SIVOR: A Testbed for the Evaluation of On-Off Valves on an F16 Airplane - Viability Analysis

Abstract

In this paper, the viability for the utilization of the SIVOR (Simulador de Voo Robtico -Robotic Flight Simulator) as a testbed for the evaluation of the dynamics changes caused by the replacement of conventional servovalves by on-off valves on an F16 airplane will be analyzed. The current version of the SIVOR consists of an industrial robotic arm that carries a cabin which contains a seat, a curved 55-inches TV, a joystick, a throttle stick, pedals and a black cover to avoid external interferences from the peripheral vision, which can break the immersion of the simulation. The replacement of conventional servovalves by on-off valves has been considered in order to increase the energy efficiency of the airplane hydraulic actuators. However, on-off valves might cause undesirable effects on the flight dynamics. Therefore, this replacement must be adequately evaluated through simulations before being tested on an actual airplane. In order to conclude if the SIVOR is a viable solution for this analysis or not, the necessary workspace for the simulation to be representative will be defined. This study will consist of a comparison between the linear accelerations and angular velocities sensed by a pilot inside the airplane and inside the SIVOR cabin, which are estimated through vestibular system models. The SIVOR will be considered viable if it is able to provide a workspace that generates a small enough motion sensation error between the F16 airplane and the simulator cabin.