Hydraulically locking actuator configuration

A method of operating a hydraulic actuator system onboard an aircraft, the method comprising:

• controlling hydraulic pressure to a retract cavity from an actuator controller through a first hydraulic line that hydraulically couples the actuator controller to the retract cavity;
• controlling hydraulic pressure to an extend cavity from the actuator controller through a second hydraulic line that hydraulically couples the actuator controller to the extend cavity;
• and
• operating a position-lock controller to hydraulically lock at least one of the retract cavity and the extend cavity, wherein the position-lock controller is arranged along at least one of the first hydraulic line and the second hydraulic line,
• wherein the position-lock controller is operated in response to a failure of the hydraulic actuator system, and
• the method includes maintaining the at least one hydraulic line in an open state using the position-lock controller until the failure occurs.

A hydraulic actuator system of an aircraft, the hydraulic actuator system comprising:

• a hydraulic actuator having a housing with a piston arranged within the housing, the piston having a piston head separating the housing into a retract cavity and an extend cavity;
• an actuator controller hydraulically coupled to the retract cavity by a first hydraulic line and hydraulically coupled to the extend cavity by a second hydraulic line, wherein the actuator controller is configured to control a hydraulic pressure within each of the retract cavity and the extend cavity to control actuation of the hydraulic actuator;
• and
• a position-lock controller arranged along at least one of the first hydraulic line and the second hydraulic line, the position-lock controller configured to hydraulically decouple the actuator controller from at least one of the retract cavity and the extend cavity,
• wherein the position-lock controller is a first position-lock controller arranged along the first hydraulic line, the system further comprising a second position-lock controller arranged along the second hydraulic line.

A method of operating a hydraulic actuator system onboard an aircraft, the method comprising:

• controlling hydraulic pressure to a retract cavity from an actuator controller through a first hydraulic line that hydraulically couples the actuator controller to the retract cavity;
• controlling hydraulic pressure to an extend cavity from the actuator controller through a second hydraulic line that hydraulically couples the actuator controller to the extend cavity;
• and
• operating a position-lock controller to hydraulically lock at least one of the retract cavity and the extend cavity, wherein the position-lock controller is arranged along at least one of the first hydraulic line and the second hydraulic line,
• wherein the position-lock controller is a first position-lock controller arranged along the first hydraulic line and configured to hydraulically lock the retract cavity, the method further comprising operating a second position-lock controller arranged along the second hydraulic line and configured to hydraulically lock the extend cavity.

A method of operating a hydraulic actuator system onboard an aircraft, the method comprising:

• controlling hydraulic pressure to a retract cavity from an actuator controller through a first hydraulic line that hydraulically couples the actuator controller to the retract cavity;
• controlling hydraulic pressure to an extend cavity from the actuator controller through a second hydraulic line that hydraulically couples the actuator controller to the extend cavity;
• and
• operating a position-lock controller to hydraulically lock at least one of the retract cavity and the extend cavity, wherein the position-lock controller is arranged along at least one of the first hydraulic line and the second hydraulic line,
• wherein the position-lock controller is configured to hydraulically lock one of the retract cavity and the extend cavity by decoupling the respective hydraulic line, the method further comprising passing a hydraulic fluid through the other of the extend cavity and the retract cavity that is not hydraulically locked.