Aircraft flat-spin recovery using sliding-mode based attitude and altitude control

Abstract

In the present paper, a control command to recover steady-straight-level flight from flat-oscillatory-stable-left-spin is developed using a sliding-mode based attitude and altitude control. Direct spin recovery, using a spin solution by bifurcation results, to low angle-of-attack is achieved in finite-time without any separation in dynamics. The exponential convergence of errors is discussed by invoking Barbalat’s Lemma theorem. Thereafter settling time is obtained thereby making the system a finite-time stable to reach the sliding surface. The novelty of this work lies in the proposed control strategy, wherein expressions for all four primary control inputs are obtained in a closed-loop form without any approximation and altitude margin required for flat-spin recovery is investigated based on a heuristic approach for a fixed controller gains. Additionally, results of this research indicate the proposed controller first stops the spin by controlling the attitude of the aircraft thereby rotation stops about the body axis and then reaches the commanded altitude to attain the horizontal flight.