FRACTIONAL-ORDER PID CONTROL FOR ADAPTIVE SHOCK ABSORPTION IN AIRCRAFT LANDING GEAR: DESIGN, SIMULATION, AND EXPERIMENTAL VALIDATION

This study introduces an advanced Fractional-Order Proportional-Integral-Derivative (FOPID) control system for aircraft landing gear shock absorption, demonstrating significant improvements over conventional approaches. Through rigorous simulation and experimental validation, the proposed controller achieves an 80.3% reduction in settling time and a 43.1% decrease in overshoot compared to traditional PID systems, while maintaining 90% energy absorption efficiency. The research establishes that fractional-order control principles enable superior management of nonlinear landing dynamics, as evidenced by substantial reductions in velocity peaks and structural stress transmission. A comprehensive two-degree-of-freedom model combined with frequency-domain optimization techniques forms the theoretical foundation for these advancements. Experimental results confirm the system's robustness under variable loading conditions, with Monte Carlo analysis validating performance consistency. This work contributes to aviation safety by demonstrating how adaptive damping control can simultaneously enhance touchdown stability, passenger comfort, and mechanical component longevity. The findings position FOPID control as a transformative solution for next-generation landing gear systems, offering measurable performance gains that address critical limitations of existing technologies