Application of Genetic Algorithms to Helicopter Flight Test Planning and Mission Analysis. Verification for a Light Utility Helicopter

Giovanni Di Giorgio, Rotor Systems Specialist, AgustaWestland, Italy
Massimo Longo, Chief Project Flight Test Engineer AgustaWestland, Italy

Abstract

The paper presents a specific verification and evolution of a methodology for the application of Genetic Algorithms (GA) to helicopter flight test planning, mission analysis and simulation, in order to support the analysis of the helicopter manoeuvre spectrum and the definition of optimum flight paths (altitude, airspeed) and Take-Off Gross Weight, for multi-objective mission tasks, as fuel consumption, mission time and payload optimization, within typical rotorcraft mission constraints.

The definition of the optimum flight path was calculated for the AgustaWestland GrandNew light utility helicopter and thanks to the correlation and validation of the mathematical model with the flight test data.

A dedicated mathematical model of the helicopter was developed by a first simplified analytical approach for calculation of power required and fuel consumption, with subsequent refinement by a first set of available flight test data, and then with verification of the performance analytically predicted.

The method for mission's simulation was finalized in order to support trials planning and performance analysis; the accuracy of the mathematical model of the helicopter should be increased for a specific mission during the development of flight test activities. The GA optimization strategy was explained and several typical missions were analysed and presented as operational conditions of the rotorcraft.