The importance of flight training has been realized since the inception of manned flight. In this thesis, a project about the interfacing of hardware cockpit instruments with a flight simulation software over a distributed system is to be described. A TRC472 Flight Cockpit was to be used while linked with Presagis FlightSIM to fully simulate a Cessna 172 Skyhawk aircraft. The TRC 472 contains flight input gauges (Airspeed Indicator, RPM indicator... etc.), pilot control devices (Rudder, Yoke...etc.) and navigation systems (VOR,ADF...etc.) all connected to computer through separate USBs and identified as HID's (Human Interface Devices). These devices required real-time interaction with FlightSIM software; in total 21 devices communicating at the same time. The TRC472 Flight Cockpit and the FlightSIM software were to be running on a distributed system of computers and to be communicating together through Ethernet. Serialization was to be used for the data transfer across the connection link so objects can be reproduced seamlessly on the different computers. Some of the TRC472 devices were straight forward in writing and reading from, but some of them required some calibrations of raw I/O data and buffers. The project also required making plugins to overwrite and extend FlightSIM software to communicate with the TRC472 Flight Cockpit. The final product is to be a full fledged flight experience with complete environment and physics of the Cessna 172. / Thesis / Master of Applied Science (MASc)

Bats (Order Chiroptera) are the only mammals capable of power flight. The flight membranes of bats are not only essential for locomotion, but also play vital roles in homeostasis. Although understanding wound healing in the flight membranes of bats is important because injuries in the wild are common, with the recent emergence of white-nose syndrome, understanding wound healing in bat flight membranes has become even more important. In order to conduct my studies on wound healing in the flight membranes of bats, it was necessary to manually restrain bats. In this thesis I present a novel bat restrainer that I designed and that reduces stress experienced by restrained bats during experimentation and data collection. Wound healing is an energy dependent process, as such it is expected that wound healing times will vary during periods of energy constraint (i.e. hibernation) and/or at times of peak demand (i.e. lactation). However, previous studies on wound healing have only looked at healing at times when there are no energy constraints. In thesis I aimed to better understand the effects of seasonality and reproduction on wound healing. Using an 8 mm circular punch, I inflicted biopsy wounds to the chiropatagium of healthy captive big brown bats, Eptesicus fuscus. I compared wound healing times between winter and summer seasons, and between reproductive (i.e. lactating) and non-reproductive females. As expected, wound healing times were longer during the winter months when bats are conserving energy. On the other hand, reproductive status did not have an effect on wound healing times. Although most bats heal, I observed impaired wound healing. This finding is important because it is the first time that impaired wound healing is reported in healthy bats. / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Heavy reliance on GPS is preventing unmanned air systems (UAS) from being fully inte- grated for many of their numerous applications. In the absence of GPS, GPS-reliant UAS have difficulty estimating vehicle states resulting in vehicle failures. Additionally, naively using erro- neous measurements when GPS is available can result in significant state inaccuracies. We present a simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) solution to GPS-degraded navigation that al- lows vehicle state estimation and control independent of global information. Optionally, a global map can be constructed from odometry measurements and can be updated with GPS measurements while maintaining robustness against outliers.We detail a relative navigation SLAM framework that distinguishes a relative front end and global back end. It decouples the front-end flight critical processes, such as state estimation and control, from back-end global map construction and optimization. Components of the front end function relative to a locally-established coordinate frame, completely independent from global state information. The approach maintains state estimation continuity in the absence of GPS mea- surements or when there are jumps in the global state, such as after map optimization. A global graph-based SLAM back end complements the relative front end by constructing and refining a global map using odometry measurements provided by the front end.Unlike typical approaches that use GPS in the front end to estimate global states, our unique back end uses a virtual zero and virtual constraint to allow intermittent GPS measurements to be applied directly to the map. Methods are presented to reduce the scale of GPS induced costs and refine the map’s initial orientation prior to optimization, both of which facilitate convergence to a globally consistent map. The approach uses a state-of-the-art robust least-squares optimization algorithm called dynamic covariance scaling (DCS) to identify and reject outlying GPS measure- ments and loop closures. We demonstrate our system’s ability to generate globally consistent and aligned maps in GPS-degraded environments through simulation, hand-carried, and flight test re- sults.

Flight testing has been the historical standard for determining aircraft airworthiness - however, increases in the cost of flight testing and the accuracy of inexpensive CFD promote certification by analysis to reduce or replace flight testing. A framework is introduced to predict the performance in the special case of a modification to an existing, previously certified aircraft. This framework uses a combination of existing flight test or high fidelity data of the original aircraft as well as lower fidelity data of the original and modified configurations. Two methods are presented which estimate the model form uncertainty of the modified configuration, which is then used to conduct non-deterministic simulations. The framework is applied to an example aircraft system with simulated flight test data to demonstrate the ability to predict the performance and associated uncertainty of modified aircraft configurations. However, it is important that the models and methods used are applicable and accurate throughout the intended use domain. The factors and limitations of the framework are explored to determine the range of applicability of the framework. The effects of these factors on the performance and uncertainty results are demonstrated using the example aircraft system. The framework is then applied to NASA's X-57 Maxwell and each of its modifications. The estimated performance and associated uncertainties are then compared to the airworthiness criteria to evaluate the potential of the framework as a component to the certification by analysis process. / Doctor of Philosophy / Aircraft are required to undergo an airworthiness certification process to demonstrate the capability for safe and controlled flight. This has historically been satisfied by flight testing, but there is a desire to use computational analysis and simulations to reduce the cost and time required. For aircraft which are based on an aircraft which has already been certified, but contain minor changes, computational tools have the potential to provide a large benefit. This research proposes a framework to estimate the flight performance of these modified aircraft using inexpensive computational or ground based methods and without requiring expensive flight testing. The framework is then evaluated to ensure that it provides accurate results and is suitable for use as a supplement to the airworthiness certification process.

The classic minimum induced drag spanload is not necessarily the best choice for an aircraft. For a single aircraft configuration, variations from the elliptic, minimum drag optimum load distribution can produce wing weight savings that result in airplane performance benefits. For a group of aircraft flying in formation, non-elliptic lift distributions can give high induced drag reductions both for the formation and for each airplane. For single aircraft, a discrete vortex method which performs the calculations in the Trefftz plane has been used to calculate optimum spanloads for non-coplanar multi-surface configurations. The method includes constraints for lift coefficient, pitching moment coefficient and wing root bending moment. This wing structural constraint has been introduced such that wing geometry is not changed but the modified load distributions can be related to wing weight. Changes in wing induced drag and weight were converted to aircraft total gross weight and fuel weight benefits, so that optimum spanloads that give maximum take-off gross weight reductions can be found. Results show that a reduction in root bending moment from a lift distribution that gives minimum induced drag leads to more triangular spanloads, where the loads are shifted towards the root, reducing wing weight and increasing induced drag. A slight reduction in root bending moment is always beneficial, since the initial increase in induced drag is very small compared to the wing weight decrease. Total weight benefits were studied for a Boeing 777-200IGW type configuration, obtaining take-off gross weight improvements of about 1% for maximum range missions. When performing economical, reduced-range missions, improvements can almost double. A long range, more aerodynamically driven aircraft like the Boeing 777-200IGW will experience lower benefits as a result of increasing drag. Short to medium range aircraft will profit the most from more triangular lift distributions. Formation flight configurations can also result in large induced drag reductions for load distributions that deviate from the elliptical one. Optimum spanloads for a group of aircraft flying in an arrow formation were studied using the same discrete vortex method, now under constraints in lift, pitching moment and rolling moment coefficients. It has been shown that large general improvements in induced drag can be obtained when the spanwise and vertical distances between aircraft are small. In certain cases, using our potential flow vortex model, this results in negative (thrust) induced drag on some airplanes in the configuration. The optimum load distributions necessary to achieve these benefits may, however, correspond to a geometry that will produce impractical lift distributions if the aircraft are flying alone. Optimum separation among airplanes in this type of formation is determined by such diverse factors as the ability to generate the required optimum load distributions or the need for collision avoidance. / Master of Science

The realm of aircraft flight dynamics analysis reaches from local static stability to global dynamic behavior. It includes aircraft performance issues as well as structural concerns. In the particular aspect of dynamic motions of an aircraft and how we understand them, an alternate coordinate system will be introduced that will lend insight and simplification into the understanding of these dynamic motions. The main contribution of this coordinate system is that one can easily visualize how the instantaneous velocity vector relates to the instantaneous rotation vector, the angular rate vector of the aircraft. The out-of-control motion known as the Falling Leaf will be considered under the light of this new coordinate system. This motion is not well understood and can lead to loss of the aircraft and crew. Design guidelines will be presented to predict amplitude and frequency of the Falling Leaf. NOTE: (12/2009) An updated copy of this ETD was added after there were patron reports of problems with the file. / Master of Science

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.

No description available.