Simulation investigation on dynamic pressure in glide angle control

This paper presents an application of computer simulation to investigate the feasibility of using dynamic pressure measurements to maintain an optimal glide angle of a vehicle in mid-air guidance. The non-linear vehicle dynamics are simulated using the advanced continuous simulation language (ACSL) package. The sensitivity of the changes in the glide angle to variations in the dynamic pressure is analyzed based on the simulated quasi-steady state dynamics of the vehicle. A proportional controller using dynamic pressure feedback is designed based on the linearized analysis of the dynamics about the equilibrium conditions and neglecting the short period mode damping. Computer simulations of the controlled vehicle show that about 20% increase in the glide range can be achieved.