Aircraft Landing With Decelerated Approach
(Longitudinal Movement Model)
Alexandru-Nicolae Tudosie
Department of Electrical, Power Systems
and Aerospace Engineering
Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Craiova
Craiova, Romania
atudosie@elth.ucv.ro, antudosie@yahoo.com
Abstract—The paper deals with a mathematical model for
airplanes’ longitudinal movement during the approach-stage of
the landing. One has described an aerodynamic decelerated
approach and has established the correlation between airplane’s
flight commands and thrust level (engines’ commands).
Airplane’s command law was issued (a common law, for rudder
and throttle positions), according to the approach law, which
should be implemented into its board computer for the landing
phase of the flight; system’s mathematical model was used for
some simulations concerning its quality.
Keywords—landing; approach; speed; command law; engine
thrust; control;
I. INTRODUCTION
Landing is the last part of an airplane/aircraft flight, where
it returns to the ground. Airplanes and aircraft usually land at
an airport (airbase) on a firm runway, generally constructed of
asphalt concrete or concrete, but for small airplanes some
airports have runways of gravel or grass.
To land, the airspeed and the rate of descent are reduced to
where the object descends at a slow enough rates to allow for a
gentle touchdown. Landing is accomplished by slowing down
and descending to the runway. This speed reduction is
accomplished by reducing thrust and/or inducing a greater
amount of drag using flaps, landing gear or speed brakes. As
the plane approaches the ground, the pilot will execute a flare
(also known as “roundout”) to induce a gentle landing.
Although the pilots are trained to perform the landing
operation, there are “Instrument Landing Systems” in most of
modern airports to help pilots land the aircrafts.
An instrument landing system (ILS) is a ground-based
instrument approach system that provides precision guidance to
an airplane/aircraft approaching and landing on a runway,
using a combination of radio signals and, in many cases, high-
intensity lighting arrays to enable a safe landing during
instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), such as low
ceilings or reduced visibility due to fog, rain, or blowing snow.
Landing stages, as fig. 1 shows, are: a) the descent (with a
small slope J ) from the cruise flight altitude to the runway
threshold; b) the approach (landing period when the airplane
978-1-4673-8562-6/16/$31.00©2016 IEEE
Florentin-Alin Buþu
Aerospace Engineering Doctoral School,
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restores the horizontal flight); c) the flare (a short period of
hold-off, then the airplane is “parachuted” by increasing the
attack angle, until the touchdown is accomplished); d)
touchdown and ground roll.
Different aircrafts/airplanes respond different to landing
maneuvers; meanwhile, pilots and air companies (airlines)
choose different approaches for landing and, consequently,
different regulations for it. However, main regulations and
maneuvers remains the same for the same type of
airplane/aircraft, only pilots’ skills are making the difference.
For example, many companies have adopted the “stabilized
approach” for their airplanes. A stabilized approach is one in
which the aircraft maintains a predetermined speed and
configuration. A stabilized approach begins at a predetermined
point (for example, an outer marker). Beyond this point, the
aircraft is “in the window” or “on speed” and properly
configured. Different companies have different parameters.
They may include aircraft configuration, speed, minimum
power settings, and vertical speed, to name a few. Many
airlines have programs, called FOQA (flight operation quality
assurance) and, consequently, have implemented systems on
their aircraft that record when an unstabilized approach is
performed. Most aircraft that run off the end of a runway on
landing did not shoot a stabilized approach.
Landing is one of the most studied phases of the flight
because it is the most important [4]; automatic landing is, also,
one of the most studied aerospace issues, both for
aircraft/airplanes and for space vehicles (shuttles) as shown in
[7], [9] and [10].
A S
[
B
R
Hsl
runway
Hab
touchdown
J
M C D
descent approach flare ground roll
Fig. 1. Airplane’s landing stages
 This paper deals with a decelerated approach landing-type B Vg /

and emphasizes the correlation between flight commands and C

engines’ thrust level during the above-mentioned evolution.

J
Similar correlations, but for other different situations, were also

Hab
studied in [8] and, partially, in [11] and [12]. vs touchdown
V

J
C
//
M C D
II. DYNAMICS OF THE DECELERATED APPROACH
Approach phase may be more or less extended, according approach flare ground roll
to airplane’s specifications and to pilots’ skills; approaching
phase (curve BC in fig. 1) can be extended at the expense of Fig. 2. Airplane’s decelarated approach
descending phase (line AB in fig. 1), so the approach phase
begins in A or very close to this point. configuration C 
z ap 0.8 y 0.9Cz max  ; consequently,
The approach curve BC starts in B (where the descending usually values for nz are nz 1.15 y 1.8 , smaller values for
slope is J ) and may be a circle arc ( R  radius), a parabola arc
passenger airplanes, higher values for combat aircraft.
or may have an exponential equation; what is important is the
correlation between airplane’s speed components (translation Trajectory radius for circular approach is given by:
speed and descent speed), in order to keep a safe value for the
lift force and to decrease progressively the descent component Vg2
until the plane restores its horizontal flight at the runway’s R , (5)
nz  cos[g
threshold or a few meters after. Obviously, ILS should have an
essential contribution to airplane’s trajectory during this kind while the approach length is
of approach.
Vg2 ˜ sin[
Classical approach consists of a circular trajectory BC, its Lap (6)
angle being [ J and its radius R (see fig. 1); airplane’s nz  cos[g
speed at the beginning of the approach is the gliding speed Vg Lap
and the approach duration tap . Consequently, the altitude
on the descent trajectory: Vg
of the approach beginning becomes:
2 ˜ m ˜ g ˜ cos[
Vg , (1)
S ˜ Cz g H ab H C  R 1  cos[ (7)
where m is airplane’s mass, g  gravity acceleration, and if one considers that the approach ends close to the runway
S  wing’s surface area, C z g  lift coefficient for airplane’s H C | 0 , it results
gliding configuration C 
z g 0.5 y 0.7 Cz max  . Meanwhile, Vg2 1  cos[
sink velocity (descent speed component) vs is vs Vg sin[ , but H ab . (8)
nz  cos[g
dH For a decelerated approach (see fig. 2), the trajectory has a
it also can be expressed as vs .
dt variable J  angle, from its initial value J B to 0 in C, when the
Airplane’s movement equation during approach becomes flare should begin. Consequently, sink velocity vs should
decrease from its initial value in B (resulted from airplane’s
Vg d[ descent) to 0, simultaneously with other component increasing,
˜ nz  cos[ , (2) in order to assure a minimum safety gliding speed.
g dt
Engines’ thrust F should be established according to the
§V ·
or else, considering d[ d¨ t ¸, V Vg , safe gliding necessity; its value must balance the drag during
©R ¹ the approach phase and, supplementary, offer a small safety
reserve, while drag’s amount is
V g2
n z  cos[g , (3) U
R SVg2 C x g ,
Dg (9)
where nz is normal overload factor, defined as lift P versus 2
weight G ratio, as follows: where C x g is drag coefficient, corresponding to the
airplane’s approach configuration and attack angle for the
P C z ap current sink velocity. So, F (1.05 y 1,1) Dg and it must assure
nz , (4)
G C z g airplane’s horizontal flight BC/ in the same time it descends
C z ap being airplane’s lift coefficient for approach from the safety altitude H ab to runway’s threshold (BC//).
 (Ground station) ILS
Engine
Board Airplane
Engine
Input signals Computer (or aircraft)
formatting Engine
block

Fig. 3. Airplane’s control formal block-diagram

Approach safety altitude H ab , as well as approach length IV. MATHEMATICAL MODEL

should be established for every airplane and/or according to Airplane/aircraft mathematical model which outlines
airline company flight policy, in order to maintain flight safety. engine’s influence was described in [9], based on those
On-board flight computer must realize the correlation presented in [4] and [7]. Its non-dimensional form is
between airplane’s longitudinal command and engines’ thrust
T
level, based on airplanes flight characteristics ª dvˆ dZˆy dHˆ º
Cz , C x  f (D,V )  and on engines’ characteristics « ˆ
dD
dtˆ
dT
dtˆ dtˆ
»
dtˆ ¼
>
Aˆ u vˆ D T Z
ˆy Hˆ @
T

¬ dt
F f ( H ,V , Gm ) , where G m is throttle’s position, which gives
engine’s rotational speed regime.  Bˆ u Gm> Gp z1 z2 z3 Xz @
T
, (10)
where non-dimensional parameters were obtained by
III. CONTROL SYSTEM DESCRIPTION convenient dividing of main parameters:
In order to correlate airplane’s/aircraft’s main
commands, a new automatic system can be imagined based on t 'V b 'H
a unique command. Using specific software and a board tˆ ; vˆ ; Ẑ y Z y ; Hˆ , (11)
Wa Vg Vg W a ˜ Vg
computer with an appropriate setting, theoretically pilots can
control the airplane during landing operations only with flight where Wa is the aerodynamic time constant, Vg  horizontal
commands (stick and rudder-bar), as fig. 3 shows. flight speed (assumed as uniform), V  airspeed, D  airplane
So, the stick and rudder-bar don’t generate input signals for dT 
attack angle, T  pitch angle, Z y T  rotational speed,
the aerodynamic control surfaces, but some input signals for a dt
signal formatting block (ISFB), which output represents the H  flight altitude, Gm  engines’ command (proportional to
input signal for the board computer (engine’s auto-pilot),
throttle’s displacement, assumed as equal for each one of
which becomes the interface with the airplane.
airplane’s engines and having the same sign), G p  tailplane’s
This ISFB realizes the signals for the engines and for flight
vwz
commands instead of throttles positioning, because it is less displacement (angle), X z ( vwz  vertical wind speed), z1 ,
precisely and could lead to uncontrollable effects (engines’ v
response time is bigger then the aerodynamic command’s z2 , z3  disturbances, A  5 u 5 matrix, A  5 u 6 matrix.
response time).
In order to simplify and clarify the equation system, one
A practical solution for the control’s improvement is the has to abandon the above sign “^”, so system’s equivalent form
commands transmissions ratio’s modifying; the stick’s and becomes:
rudder-bar’s roles, as well as engines’ fuel controllers roles, are
transferred to a control panel equipped with trimmers (in fact s  a11 v  a12D  a13T bmGm s  z1 , (12)
small control wheels, meant to preset the command parameters:
flight speed, pitch angle, banding angle, flight course etc). The a21v  s  a22 D  s  a23 T z2 , (13)
board computer should process these signals (parameters),
together with the airplane’s (aircraft’s) flight parameters  
 a41v  a42D  s 2  a44s  a43 T bp G p s   b0 z2  z3 , (14)
obtained as feed-beck signals.
sH T  D  Xz , (15)
From the pilot’s point of view, this one will preset the input
argument’s (parameters) using the board panel or the stick’s where coefficients a11 , a12 , a13 , a21 ,... have the forms in [4].
and rudder bar’s displacement. The board computer realizes the
One has to choose the command law(s) in order to separate,
transforming into input signals for engines, with respect to the
eventually, the influences: engines’ regime determines flight
airplane’s (aircraft’s) flight altitude and attitude.
speed and flight command(s) determines airplane/aircraft’s
angle(s); consequently, command laws forms are:
 G m (s ) kmv v  kmv
v
(s)v  kmv T (s)T  kmH
v
(s ) H , (16) P1v s v f1 s  , P2T s T f 2 s  . (24)

G p (s ) k pT T  k pv (s)v  k pT (s)T  k pH H . (17) s  a11

P1v s  k mv
v
s  k Hv skmH
v
s  
bm
First of all, from these forms one can express the
correlation between flight commands and engine commands, a41s  a41a22  a42 a21
by eliminating the terms containing H . One obtains  ; (25)
bp s  a22 
k Tp ª k s  v º
a13
G m s  k mv v  v
k mH s T  «k mv
v
s   pvH k mH s » v  P1T s  k mv T s   k HT s k mH
v
s   
k pH «¬ kp »¼ bm

ª k T (s ) v º k v (s ) s3  a44  a22 s 2  a43  a44 a22  a42 s  a43a22  a42 a23

 «k mv T (s)  p H k mH (s)» T  mHH G p (s) , (18)  ; (26)
kp kp bp s  a22 
¬« ¼»

s  a22  ˜ s ˜ k Hv s  a21  s  aH22  ˜ s u

as well as the expression of the attack angle, from (15),
P2 v s 
kp
k pT § k (s) ·
D T  X z  sH  H s T  ¨1  pTH s ¸T  u a41s  a41a22  a42 a21  ; (27)
kp ¨ kp ¸
© ¹


k pv (s)
sv  X z 
1
sG p s  . (19) P2 T s  s  a23   s  a22 >1  k HT s @  s  aH22  ˜ s u
k pH k pH kp

Some annotations can be made, in order to simplify the

above-determined expressions:
>
u s 3  a44  a22 s 2  a43  a44 a22  a42 s  a43a22  a42 a23 . (28) @
From the condition P2 v s  0 , identifying properly the
k Tp k pv s  k pT s 
k HT , k Hv s  and k HT s  . (20) terms of a formal expression s 2  2]Z2s  Z22 0 (where the
k pH k pH k pH
Z2 frequency should be properly chosen), one obtains:
Meanwhile, from (12), (13) and (14) one obtains for Gm (s) x
a41a22  a42 a21
1 k Hv s  k Hv  ; sk Hv k Hv 0. (29)
G m (s )
bm s  a11 
^>
s 2  a11  a22 s  a11a22  a12 a21 v  @ Z22
The other condition P1T s  0 gives some similar results
 >a12  a13 s  a12 a23  a13a22 @T  z1  a12 z2 s  a22 ` (21)
bm k mT s  bm k mT a43a22  a42 a23 ; (30)
and for G p (s)
x
1 bmsk mH s  bm k mH a21s . (31)
G p (s )
bp s  a22 
^>
s 3  a44  a22 s 2  a43  a44 a22  a42 s 
For the transfer function one has chosen the Vishnegradski
form (as in [4] and in [7]):
 a43a22  a42 a23 @T  a41s  a41a22  a42 a21 v  s  a22 b0 z2 
Ts  k HT ss  a22 
 z3   a42 z2 ` . (22) H TT s  , (32)
T s  s 3  A2 Z0s 2  A1Z02s  Z30
Eliminating Gm (s) between (12) and (21), respectively
eliminating D between (12), (13) and (19) and considering v s  bm k mv
H vv s  , (33)
both (21) and (22) expressions, one obtains two equations: v s  
s  bm k mv  a11 
while engine’s transfer function (thrust-throttle) for turbofans is
Piv s v  PiT s T f i s , i 1,2 , (23)
where f i s  should be the transmission ratios, respectivelly (as shown in [13] and in [9] ) H m s 
kt
. (34)
Piv s  and PiT s , i 1,2 are polynomials, being coefficients of sWt s  1
the aircraft output parameters. Their expressions are very 1
complicated (see (25)…(28)). A simplifying can be made, if Considering Z1 , where T1 is the (33)-transfer function
T1
one imposes that the channels for speed and for pitch angle
time constant, one obtains
should be independent; it results:

P1T s  0 and P2v s  0 , (23/) bm k mv (s) bm k mv a11  Z1 , (35)

so the remaining equations are: while from the other (31)- expression results
 a22  a23 k HT Consequently, transmission functions become: f v 0.173 ;
Z30  ; A2 Z0 2Z0 ] a22  , (36)
x x
k HT
which gives the values of transmission ratios k HT and k HT , if
one chooses properly Z0 and ] values.
Introducing the above-obtained expressions (29), (30), (31),
(35), (36) into (21), (22), then into (18) and (19) and using a
PD form for k VH , these expressions become:
f T 0.381 ; f v 0.173  0.794 ˜ s ; f T 2ss - 2.047   0.144 .
k HT
x In order to estimate landing system’s performances one
has performed some simulations. One has considered that the
airplane has a constant flight speed, without any disturbances
and has chosen as input parameter the preset pitch angle T .
Results are presented in fig. 5; as output parameters one has
chosen airplane’s speed, flight altitude, engines’ thrust, as well
as model’s characteristic angles: attack and pitch angle.
Simulation results are represented in fig. 5, curves which
bm G m a11  Z1 v  a12 a22 3 a23  a22  2] sT  a11  Z1  can be considered as representing system’s quality.
Descending speed and altitude are continuously
Z0
decreasing; speed’s slope also decreases, following the
a12 a21 · ª a º vertical component behavior, tending to null during the last
 2
s ¸¸v  «a12  a13   12 s  s  a22  2]Z0 »T 
Z0 ¹ ¬ s  a22 ¼ Engines’ thrust initially decreases, in order to engage
a21
 sG p ,
a11
equivalent to Gm f v v  f Ts T  f v v  f T T  f GsG p ;
Gp k1 f v v  f Ts T  k 2 f v v  k 3 f TT .
Considering T const. , terms in (38) and (39) containing
the quantity s T become null.
Landing system transfer function is depicted in fig. 4.
V. PERFORMANCES ESTIMATION
In order to estimate the performances of the above studied
system, one has to perform a numerical simulation, using some
data about a real airplane; flight conditions were considered
according ISO standard, without wind and no disturbances.
One has chosen the values presented in [4], also used in [9]
and [8], concerning a passenger airplane equipped with two
turbofan engines. Coefficient’s values are: a11 0.12 ;
a12 0.28 ; a13 0.4 ; a 21 0.8 ; a 22 2.5 ; a 23 0.02 ;
a41 a42 0.55 ; Z0 0.7 ; Z1 0.25 ; Z3 0.5 ; ] 0.6 .
stage of airplane’s trajectory (preparing the flare-stage).
airplane’s descent, then tends to restore, but reestablished at a
(37) lower level, imposed by aircraft descent demands, while
aircraft pitch angle follows trajectory’s angular behavior.
(38) Airplane’s attack angle has an interesting behavior, its
curve having an initial increasing and a final decreasing, with
(39) a point of maximum value, which corresponds to the moment
of engine’s thrust restore, after that tending to restore
airplane’s attitude.
VI. CONCLUSIONS
The paper deals with a particular case of airplane’s landing,
its approaching stage being decelerated by correlation of
engines’ thrust and flight command(s) amplitude.
The authors have used a linearised mathematical model for
a medium-heavy twin turbofan engine airplane, its coefficients
being calculated or estimated based on some previous results,
for low altitude flights. Particularly for this model is the
inclusion of engine’s operating effects influence on airplane’s
movement equation(s).
Based on this linearised non-dimensional model one has
established airplane’s command laws for longitudinal
movement, having in mind speed and angular channels de-
coupling, in order to facilitate aircraft’s command during its

fT T

_
T + Gp Gp bp Airplane T T
fT s ¦ (s-a22)
characteristics

v
_
v + kt Gm bm v v v
fv ¦
_ s(Wt s+1) (s-a11)
Airplane
Turbofan engine

fv
v
Fig. 4. Airplane’s landing control block-diagram
 v H important flight stage - the landing. One has determined
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
0 command laws’ form, as well as their coefficients and
t [s] transmission functions, which were further used for some
-0.02 numerical simulations.
-0.04 Simulation results were presented for most important flight
parameters, such as airplane’s aerodynamic angles, flight
-0.06 altitude and engines’ thrust.
This study can be extended for airplane’s lateral movement,
-0.08 involving a new mathematical model form for this kind of
H
v flight situation, as well as new type of command laws.
-0.10
The described method and the results obtained in this paper
-0.12 is useful for further studies involving airplanes’ or aircrafts’
assisted landing, as well as for extended studies concerning
-0.14 airplane’s command using its engines, as possible back-up
a) when flight commands are inactive.

F T ACKNOWLEDGMENT
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
0
t [s] This work is supported by grant no. 89/1.10.2015 (Modern
-0.04 architectures for the control of aircraft landing) of the Romanian
National Authority for Scientific Research and Innovation,
-0.08 CNCS – UEFISCDI, project code PN-II-RU-TE-2014-4-0849.
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-0.12
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Fig. 5. Airplane’s parameters behavior (system’s quality)