 

Aircraft manufacturers have decided that a PCA system will be valuable for use in the design of future airplanes. When they incorporate this for future design, it will eliminate the need for a less capable hydraulics-dependent backup flight control system.

 

"Now that the technology is proven, I hope to see it incorporated into future aircraft designs," Burcham stated. "I also hope it never has to be used."

 

i just googled it, is this what u needed?

i was trying to find which airframe it was and were it eventually ended up

 

Alan

I believe it was the flight test bird N111MD. Now it is N601FE. In 1995 when this test was done, MD was just finishing up the PIP program with its original test bird. So it would make sense that it would be available for NASA to use. The only other manufature that used a stainless exterior was American. But they didn't start getting theirs until '92 so far too young of birds to be loaned out ot NASA. Also the American units did not have stainless tails, where as the test bird and the bird in the photos do.