Flight Control Design for Air Vehicles (FCD) is a comprehensive technical short course that
delves into the principles and processes of flight worthy guidance and autopilot algorithms. The
course equips the participants with the design, methodologies, analysis, and testing required to
take an airframe from paper to flight test.

Participants will learn the expertise required to design and develop real life flight control designs
applied in industry in a minimal amount of time while guaranteeing performance requirements.
The curriculum blends the foundations with hands-on applications, ensuring attendees acquire
both knowledge and practical experience. Topics include performance analysis and testing
methodologies essential for developing and optimizing flight control systems.

Whether working on military, commercial, or academic projects, this course provides critical
competencies to enhance system performance in high-demand aerospace applications. This
course is beneficial to engineers new to the workforce, experienced designers, and agencies
who are required to review the validity of flight control designs.

• Basic Control Systems
• Theory Review
• Dynamics and Modeling
• Coordinate Frames
• Guidance Algorithms
• Autopilot Development
• Aerodynamic Models
• State Feedback and Pole Placement
• Flexible Structures in Air Vehicles
• Flight Software Integration
• Flight Testing Procedures

This intensive 3-day training program provides participants with an in-depth understanding of flight control design through structured learning:

Day 1: Foundations of Flight Control

• Introduction to flight control systems
• Basic control theory and system dynamics
• Coordinate frames and reference systems
• Fundamentals of guidance algorithms

Day 2: Advanced Flight Control Strategies

• Autopilot design and implementation
• Aerodynamic modeling and stability analysis
• State feedback, pole placement, and control optimization
• Simulation and performance analysis techniques

Day 3: Application & Testing

• Flight software integration and validation
• Testing methodologies for control systems
• Flexible structures and their impact on flight control
• Case studies and real-world applications

To maximize the benefits of this course, participants should have:

• A fundamental understanding of aerospace engineering or a related discipline
• Basic knowledge of control systems and dynamics
• Familiarity with flight mechanics and aerodynamic principles
• Experience with simulation tools (recommended but not required)

This course is designed for flight control engineers, aerospace system designers, UAV developers, missile systems engineers, and aerospace professionals looking to enhance their expertise in flight control design.

Suggested WEA Preparatory Courses

• Aerodynamics For Engineers (AFE)