AUTOPILOT CONTROL & RELIABILITY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP81B00878R000600010069-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 6
• Document Creation Date: December 12, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 12, 2002
• Sequence Number: 69
• Publication Date: March 5, 1959
• Content Type: FORM

STATINT
Raton of Prs o eels
LAC instrument an airplane at EAFB for the purpose of determining
STATINT week required o calibrate and check their system previous to Titles of Proposals AUTOPILOT CONTRQL & RELIABILflT
autopilot malfunctions and fixes for same, This program will involve approxi-
mately 10 fli hts s read over la - 6 weeks. Included in the 14 - 6 weeks is one
start of
flights.
Approved For Release 2002/06/1 3 : CIA- RDP81 B00878 0060001 0069 -5
OM WJAVV am 124 Change Proposal 0
STATINT
NO,
Date
a Asti i i
LAC - 1 Rev. #1
3-5-59
9) WOO Project
Baas of *jar 4cmWon nt Part or $4st 8tth risibly Part JIG. ?)bde1 of Tips
Airplane Autopilot
STATINT
(cont. attached page)
Reascaa for Proposal:
In the past four years of flight operation I Autopilot has had inconsistent
operating characteristics. The purpose of this study is to find ways and assns
of improving the autopilot stability and reliability. STATINTL
We recommended that the following be jointly investigated by LAC
(cont. on attached pages)
Sstiftted Cost and Tim Involy d $20,000.00 - See Cost Recap on Page 2
Additional d None
&etieeated Cost for tits or Parts
Additional P n ding aired None
I Ati#etod hlr Propos t ? ttpr ~) Id eaion ~] P.rfaarma e.
Rffeettysnees
0
n r 0 Inter- 0
P
gh
rosdr
oh~-nh,a ilitlr wei
t Rol.
L uiiprntt
1~-iat~enanee Service 3 Pilets L B A N O O'Raul O !alts
?rocedurs Lift Handbook )kmisl )Damp! Aataleg
Est. . ado to Aamplish Chan gn i
n Pisld
$o~tros Of Pads icr lit
ailabilit
Sparse Affected
Disposition
Initiated 3p
Approved WSPO
LAC
Project
-Approved For Release 2002/06/13 : Cl
-RDP81 B00878R000600010Q69-5
069-1 Revised 3-10-59 to include cost estimate. 1a 1 of 6
 STATINTL
LAC X11 have special Trim Servo oontml, mach edifier,
roll tram servo and engineer ready to start this test on
about ~h 2 . Costs of in-plant engineering re Qo*ing above units an
STATINTL absorbed as product 3nprove~osnt. t ly cost additic to flight
STATINTL test is is engineer services for test.
Ca~i-agws~3r-~ #~t~.ho~-~-eaa#a~~k i~a~s~.~a-ar
Cost Es tima to
STATINTL
Page z
Approved Fo= r Release 2002/06/13 : CIA-RDP81 B0087000600010069-5 Rev* 3-105'
K 1W
Nature of Proposal (Cont.)
3,000
esign 2, 500
Flight Test _14 ___0
$20,000
Authorization required but no additional funding. Present SP-1918 funding
seems sufficient to cover these costs. Propose that cost be divided between
Customers 1 and 2.
Approved For Release 2002/06/13 : CIA-RDP81 B00878R000600010069-5
 Approved For Release 2002/06/13 : CIA-RDP81 B00878R000600010069-5
Reason for Proposal (cont.)
All of the flight complaints and U. functions 0
Availability of better quality components and/or better
quality control.
Improvement of circuit stability characteristics to provide
consistent servo outputs.
4. Flight tests as required to aoeomplish task.
The pilots reported the following malfunctions:
1. PITCSt When the mach sensor is not engaged, the pitch trim must
be constantly adjusted. It in easier to fly the airplane manually
than to be continually readjusting the PITCH TRIM of the autopilot.
Pilots estimate that pitch correction is required every 30 seconds,
The autopilot apparently needs a better vertical reference since
the airspeed will vary 2 or 3 Dots. .
2a ROLLs Airplane will not assume heading after a turn on auto-
pilot without waiting 3 to 5 minuteso
If the roll ands is trimmed by the pilot, in order to hasten
recovery from the turn, then the autopilot will be maladjusted
5 minutes later.
3. CALIBRATIOFt Autopilot varies from day to day and during a
flight. A. pilot may report as airplane and autopilot as satis-
facory, and than the next day the same pilot flying the same
airplane and autopilot may report the autopilot as entirely
=aatisfactory. The autopilots are not consistent and require
calibration after 80% of all flights.
L~. The recent Service Bulletin to improve the pitch trim servo did not
*fix* the trouble. The service bulletin served only to make the
Installation less dangerous.
Even though the mach sensor helps the pitch trim of the autopilot,
it too is inconsistent.
In some cases the autopilot would not stabilise in the early part
of the flight but would improve after 2 or 3 hours of flight and
would perform with near perfection for the remainder of the flight..
On subsequent flights, the equipment would usually be erratic.
The following VA.' s have been emudned and the complaints and basic causes
will be investigated.
Rage
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 Page k
for 0 provd~For Release 2002/06/13 : CIA-RDP81 B00878R000600010069-5
Reason pos t Cron . `..WNoe
11 NO.
SCRII'TIQN
Q2 3/26/58 AmnI ier . Gyro Control
Serial. 1681
58-588
5123/58
Amplifier - Gym
Control 2007
58-82
5/29/58
Control amplifier
58.835
6/17/58
Control Amplifier
58-839
6/18/58
Control Amplifier
58-r
7/23/58
Control Amplifier
,`,,?846
7/23/58
Control Amplifier
58-57
4/7/58
Flight Controller
"-60
4/18/58 Flight Controller
58-61
4/18/58. Flight Controller
5583
3A6/58
Flight Controller
58-404
3/26/58
night Controller
Serial
27065
58-611
5/8/58
Flight Controller
Serial
2'7021
58-69
l,/30/58
Trim Control
CgILLM
law signal appeared
with no you
displacement.
Would not fly level.
Ship went Nose UP
or Nose DOWN
Could not beep wings
level -e not enough
roll trim.
Turn Knob -
inoperative,
During P.E.
inspection. Goes
hard over in roll.
Goes hard over in
roll,
Would not hold
heading.
A.P. vould not stay
engaged in * 0P
position.
NO PITCH
synchronisation,
k.P. would not
engage.
No a i,gnal from
pitch command knob.
No pitch
synchronisation.
No pitch
synchronization.
Automatic trim
runs away.
and
Potentiometer 4200
81010 R104 &
8107 not grounded,
R115 we.s not
installed.
Defective Vak,
vertical gyro,
internal
failure L .P.
cant. amp.
Defective turn 60;10
motor.
Defective 8100
control A.P. since
amp* re-coa.-
dition.
Defective roll 3300.0
control follow up.
Defective control 1I4t20
A.P. & Oyro,'
inkno
U
Open rotor In
pitch learsyn.
Presume gear
train.
Malfunction.
Presume gear
train
ma3motion.
315100
Unk.
Approved For Release 2002/06/13 : CIA-RDP81 B00878R000600010069-5
 Reason for propoa fpp - ,I or Release 2002/06/13: CIA-RDP81 B008.7788R000600010069-5
+t%A- 12.
,
RIp3'Ii}
58-6+32
6/20/58
Trim Control
Serial
2681
58-693
3/29/58
Trim Control
Serial
IM15
5842
2/7/58
Trim Control
58-70
5/5/58
Control ch Sensor
58-30
3/7/58
*,Ch Controller
58-40
3/`28/58 Mach ilifier
`-+< 4/4/58 Vertical Gyro
58 252
2/13/58 Rate Gyro
58-36
4/3/58
Rate Cerro
58-+x+33
4/4/58
Rate 0yro
58-251
2/32/58
Follow-tom Bats and
Ai mpl,aeement.
Page
CgOAM C
During Bench Check Unknown New
sticking 8102 Relay
was found.
During Bench Checks, na~u 00800
Dom Trim
stuch in open position.
Caused elevator trim Up Trim Relay 30=00
tab to drive full sticking.
Noe UP. A.P. engaged
4 times - each time
full lose UP trim.
Mach Sensor
Inoperative,
Mach Sensor had no Fomd to be
affect in flight. acs p1etely dead,
A.F. could not be
engaged. Mach amp
caused *J. 2 amp
"iK phase fuse blow.
Unknown
Hard over in roll..
Aircraft pitches
with A.P. engaged.
Cause aircraft to
oscillate in pitch
axis - oscillation
large and slow.
Low output, lade
excessive noise.
Unk.
1~40100
Unk.
Vertical gym Unk.
would not fully
erect.
Rate *yro was 202:00
leaking fluid
badly. Needs
better sealing
methods.
Pitch rate gyro 220.00
acmpletely
inoperative.
Faulty no or0
Stator Shaft of Water in cannon 377.75
follower would not plug. Gearing
rotate freely. dirty & corroded.
Trouble in YAW
axis only.
Approved For Release 2002/06/13 : CIA-RDP81 B00878R000600010069-5
 Approved For Release 2002/06/13 : CIA-RDP81 B00878R000600010069-5
Reason for Proposal (cont.) ``
Tom.
A ;
&!0_A-IFTJ
58.451
4/4/`58
Control - Follow-up
58-450
4/4,58
Control - Fcllowp
-4
8/6/57
Control - Follow-p
-8
8/25/57
Control - Follow . p
-20
3A /58
Control - Fonov-qV
58-+1
58.837
2/10/58 Control Follow-u
647/58 C-2 Transmitter
X38
6/17/58
Motor and Drive
Assembly
58-63
4/21/58
Amplifier Altitude
cant,
Oscillation in roll
ain both faired
and gust.
intermittent low
output.
Bared full
left roll*
Too sensitive.
Oscillates.
Inoperative.
Hard over in roll
aide gust position.
Cotes off 50. NS Defective 346:10
and EW adjust, screws C-2 Transmitter
would not oorrect
error.
Excessive noise from Defective motor
Page Go
_Oz
Continuity checks
495100
O.K. Oscillation
was intermittent.
F*13mi-V Rotor
int z tten
tly
open.
is 3451 t
U8#15
54120
145OD-1 output
283 50
erratic,
Open circuit
in 24501)-I
38:05
Open rotor.
Unk.
and drive
assexmbly.
Mach Sensor Internal
inoperative. failures.
313:10
Approved For Release 2002/06/13 : CIA-RDP81 B00878R000600010069-5