Aircraft, systems, and methods for trim control in fly-by-wire aircraft systems
AssigneeGulfstream Aerospace Corporation
InventorsKevin Claffy, Jong-Yeob Shin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Aircraft, fly-by-wire systems, and controllers are provided. An aircraft includes a trim control system and a fly-by-wire system. The trim control system is configured for controlling surfaces of the aircraft. The fly-by-wire system is communicatively coupled with the trim control system and includes an input device and a controller. The input device is configured to receive a re-trim input from a user. The controller is communicatively coupled with the input device and is configured to control the trim control system, to obtain the re-trim input from the user, and to set a pitch trim of the aircraft based on a stable flight condition at a present airspeed of the aircraft in response to the re-trim input from the input device.
Claims20
An aircraft comprising:
- a trim control system for controlling surfaces of the aircraft;
- and
- a fly-by-wire system communicatively coupled with the trim control system, the fly-by-wire system comprising:
- an inceptor with an input device configured to receive inputs from a user;
- and
- a controller communicatively coupled with the input device, the controller configured to:
- actively control the trim control system to provide positive speed stability about a selected trim airspeed while permitting continuous manual flight;
- responsive to receiving an input from the user at the input device when an autopilot is engaged, disengage the autopilot;
- and
- responsive to receiving the input from the user at the input device when the autopilot is disengaged, reset the selected trim airspeed based on a stable flight condition at a present airspeed of the aircraft.
A controller for use with a fly-by-wire system of an aircraft that includes an input device configured to receive inputs from a user, the controller comprising:
- at least one processor;
- and
- at least one memory unit coupled with the at least one processor, the at least one memory unit storing instructions for the at least one processor, wherein the instructions are configured to cooperate with the at least one processor to:
- actively control a trim control system to provide positive speed stability about a selected trim airspeed while permitting continuous manual flight;
- responsive to receiving an input from the user at the input device when an autopilot is engaged, disengage the autopilot;
- and
- responsive to receiving the input from the user at the input device when the autopilot is disengaged, reset the selected trim airspeed based on a stable flight condition at a present airspeed of the aircraft.
An aircraft comprising:
- a trim control system for controlling surfaces of the aircraft;
- and
- a fly-by-wire system communicatively coupled with the trim control system, the fly-by-wire system comprising:
- an inceptor with an input device configured to receive inputs from a user;
- and
- a controller communicatively coupled with the input device, the controller configured to:
- actively control the trim control system to provide positive speed stability about a selected trim airspeed while permitting continuous manual flight, wherein the positive speed stability is a tendency of the aircraft to return to the selected trim airspeed after a disturbance of the aircraft from the selected trim airspeed;
- responsive to receiving an input from the user at the input device when an autopilot is engaged
- disengage the autopilot;
- responsive to receiving the input from the user at the input device when the autopilot is disengaged
- disengage manual trim control when the manual trim control is engaged;
- responsive to receiving the input from the user at the input device when the autopilot is disengaged, and the fly-by-wire system is not currently limiting maneuvers of the aircraft based on alpha limiting or speed protecting
- reset the selected trim airspeed based on a stable flight condition at a present airspeed of the aircraft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.