NASA - National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Intelligent Flight Control System (IFCS)

The Intelligent Flight Control System (IFCS) flight research project is designed to evaluate self-learning neural network concepts into flight control software that can efficiently optimize aircraft performance in both normal and failure conditions, enabling a pilot to maintain control and safely land an aircraft that has suffered a major systems failure or combat damage. The IFCS testbed aircraft is a highly-modified NF-15B. An advanced, fully redundant IFCS software may be test-flown on an Air Force C-17 cargo aircraft in the future.

NASA Dryden's highly modified F-15B, tail number 837, seen here with the Boron Mine as a backdrop, resumed Intelligent Flight Control System (IFCS) project flights on Dec. 6, 2002.