# US 10,502,760 B2 · Pitot-static air data test system with pilot and co-pilot verification > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,502,760 B2 - Document ID: US10502760B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/485,024 - Filed: 2017-04-11 - Published: 2018-10-11 - Granted: 2019-12-10 - Earliest claimed: 2017-04-11 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Neil Cahill; Neil Stewart Sands; Peter John McCarthy; Mehmood Ismail Esa; Philip John Bradley - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10502760B2 ## CPC - G01P 21/00: Testing or calibrating of apparatus or devices covered by the preceding groups - B64D 43/02: for indicating aircraft speed or stalling conditions - B64F 5/60: Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems - G01P 5/16: using Pitot tubes {, e.g. Machmeter} - G01P 13/025: {indicating air data, i.e. flight variables of an aircraft, e.g. angle of attack, side slip, shear, yaw} - G01P 21/025: {for measuring speed of fluids; for measuring speed of bodies relative to fluids (for measuring volume flow G01F25/10)} - G01P: MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT (measuring or recording blood flow A61B5/02, A61B8/06; monitoring speed or deceleration of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00; vehicle lighting systems adapted to indicate speed B60Q1/54; determining position or course in navigation, measuring ground distance in geodesy or surveying G01C; combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement G01C23/00; measuring velocity of sound G01H; measuring velocity of light G01J7/00; measuring direction or velocity of solid objects by reception or emission of radiowaves or other waves and based on propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effect, propagation time, direction of propagation, G01S; measuring speed of nuclear radiation G01T; measuring acceleration of gravity G01V; {measuring or recording the speed of trains B61L23/00; speed indicators incorporated in motor vehicles B60K35/00; measuring frequency or phase G01R; traffic control G08G}) - B64D: EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLIGHT SUITS; PARACHUTES; ARRANGEMENT OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSION TRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT - B64F: GROUND OR AIRCRAFT-CARRIER-DECK INSTALLATIONS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR USE IN CONNECTION WITH AIRCRAFT; DESIGNING, MANUFACTURING, ASSEMBLING, CLEANING, MAINTAINING OR REPAIRING AIRCRAFT, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; HANDLING, TRANSPORTING, TESTING OR INSPECTING AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract An Air Data Test System (ADTS) for testing an aircraft pitot-static system including at least one pneumatic pump configured to generate an air pressure, at least two pairs of impact and static ADTS ports, a manifold system in fluid communication with the pneumatic pump and each pair of impact and static ADTS ports, and a signal processor operatively coupled to, and controlling, the at least one pneumatic pump and the manifold system. The signal processor is configured to issue control signals for independently and/or collectively testing each of the pilot and co-pilot pitot-static systems. One pair of ADTS ports is configured to supply air pressure to the pilot pitot-static system and the other pair of ADTS ports is configured to supply air pressure to the co-pilot pitot-static system. A mobile device wirelessly communicates with the signal processor to input the pressure values for testing the pilot and co-pilot pitot-static systems. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An Air Data Test System (ADTS) comprising: at least one pneumatic pump configured to produce an air pressure; at least two pairs of impact and static ADTS ports, one pair of ADTS ports configured to supply air pressure to a first pitot-static system and the other pair of ADTS ports configured to supply air pressure to a second pitot-static system; a manifold system in fluid communication with the at least one pneumatic pump and each pair of impact and static ADTS ports, wherein the manifold system includes a channel for each of the ports and further comprises a plurality of pressure sensors for controlling the pressure in each channel and a plurality of zeroing valves interposing each channel, the zeroing valves being interconnected and configured to be openable to a threshold pressure prior to commencing a data test for the purpose of eliminating drift in the pressure sensors; a signal processor operatively coupled to the at least one pneumatic pump and the manifold system and configured to issue control signals thereto to test each of the first and second pitot-static systems, and a plurality of drop-off valves interposing each channel and disposed immediately upstream of the static and pitot ports and downstream of the zeroing valves configured to manually reduce the applied pressure in the event of a system failure by sequentially opening when power is removed from the ADTS. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The Air Data Test System (ADTS) of claim 1, further comprising: a graphical user interface to communicate with the signal processor and operative to input the pressure values requisite for the testing of the first and second pitot-static systems. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The Air Data Test System (ADTS) of claim 1, wherein the signal processor is configured to monitor and maintain commanded air pressures in the manifold system. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The Air Data Test System (ADTS) of claim 1, wherein the signal processor is configured to independently and collectively issue commanded air pressure signals indicative of airspeed and altitude values to each of the first and second pitot-static systems. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The Air Data Test System (ADTS) of claim 1, wherein the signal processor issues calibrated pressure offsets between the first and second pitot-static systems to independently test the alarm systems thereof. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The Air Data Test System (ADTS) of claim 3, wherein the signal processor is configured to: (i) issue a commanded air pressure signal indicative of a commanded air pressure associated with each of the impact and static ports, (ii) monitor the air pressure in the manifold system to detect variations therein beyond a prescribed range of air pressure values, and (iii) issue an air pressure correction signal to the at least one pneumatic pump to maintain the commanded air pressure within the prescribed range of air pressure values. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The Air Data Test System (ADTS) of claim 1, wherein the at least one pneumatic pump includes a vacuum pump and a pressure pump in fluid communication with the manifold system. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The Air Data Test System (ADTS) of claim 1, wherein the manifold system comprises a plurality of precision flow control valves configured to simultaneously direct air pressure from the at least one pneumatic pump to each of the first and second pitot-static systems. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The Air Data Test System (ADTS) of claim 1, wherein the signal processor further comprises a master controller operative to control one of the pairs of impact and static ADTS ports and a slave controller operative to control the other of the pairs of impact and static ADTS ports and wherein the slave controller is synchronized with the master controller such that to simultaneously raise and lower control pressures in the manifold system. ### Claim 10 An air data test set system, comprising: at least one pneumatic pump configured to generate pressurized air; at least two pairs of impact and static ports configured to direct at least a portion of the pressured air to a pitot-static system; a manifold system, in fluid communication with the at least one pneumatic pump and each pair of impact and static ports, the manifold system comprising a plurality of flow control valves configured to direct the pressurized air from the at least one pneumatic pump to the impact and static ports, wherein the manifold system includes a channel for each of the ports and further comprises a plurality of pressure sensors for controlling the pressure in each channel and a plurality of zeroing valves interposing each channel, the zeroing valves being interconnected and configured to be openable to a threshold pressure prior to commencing a data test for the purpose of eliminating drift in the pressure sensors; a signal processor operatively coupled to the at least one pneumatic pump and the manifold system, the signal processor configured to: (i) issue a commanded air pressure signal indicative of a commanded air pressure associated with each of the impact and static ports, (ii) monitor the air pressure in the manifold system to detect variations therein beyond a prescribed range of air pressure values, and (iii) issuing an air pressure correction signal to the at least one pneumatic pump to maintain the commanded air pressure within the prescribed range of air pressure values; and a plurality of drop-off valves interposing each channel and disposed immediately upstream of the static and pitot ports and downstream of the zeroing valves configured to manually reduce the applied pressure in the event of a system failure by sequentially opening when power is removed from the ADTS. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, further comprising: a graphical user interface operably coupled to the signal processor and operative to input the pressure values requisite for testing the pitot-static system. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the signal processor simultaneously directs air pressure from the at least one pneumatic pump to each of first and a second pitot static system. ### Claim 13 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the signal processor further comprises a master controller operative to control one of the pairs of impact and static ADTS ports and a slave controller operative to control the other of the pairs of impact and static ADTS ports and wherein the slave controller is synchronized with the master controller. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The system of claim 10, wherein the signal processor issues calibrated pressure offsets between the first and second pitot-static systems to independently test the alarm systems thereof. ### Claim 15 An Air Data Test System (ADTS) for testing a pitot-static system, comprising: at least one pneumatic pump configured to generate air pressure; at least two impact ports configured to direct at least a portion of the air pressure to the pitot ports corresponding to Thea first and a second airspeed instrumentation undergoing the air data test; at least two static ports configured to direct at least a portion of the air pressure to the static ports corresponding to the first and second altitude instrumentation undergoing the air data test; a manifold system in fluid communication with the at least one pneumatic pump and comprising a plurality of flow control valves configured to simultaneously direct air pressure to both the first and second instruments through each of the impact and static ports, wherein the manifold system includes a channel for each of the ports and further comprises a plurality of pressure sensors for controlling the pressure in each channel and a plurality of zeroing valves interposing each channel, the zeroing valves being interconnected and configured to be openable to a threshold pressure prior to commencing a data test for the purpose of eliminating drift in the pressure sensors; a signal processor operatively coupled to the at least one pneumatic pump and the manifold system and configured to simultaneously control the commanded air pressure to each of the impact and static ports to perform simultaneous testing of both the first and second instruments; a mobile device connecting to the signal processor to issue command signals indicative of a prescribed air pressure value to simulate an instrumentation values in at least one instrument on under test; and a plurality of drop-off valves interposing each channel and disposed immediately upstream of the static and pitot ports and downstream of the zeroing valves configured to manually reduce the applied pressure in the event of a system failure by sequentially opening when power is removed from the ADTS. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The Air Data Test System (ADTS) of claim 15, wherein the signal processor issues calibrated pressure offsets between first and second pitot-static systems to independently test the alarm systems thereof. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The Air Data Test System (ADTS) of claim 15, wherein the signal processor is configured to: (i) issue a commanded air pressure signal indicative of a commanded air pressure associated with each of the impact and static ports, (ii) monitor the air pressure in the manifold system to detect variations beyond a predetermined range of air pressure values, and (iii) issues an air pressure correction signal to maintain the commanded air pressure while conducting the data test. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The Air Data Test System (ADTS) of claim 15, wherein the signal processor further comprises a master controller operative to control one of the pairs of impact and static ADTS ports and a slave controller operative to control the other of the pairs of impact and static ADTS ports and wherein the slave controller is synchronized with the master controller such that the commanded air pressure signals are simultaneously received by the first and second pitot-static systems. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The Air Data Test System (ADTS) of claim 15, wherein the manifold system includes a channel for each of the ports and further comprises a plurality of pressure sensors for controlling the pressure in each channel and a plurality of zeroing valves interposing each channel, the zeroing valves being interconnected and open to a threshold pressure prior to commencing a data test for the purpose of eliminating drift in the pressure sensors.