Handling Qualities Requirements

As a result of the inability to carry out completely rational design of the pilot – machine combination, it is customary for the government agencies responsible for the procurement of military airplanes, or for licensing civil airplanes, to specify com­pliance with certain “handling (or flying) qualities requirements” (e. g., ICAO, 1991; USAF, 1980; USAF, 1990). Handling qualities refers to those qualities or character­istics of an aircraft that govern the ease and precision with which a pilot is able to perform the tasks required in support of an aircraft role (Cooper and Harper, 1969).

These requirements have been developed from extensive and continuing flight research. In the final analysis they are based on the opinions of research test pilots, substantiated by careful instrumentation. They vary from country to country and from agency to agency, and, of course, are different for different types of aircraft. They are subject to continuous study and modification in order to keep them abreast of the lat­est research and design information. Because of these circumstances, it is not feasible to present a detailed description of such requirements here. The following is intended to show the nature, not the detail, of typical handling qualities requirements.[3] Most of the specific requirements can be classified under one of the following headings.