Inflight reduced engine operation, engine restart, and associated alerts
AssigneeTextron Innovations Inc.
InventorBharath Ramamurthy
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In certain embodiments, a rotorcraft includes a first engine, a second engine, a primary engine-start system for the first engine, a fast-start engine-start system for the first engine, and a computer system. The computer system is configured to detect a failure of the second engine during a reduced engine operation (REO) flight mode in which the first engine has been intentionally shut down inflight and the second engine is to remain operational, and to automatically initiate, in response to detecting the failure of the second engine during the REO flight mode, an automatic restart of the first engine using the fast-start engine-start system.
Claims12
A rotorcraft, comprising:
- a first engine;
- a second engine;
- a primary run/off switch for the first engine;
- a reduced engine operation (REO) on/off switch configured to send, in response to being positioned in an on position, an engine shutoff signal, the REO on/off switch being distinct from the primary run/off switch for the first engine;
- and
- a computer system configured to:
- receive the engine shutoff signal;
- and
- command, in response to receiving the engine shutoff signal, the first engine to shut off to enter an REO flight mode in which the first engine has been intentionally shut down inflight and the second engine is to remain operational, the primary run/off switch for the first engine remaining in the on position while the first engine is shut down during the REO flight mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.