Assessment of avionics technology in European aerospace organizations

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https://ntrs.nasa.gov/search.jsp?R=19950018204 2018-08-04T20:42:00+00:00Z
ASSESSMENT OF AVIONICS TECHNOLOGY
IN EUROPEAN AEROSPACE ORGANIZATIONS
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PANEL MEMBERS
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D.A. MARTINEC, PANEL LEADER 0
ROBERT BAUMBICK
ELLIS Hill"
CORNELIUS LEONDES
MONICA MAYTON
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JOSEPH SCHWlND
JOSEPH TRAYBAR
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PANEL CONSULTANTS
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AND SUPPORT PERSONNEL ',_ _C:) Z O"
ALAN ANGLEMAN
CHARLES HOMOLKA
DR. RAMON DEPAULA ,.-_ 0 Z 0 L
CARY SPI1-ZER
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SEPTEMBER 1992
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
77zepanel leader would like to express his appreciatiotz to the panel members for the
hard work and long hours they e._pended visiting tire val_ous organizations, for coping
gallantly with a tedious travel schedule, and for their conttYbutions to this report.
The NASA consultants comprising Dr. Ratmm DePaula and Cao' Spitzer deserve a
special thanks for helping the panel members maintain a high level of consistency in their
approach to the technical discttssions at the variotts facilities and, more bttportantl),, for the
foresight to form such a panel.
77ze individuals from tire European organizations who helped arrange the visit.l"and
participated in the discussions warrant special thanks for their contributions and hospitalia. ,.
A special acknowledgement is deserved I_y Charles Homolka of ARINC Research
Corporation and Alan Angleman of W.J. Schafer Associates for their e.rcellent support of
tire panel and tire final preparation of this report.
Page iii
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
SECTION 1 EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW .......................................... 1-1
1-1
1.1 Purpose ........................................................
1-2
1.2 Background .....................................................
1-2
1.2.1 Summary of Current European Avionics RD&E .....................
1-4
1.2.2 Future Directions in European Avionics RD&E .....................
1-4
1.3 Historical Perspective on U.S. and European Avionics ......................
1-6
1.4 Avionics Assessment Panel Comparative Analysis ..........................
1-6
1.4.1 Technology Criticality Level ....................................
1-6
1.4.2 Comparative Rankings ........................................
SECTION 2 MAJOR PROGRAM AREAS ........................................ 2-1
2-1
2.1 Avionics System Architecture .........................................
2.1.1 Overview .................................................. 2-1
2-1
2.1.2 Program Specifics ...........................................
2-7
2.2 Flight Controls ...................................................
2.2.1 Overview .................................................. 2-7
2-11
2.2.2 Program Specifics ...........................................
2-20
2.3 Navigation and Communications Systems ................................
2.3.1 Overview .................................................. 2-20
2-22
2.3.2 Program Specifics ...........................................
2-26
2.4 Display Systems ..................................................
2.4.1 Overview .................................................. 2-26
2-27
2.4.2 Program Specifics ...........................................
2-37
2.5 Automated Design and Software Engineering .............................
2.5.1 Overview .................................................. 2-37
2-38
2.5.2 Program Specifics ...........................................
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iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS (continued)
Page
3-1
SECTION 3 SUPPORTING RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY .......................
3-1
3.1 Optoelectronics and Photonic R&D ....................................
3.1.1 Overview .................................................. 3-1
3-1
3.1.2 Program Specifics ...........................................
3-5
3.2 Training and Simulation Systems ......................................
3.2.1 Overview .................................................. 3-5
3-5
3.2.2 Program Specifics ...........................................
A-1
APPENDIX A SITE REPORTS ................................................
APPENDIX B INFRASTRUCTURE OF THE EUROPEAN ORGANIZATIONS ............ B-1
APPENDIX C BIBLIOGRAPHIES OF PANEL MEMBERS ........................... C-1
APPENDIX D ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS ............................... D-1
APPENDIX E REFERENCES ................................................. E-1
Page vi
ILLUSTRATIONS
Page
Figure
2.1-1 Control Technology Programme Integrated Modular
2-4
Avionics (IMA) Concept ..............................................
2-5
2.1-2 Control Technology Programme Software Architecture .........................
2-6
2.1-3 GEC Avionics 777 PFCS System Architecture ................................
2-6
2.1-4 ACMS Operation .....................................................
2-8
2.1-5 A330/A340 ARMS Principal Block Diagram .................................
2.1-6 Fly-By-Light Control System with its Network Based
2-9
on a Star-Layered Topology ............................................
2-12
2.2-1 A320 C* Law Description ...............................................
2-12
2.2-2 A320 C* Law Dynamic Characteristics .....................................
2-17
2.2-3 A320 Flight Control Surfaces ............................................
2-17
2.2-4 A320 Electronic Flight Control System (EFSC) Architecture .....................
2-18
2.2-5 A320 Pitch Control ...................................................
2.2-6 A320 Roll Control .................................................... 2-18
2-19
2.2-7 A320 Yaw Control ....................................................
2.2-8 Optical Control System Installed by Aerospatiale
2-21
on the Air Inter Aircraft ..............................................
2-21
2.2-9 Advanced Actuator Concepts ............................................
2-24
2.3-1 A Dead-Reckoning Navigation System Supported by DME ......................
2-27
2.4-1 A Typical HMD with NVG Capability .....................................
2-27
2.4-2 Typical HUD Symbology ...............................................
2-34
2.4-3 Alpha HMS .........................................................
2-35
2.4-4 Alpha HMS Schematic .................................................
2-36
2.4-5 Virtual Cockpit Display ................................................
2-37
2.4-6 Cockpit Development Methodology .......................................
2-39
2.5-1 System Workshop Process ..............................................
2.5-2 GEC Avionics' Formal Mathematical Design and
2-41
Proof Methodologies .................................................
3.1-1 OCPM Block Diagram ................................................. 3-2
3-6
3.1-2 Laboratory Mock-Up of an Emergency Fly-by-Light Control Mode ................
3.1-3 Installation of Fiber-Optic Components ..................................... 3-7
Page vii
TABLES
Table Page
1.4-1 Avionics Technology Comparative Analysis .................................. 1-7
2.4-1 Sextant Avionique HUDs for the A320 and the A330/340 Compared ............... 2-28
2.4-2 Comparison of Sextant Avionique HMD Systems ............................. 2-30
2.4-3 Comparison of SI Type 1501 and 1502 HUDs ................................ 2-30
2.4-4 Comparison of SI Type 2100 and 3000 Series Color MFDs ...................... 2-31
2.5-1 Advances in Software Engineering ........................................ 2-40
Page viii
SECTION 1
EXECUTIVE OVERVIEW
The following report provides a summary of future research, development, and engineering
the observations and recommendations made by a (RD&E) programs addressing avionic systems and
technical panel formed by the National Aeronautics aircraft programs. The ultimate goal is to ensure
and Space Administration (NASA). The panel, that the technology addressed by NASA programs
comprising prominent experts in the avionics field, is commensurate with the needs of the aerospace
was tasked to visit various organizations in Europe industry at an international level.
to assess the level of technology planned for use in
manufactured civil avionics in the future.
The panel focused on specific technologies,
1.1 PURPOSE
including guidance and control systems, advanced
cockpit displays, sensors and data networks, and fly-
The primary purpose of the study was to by-wire/fly-by-light systems. However, discussions
assess avionic systems planned for implementation the panel had with the European organizations were
or already employed on civil aircraft and to evaluate not limited to these topics.
The assessment panel was composed of the following members:
D.A. Martinec (Panel Leader) Aeronautical Radio Inc. (ARINC)
Robert Baumbick NASA Lewis
Ellis Hitt Battelle
Prof. Cornelius Leondes University of Washington
Monica Mayton Wright Patterson AFB
Joseph Schwind Airline Pilots Association (ALPA)
Joseph Traybar Federal Aviation Administration (FAn,)
Panel consultants and support persons were:
•Alan Angleman W.J. Schafer Associates
Charles Homolka ARINC Research Corporation
Dr. Ramon DePaula NASA Headquarters
Cary Spitzer NASA Langley Research Center
Page 1-1
I I
The assessment panel's complete itinerary is shown below.
Date Organization Visited/Place
June 14, 1991 Deutsche Airbus - Hamburg, Germany
June 17, 1991 Deutsche Forschungs-und Versuchsanstalt fur Luft-und Raumfahrt (DLR) -
Braunschweig, Germany
dune 17, 1991 Teldix GmbH - Heidelberg, Germany (DePaula and Angleman only)
June 18, 1991 Aerospatiale- Toulouse, France
June 19, 1991 Sextant Avionique - Paris, France
June 20, 1991 Office National D'Etudes et de Recherches Aerospatiale (ONERA) -
Toulouse, France
June 24, 1991 GEC Avionics - Rochester Kent, U.K.
June 25, 1991 Smiths Industries - Cheltenham, U.K.
June 26, 1991 British Aerospace - Bristol, U.K.
1.2 BACKGROUND tions gear their programs to a wide range of
subjects and perform their investigations at a high
The current and evolving avionics develop- technical level. The following subsections address
ments in Europe, as perceived by the NASA study each type of organization individually.
panel, are provided in summary format in this sec-
tion. A comparison of European and U.S. avionics 1.2.1.1 Airframe Manufacturers
developments is also given. This section also
highlights the thrust in European countries to
Aerospatiale, Deutsch Airbus, and British
accelerate avionics technology development, which
Aerospace, as key members of the Airbus Consor-
is rapidly changing the relationship of the United
tium, work closely to integrate systems and optimize
States with other countries in the area of aerospace,
the airframe design. Aerospatiale is now working
particularly avionics.
on the A330 and A340 aircraft. The physical air-
frame designs are essentially completed. The inte-
1.2.1 Summary of Current European
gration of the avionics into the airframe is also
Avionics RD&E
nearly completed. Since the avionics suite is very
similar to that of the A320, no real technological
The focus of European avionics RD&E
changes are expected for these new aircraft. For
varies with the goals of the organizations. Broad-
the near-term future, Aerospatiale will continue to
based companies such as airframe manufacturers
focus its work on implementation rather than
tend to focus their RD&E on aircraft systems in
research.
general. Instrumentation companies, for example
the avionics manufacturers, concentrate on their
specific area of expertise within avionics. The British Aerospace is involved in numerous
RD&E at their facilities tends to be more special- development programs. Although some of their
ized and more speculative. The research organiza- programs are oriented toward the A330 and A340
Page 1-2