Helicopter Pilot Biomechanics by Multibody Analysis

Abstract

Helicopter handling qualities can be affected by the voluntary and involuntary interaction between the vehicle dynamics and the human body biomechanics. To investigate the possible couplings, a first-principles approach has been taken: Biomechanical multibody models of the pilot upper limbs and spine have been developed along with generation procedures that can be used to represent human bodies of broadly varying anthropometric parameters. The models have been used both for the identification of the linearized behavior about arbitrary steady conditions and for full nonlinear analysis of helicopter transient maneuvers, through direct and inverse dynamics analyses.