F-35C Lands at Lakehurst For Testing

[rheonomic]

MAGIC CARPET is simply the SH branding of what was first implemented in F-35C. It was/is called Delta Flight Path and evidence of same was demonstrated in the pre-DT-1 shore-based work-ups and the DT-1 event at-sea in 2014. Buddy Denham and others from NAVAIR substantially involved.

I'd also argue that MAGIC CARPET/DFP are closely related to the STOVL CLAWs for the B as all are examples of 'task-tailored control laws'...

For those with access to AIAA ARC (I tried to find a 'free' copy online but didn't see anything, sorry), the paper "Project MAGIC CARPET: “Advanced Controls and Displays for Precision Carrier Landings”" is rather interesting: https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/abs/10.2514/6.2016-1770

[spazsinbad]

All the F-35 Control Laws are in one lump. The aircraft variant knows which bits to use and when. There is a thread or two about the CLAWS development for the F-35 derived from long years of work with the VAAC Harrier simulating the F-35B.

viewtopic.php?f=60&t=52507&p=356421&hilit=VAAC#p356421
&
viewtopic.php?f=22&t=23199&p=247994&hilit=VAAC+PDF%2A#p247994

PDF on page above, scrolling DOWN gets more hits. An updated? PDF about F-35 control laws could be here if any interest.

This PDF (from 2015 so no new info since then) may interest some:

https://www.scribd.com/document/2681972 ... -01jun2015
OR
http://documents.tips/documents/lso-dec ... n2015.html

[spazsinbad]

One of several links in thread about the F-111B for testing ashore & onboard USS Coral Sea. Did not know this story:

viewtopic.php?f=57&t=15767&p=342636&hilit=F+111B#p342636

As one Grumman memorial is planned, is another leaving?
04 Jul 2017

"Plans for a new monument in memory of two Grumman test pilots who died in a 1967 crash took a step forward last Thursday, as Riverhead Town Board members gave an informal OK to bringing in a three-ton boulder to which a plaque would be affixed....

...The new monument would honor pilots Charles “Buck” Wangeman and Ralph “Dixie” Donnell, who were killed April 21, 1967, while testing a General Dynamics/Grumman F-111B fighter jet at the Calverton facility.

A mislabeled switch led to the engine being choked off and when the pilots pulled the ejection handle, it broke off, according to the Naval Aviation Safety Center’s investigation of the crash...."

Source: https://riverheadnewsreview.timesreview ... r-leaving/

[maus92]

Magic Carpet was developed by NAVAIR and Boeing independently of the JSF program, but with some cross-polinization on the Navy side. Some fleet Super Hornets are already flying a preliminary software release operationally. The final software release to the entire fleet of Super Hornets and Growlers is scheduled for late 2018 / early 2019 - two years prior to the first operational deployment of a single squadron of F-35Cs.

[quicksilver]

Magic Carpet was developed by NAVAIR and Boeing independently of the JSF program, but with some cross-polinization on the Navy side. Some fleet Super Hornets are already flying a preliminary software release operationally. The final software release to the entire fleet of Super Hornets and Growlers is scheduled for late 2018 / early 2019 - two years prior to the first operational deployment of a single squadron of F-35Cs.

Nice try. At sea three years ago on F-35...

"Story Number: NNS141117-13 Release Date: 11/17/2014 2:08:00 PM
From Commander, Naval Air Forces Public Affairs
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- The F-35C Lightning II carrier variant Joint Strike Fighter completed its first phase of developmental test (DT) aboard an aircraft carrier Nov. 14, three days ahead of schedule aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68).

During the DT-I event, F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) the F-35 Lightning II Integrated Test Force (ITF) from Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 23 (VX-23) located at Naval Air Station (NAS) Patuxent River in Patuxent River, Maryland, tested the carrier suitability of the aircraft and its integration with carrier air and deck operations in the at-sea environment, achieving 100 percent of the threshold test points.

The aircraft demonstrated exceptional performance throughout its initial sea trails, accelerating the team's progress through the DT-I schedule and enabling them to conduct night operations - a milestone typically achieved during the second at-sea phase of developmental tests, as evidenced by the test schedules of the F/A-18 Hornet and F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet.

"We had such confidence in how the plane is flying that we lowered the weather minimums to what the fleet is actually using, knowing that when I lower my hook and come into the groove I'm going to trap," said Lt. Cmdr. Ted Dyckman, Navy test pilot. "That says a lot for the airplane. So, when it came time for night traps, we said the plane is ready and we launched it. It flew very well behind the ship. Even on the darkest night - pretty much as dark as you can get behind the boat. Two hook-down passes and two traps and that says it all right there. It's unheard of to conduct night ops on the first det."

"The engineers responsible for the aircraft's control laws at Pax (Patuxent) River and Fort Worth have done a phenomenal job designing a carefree aircraft from the pilot's perspective," said Cmdr. Tony Wilson, DT I Team Lead. "The F-35C's performance on the ball was revolutionary, providing carefree handling on approach. The Integrated Direct Lift Control (IDLC) allows ball control like no other aircraft. The control schemes of the F-35C provide a tool for the below average ball flyer to compete for top hook. And, Delta Flight Path is an innovative leap in aircraft flight controls - this command enables the F-35 to capture and maintain a glideslope, greatly reducing pilot workload, increasing safety margins during carrier approaches and reducing touchdown dispersion."

The cadre of DT-I test pilots logged a total of 39.2 flight hours as they conducted 33 flights featuring 124 catapults, 222 touch-and-go landings, and 124 arrestments. There were zero unintentional hook-down bolters, or missed attempts to catch an arresting wire on the flight deck. (Two hook-down, intentional bolters were conducted as part of the DT-I test plan.)

Successful carrier landings of the F-35C also point to an effective re-design of the once-troubled tailhook. Initial testing shore-based testing pointed toward tailhook design issues and the Atlantic Test Range (ATR) at NAS Patuxent River captured critical measurement data with their precision photogrammetric technology and modeling capabilities. The re-design collaboration between Lockheed Martin and Fokker Technologies of the Netherlands - with insight and participation by Navy airworthiness engineers - has yielded a preponderance of three-wire landings during DT-I and firmly established the success of the redesign.

The goal of DT-I, the first of three at-sea test phases planned for the F-35C, was to collect environmental data through added instrumentation to measure the F-35C's integration to flight deck operations and to further define the F-35C's operating parameters aboard the aircraft carrier. A thorough assessment of how well the F-35C operated in the shipboard environment will advise the Navy of any adjustments necessary to ensure that the fifth-generation fighter is fully capable and ready to deploy to the fleet in 2018.

For more news from Commander, Naval Air Forces, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/airpac/.

[neptune]

Magic Carpet was developed by NAVAIR and Boeing independently of the JSF program, but with some cross-polinization on the Navy side. Some fleet Super Hornets are already flying a preliminary software release operationally. The final software release to the entire fleet of Super Hornets and Growlers is scheduled for late 2018 / early 2019 - two years prior to the first operational deployment of a single squadron of F-35Cs.

Maus, you are certainly due your opinion, but......Navair covers a lot of programs and Delta Flight Path was not developed by Boeing. The Naval Aviators who proved DFP in the design office, on the runway and "on the 2014 boat" are not wallflowers and their joy/ Crowing about their contributions and successes should be encouraging others (Boeing) to "do the same".

I am ecstatic to see Magic Carpet in the SBug and DFP in the Lightnin, anything that makes an aviator safer and reduces the wear and tear on my taxpayin' a/c, is greatly appreciated by me and mine.


Icarus was first.

[quicksilver]

Work on the unifed control laws involved many people for many years predating any aircraft implementation. It has been written about a little bit, but probably remains under-appreciated. Buddy Denham is an important name but there are certainly others.

[spazsinbad]

Here is one place for some UNIFIED Control Laws with links to more.... MAKE SURE TO SCROLL UP! for more PDF history.

viewtopic.php?f=60&t=52507&p=356451&hilit=unified#p356451 A GOOD THREAD about CLAW related stuff.

The main 10Mb PDF about STOVL MODE in this thread: download/file.php?id=23780

I guess a PDF about DELTA FLIGHT PATH must be somewhere? IF not I'll make one....

Not surprising that Delta + Flight + Path is a good F-35 forum search term. Just add PDF* to get:

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=45451&p=337917&hilit=Delta+Flight+Path+PDF%2A#p337917

[spazsinbad]

This is annoying - cannot upload an 8.5 Mb 66pp PDF about DELTA FLIGHT PATH/DFP with IDLC - so ffsake here we go agin.

ONE DAY / WHENEVER there may be a 63 page PDF of about 8Mbs here about the DFP (not much about IDLC though) here.

Link to forum quote below: viewtopic.php?f=57&t=52238&p=353743&hilit=Isby#p353743

Bright Future?
Oct 2016 David C Isby; Air International Magazine

"David C Isby spoke with Commander Naval Air Forces, Vice Admiral Mike Shoemaker about the current and future status of US naval aviation... "...Technology developed for the F-35C will make the Super Hornet more effective, Shoemaker cited the BAE Systems developed Delta Flight Path system that provides glide slope inputs directly to the F-35’s all-digital flight control and avionics systems on final approach.

Source: October 2016 Air International Magazine Vol.91 No.4

[spazsinbad]

Over on another F-35 forum subsection 'kimjongnumbaun' asked this: "I'm curious what are the parameters needed for the F-35 to begin automatic self recovery procedures." viewtopic.php?f=22&t=53283&p=374675&hilit=curious#p374675

There is a PDF available here about such matters which may answer the question but perhaps the simple answer: at moment there is no 'begin automatic self recovery procedures' BUT there are steps towards this for the F-35 with JPALS.

Gotta go - more later - PDF here: download/file.php?id=24983 (PDF 8.4Mb)

F-35C Delta Flight Path 09 Jul 2017 pp63.pdf (8.4Mb) download at above URL.

JPALS is being tested for the F-35C (& B) earlier albeit by a VX-23 (S)Hornet however JPALS is not yet certified for humans nor installed on many flat decks. Early days about how 'auto landings' will be SOP with 'manual' Delta Flight Path landings perhaps not usually carried out. We await developments. Obviously the X-47B auto lands and has done that successfully.

[spazsinbad]

For the aforementioned person who had trouble on their first carrier landing this T-shirt is offered (been there done that).

[spazsinbad]

Anyone able to get the text for this please? TAH.

'Magic Carpet' Enables ‘Fundamental Shift’ In U.S. Naval Piloting
22 May 2018 James Drew

"The days of U.S. naval fighter pilots performing stick-and-throttle landings are numbered as the Navy introduces the Lockheed Martin F-35C and the newest “Magic Carpet” landing technology for the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler. Better known as Precision Landing Mode, the initial version of Maritime Augmented Guidance with Integrated Controls for Carrier Approach and Recovery Precision Enabling Technologies (Magic Carpet) was fielded in October 2016. It almost …" [makes me wanna cry <sob>]

Source: http://aviationweek.com/defense/magic-c ... l-piloting

[alloycowboy]

[spazsinbad]

[Dragon029]

Here you go Spaz:

'Magic Carpet' Enables ‘Fundamental Shift’ In U.S. Naval Piloting
May 22, 2018 James Drew | Aviation Week & Space Technology

The days of U.S. naval fighter pilots performing stick-and-throttle landings are numbered as the Navy introduces the Lockheed Martin F-35C and the newest “Magic Carpet” landing technology for the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler.

Better known as Precision Landing Mode, the initial version of Maritime Augmented Guidance with Integrated Controls for Carrier Approach and Recovery Precision Enabling Technologies (Magic Carpet) was fielded in October 2016. It almost fully automates the process of landing the Super Hornet on the deck of U.S. supercarriers by introducing new flight control laws and head-up display symbology.

- Latest version of ‘Magic Carpet’ to compensate for degraded sensors and control surfaces

- ‘Fully redundant’ version being released to the fleet in fall 2019

The version currently fielded deliberately “trips out” if anything goes wrong with the aircraft, or if the weather conditions and sea state are not optimal. However, program officials from Naval Air Systems Command (Navair) told Aviation Week in a recent interview that the final version that automates landings in all recoverable conditions is scheduled for release to the fleet in the fall of 2019.

One of the goals of the Magic Carpet program was to end dependence on the pilot’s skill at landing safely on an aircraft carrier. The F/A-18F/A and EA-18G already come equipped with an Automatic Carrier Landing System, but this technology is not fully redundant, so pilots must still practice traditional stick-and-throttle landings when the aircraft must be landed manually.

Magic Carpet will hold the Super Hornet at a constant speed and angle of attack along the glide path to an arrested landing. The new flight control laws make thousands of microcorrections to the aircraft’s control surfaces as it descends toward the carrier deck, visibly different to a manual landing, where the control surfaces are held relatively steady.

The introduction of Magic Carpet has dramatically reduced pilot workload, and during testing F/A-18 landing dispersion rates were reduced by about 50%.

Magic Carpet was first tested at sea aboard the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) in 2015 (AW&ST April 13-26, 2015, p. 31). As a result of these trials, Navy leadership sought an initial fleet release in 2016, to be followed by the fully redundant capability in 2019.

“The Navy was so impressed with the performance, they wanted the system sooner rather than later,” explains James “Buddy” Denham, the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division’s senior scientific technical manager for air vehicles and aeromechanics. “We’ve delivered the initial version, and it’s been deployed on operations since then. But if there’s any failure, like a sensor or flap, it trips out, and they’re back to legacy stick-and-throttle flying. By 2019, Super Hornet and Growler squadrons will have the full capability.”

Navair has been steadily expanding Magic Carpet’s flight envelope to recoverable failure conditions, such as failed training edge flaps, failed leading edge flaps and failed ailerons. Those are the main failure modes, but flight testing will continue to other flight control surfaces as well.

Test pilot Lt. Chris Montague of Navy Air Test and Evaluation Sqdn. 23 is one of the aviators helping to validate new increments of Magic Carpet. The goal, he says, is to eventually do away with the need to maintain and certify legacy stick-and-throttle landing skills, which is time-consuming and expensive.

“We are trying to make it where we only land via Precision Landing Modes,” he says. “There is the [F/A-18] Automatic Carrier Landing System, but even with that, we have to maintain the proficiency. This would be a fundamental change. Ultimately, we should spend more time training on other portions of the mission.”

Landing on an aircraft carrier is one of the most difficult and dangerous parts of a fixed-wing naval aviator’s mission, especially in rough sea states or with failed control surfaces. Any deviation from the glide path or loss of energy during this terminal phase could result in a hard landing that seriously injures the pilot or damages the aircraft and/or ship.

Denham says the landing process has already been fully automated in the Lockheed Martin F-35B/C, which uses a GPS-based relative navigation system developed by Raytheon, the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System (JPALS). The future MQ-25 Stingray UAV will also use JPALS.

The Super Hornet is now catching up. Denham says the introduction of Magic Carpet has already led to a “significant improvement” in boarding rates and touchdown dispersions.

“The F-35 was fully redundant on all of this up-front; they don’t do manual stick-and-throttle recoveries,” he says. “Now that [the F/A-18E/F-series] has a technology that’s fully redundant, we can make that fundamental shift.”