Error monitors for collective and cyclic sticks

A flight control computer (FCC) for a rotorcraft comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program to be executed by the processor, the program including instructions for monitoring a functionality of a first detent sensor connected to a first control element, the instructions for monitoring the functionality including instructions for:
• receiving detent slip rate data from the first detent sensor indicating pilot commands to the first control element;
• receiving trim rate data from a trim motor connected to the first control element;
• comparing the trim rate data to the detent slip rate data;
• increasing an error count in response to the first control element being in an in-detent state and the detent slip rate data being in conflict with the trim rate data;
• determining a functionality status of the first detent sensor according to the detent slip rate data and the trim rate data, wherein the first detent sensor is determined to be non-functional in response to the error count being equal to or greater than a threshold value;
• and
• providing a first flight management function in response to the first detent sensor being determined to be functional, and providing a second flight management function in response to the first detent sensor being determined to be non-functional.

A method for operating a rotorcraft comprising:

• receiving control element rate data from a first detent sensor indicating pilot commands to a first control element, wherein the first detent sensor is connected to the first control element;
• receiving trim rate data from a trim motor connected to the first control element;
• comparing the trim rate data to the control element rate data;
• increasing an error count in response to the first control element being in an in-detent state and the trim rate data being in disagreement with the control element rate data;
• determining a functionality status of the first detent sensor according to the control element rate data and the trim rate data, wherein the functionality status of the first detent sensor is determined to be non-functional in response to the error count being equal to or greater than a threshold value;
• and
• providing a first flight management function in response to the first detent sensor being determined to be functional, and providing a second flight management function in response to the first detent sensor being determined to be non-functional.