Boeing, U.S. Army test Adaptive Vehicle Management System integrated with H-6 helicopter

MESA, Ariz., 13 March 2012.Boeing (NYSE:BA) engineers, together with U.S. Army personnel, completed a series of tests on the company’s Adaptive Vehicle Management System (AVMS), an advanced rotorcraft flight control system. During the tests, a Boeing H-6 helicopter equipped with the integrated AVMS conducted seven test flights in Arizona between 9 and 21 Dec.

The tests demonstrated how AVMS adapts the flight controls to the aircraft’s flight condition, environment, and pilot intent, improving the aircraft’s ability to operate in reduced-visibility situations with greater stability and improved safety.

Engineers designed AVMS, over a period of two years, to deliver enhanced maneuverability and safety, as well as reduced aircrew workload and operating costs.

“AVMS is a step forward from a traditional flight control system in that it is able to process large amounts of information and communicate with the pilot through forces applied to the control sticks,” says James Dryfoos, Boeing AVMS program manager. “These tactile cues allow the pilot and aircraft to work together better and maximize mission effectiveness.”

“Many elements of the AVMS can be incorporated into the CH-47 Chinook and AH-64 Apache rotorcraft platforms, and could be a key capability in future Boeing aircraft such as Future Vertical Lift rotorcraft,” explains Steve Glusman, director, Boeing Advanced Mobility, a division of Boeing Phantom Works. “Projects such as AVMS deliver on Boeing’s promise to be more affordable, agile, and innovative in a resource-constrained environment.”

AVMS is a joint development project between the U.S. Army Aviation Applied Technology Directorate (AATD) and Boeing. The company is competing for the second developmental phase of the project, scheduled to be awarded later this year.