Safety analysis of catapult takeoff of carrier-based aircraft using System-Theoretic Process Analysis method

Abstract

Catapult takeoff has become the main way for carrier-based aircraft to take off. However, as a complex process of multi-system coupling and multi-control actions link, it is an important task to ensure the safety of catapult takeoff. Therefore, this paper adopts the System-Theoretic Process Analysis (STPA) and establishes a model of catapult takeoff using the Systems Theoretic Accident Model and Process(STAMP) model. To carry out safety analysis, identify unsafe control actions and extract the causes of unsafe behavior, simulation analysis is also carried out for typical unsafe actions. The results show that using STPA to make safety analysis, combined with simulation, can comprehensively analyze and evaluate the safety of catapult takeoff, which helps identify the risk before the flight test and reduce the flight test risk.