Optimal take-off trajectories in the presence of windshear (Q1060689)

This paper is concerned with optimal flight trajectories in the presence of windshear. With particular reference to take-off, eight fundamental optimization problems [Problems (P1)-(P8)] are formulated under the assumptions that the power setting is held at the maximum value and that the airplane is controlled through the angle of attack. - Problems (P1)- (P3) are least-square problems of the Bolza type. Problems (P4)-(P8) are minimax problems of the Chebyshev type, which can be converted into Bolza problems through suitable transformations. These problems are solved employing the dual sequential gradient-restoration algorithm for optimal control problems. Numerical results are obtained for a large number of combinations of performance indexes, boundary conditions, windshear models, and windshear intensities. However, for the sake of brevity, the presentation of this paper is restricted to Problem (P6), minimax \(| \Delta h|\), and Problem (P7), minimax \(| \Delta \gamma |\). Inequality constraints are imposed on the angle of attack and the time derivative of the angle of attack.