This paper recalls a non-linear constructive
method, based on controlling cascades of conic-systems as it
applies to the control of quad-rotor aircraft. Such a method
relied on the physical model of the system to construct high performance,
modest sampling period (Ts = .02 s) and low complexity
digital-controllers. The control of fixed-wing aircraft,
however is not nearly a straight forward task in extending
results related to the control of quad-rotor aircraft. Although
fixed-wing aircraft and quad-rotor aircraft ultimately share
the same kinematic equations of motion, fixed-wing aircraft
are intimately dependent on their relationship to the wind
reference frame. This additional coupling leads to additional
equations of motion including those related to the angle-of attack,
slide-slip-angle, and bank angle. As a result a more
advanced non-linear control method known as back-stepping is
required to compensate for non-passive non-linearity's. These
back-stepping controllers are recursive in nature and can even
address actuator magnitude and rate limitations and even
include adaptability to unknown lift and drag coefficients. This
paper presents a non-adaptive back-stepping controller which
is aimed to verify a fixed-wing aircraft model not subject to
actuator limitations (in order to simplify discussion). The back-stepping
controller proposed is less complex then previously
proposed controllers, exhibits similar response characteristics
while being robust to both steady head wind shear and discrete-time
wind gust disturbances.