Adaptive landing gear control system assumptions

In the present time, landing energy dissipation process in aviation shock absorber design is optimized for the most demanding, but still safe, landing scenario (reserve energy landing conditions). Most of the current solutions are based on a fixed hole (orifice) or a set of holes regulating hydraulic fluid flow in the shock absorber. This approach although safe provides no optimization of the forces acting on the fuselage in different (less energetic than limit energy) conditions. Due to the progress in hydraulic flow control, it is possible to design and control a proper system for extended optimization of the landing process energy dissipation. The complete system contains two parts, one of which is a direct flow executive electro-mechanical system and second of which is an electronic control system. The electronic control system directly manages executive system via a set of inputs, thus creating proper output signals for the optimal flow control. In this article, the author presents the idea of the computer control part of the adaptive hydraulic flow control system. The author describes a set of possible control input and output signals both external and internal, from the landing gear reference system, characterizing their role in the landing process. The author also defines possible control algorithms selected to fit the assumptions of the adaptive landing gear system. Finally, the author presents a proposal for the laboratory grade control system for future testing of the assumptions described in this article.