Simulating faults in integrated systems and their impact on the aircraft

This paper focuses on estimating faults in complex large-scale integrated aircraft systems, especially where they interact with, and control, the aircraft dynamics. A general assumption considered in the reliability of such systems is that any component level fault will be monitored, detected and corrected by some fault management capability. However, a reliance on fault management assumes not only that it can detect and manage all faults, but also that it can do so in sufficient time to recover from any deviation in the aircraft dynamics and flight path. Thus, this paper examines how faults can ripple through a system by simulating the key dynamics within the system before and after any fault management may resolve them, using the case study of adaptive control's response to an elevator control reversal as a case study.