Inlet configuration enabling rapid in-flight engine restart

An aircraft, comprising:

• an engine inlet configured to provide air to an engine during flight;
• an engine inlet barrier configured to manage a volume of air provided to the engine;
• a flight control system configured to:
• maintain the engine inlet barrier in a closed position while the engine is shut down during flight
• determine a required engine RPM for an engine in-flight restart based upon current aircraft parameters;
• manage a configuration of the engine inlet barrier to control the volume of air entering the engine inlet during the engine in-flight restart, the volume of air selected to cause the engine to achieve the required engine RPM;
• monitor parameters of the air in the engine intake during the engine in-flight restart;
• and
• adjust the configuration of the engine inlet barrier during the engine in-flight restart, in response to the parameters of the air in the engine intake during the engine in-flight restart, to achieve the volume of air selected to cause the engine to achieve the required engine RPM.

A flight control computer for an aircraft, comprising:

• one or more processors;
• one or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, causes the processors to:
• maintain an engine inlet barrier in a closed position while an engine is shut down during flight;
• determine a required engine RPM for an engine in-flight restart based upon current aircraft parameters;
• select a volume of air entering an engine intake during the engine in-flight restart to cause the engine to achieve the required engine RPM;
• and
• manage a configuration of the engine inlet barrier to control the volume of air entering the engine intake during the engine in-flight restart;
• monitor parameters of the air in the engine intake during the engine in-flight restart;
• and
• adjust the position of the engine inlet barrier during the engine in-flight restart, in response to the parameters of the air in the engine intake during the engine in-flight restart, to achieve the volume of air selected to cause the engine to achieve the required engine RPM.