Firefighting float plane with asymmetric scoop deployment mitigation
AssigneeWipaire, Inc.
InventorCharles R. Wiplinger
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A firefighting float plane having a fuselage, one or more wings, two floats, a water scoop associated with each float for filling a water tank of the firefighting float plane, and systems and/or methods for deploying the water scoops to prevent (and/or mitigate the effects of) asymmetric deployment and/or retraction of the water scoops.
Claims33
A firefighting float plane comprising a fuselage, a wing, a water tank structure, first and second floats, first and second water scoops, and an active scoop management system, the first and second floats mounted to the fuselage by a mount structure such that they are spaced below and laterally offset from the fuselage, the water tank structure comprising a water tank disposed within the fuselage, the first and second floats equipped respectively with the first and second water scoops, each of the first and second water scoops having a retracted position and an extended position, the water scoops when in the extended position being configured to scoop water from a body of water while the firefighting float plane flies along a surface of the body of water with the first and second floats skimming the surface of the body of water, such that scooped water is delivered via pipes or tubes from the first and second water scoops, through the first and second floats, upwardly along the mount structure and to the water tank in the fuselage, the active scoop management system comprising a first sensor and a second sensor such that the active scoop management system is configured to:
- (i) sense position, velocity and/or acceleration of the first water scoop with the first sensor;
- (ii) sense position, velocity and/or acceleration of the second water scoop with the second sensor;
- iii) compare a signal from the first sensor reflecting the position, velocity and/or acceleration of the first water scoop to a signal received from the second sensor reflecting the position, velocity and/or acceleration of the second water scoop, thereby making a comparison of position information for the first water scoop and the second water scoop;
- (iv) based on the comparison of position information for the first water scoop and the second water scoop, detect an asymmetrical deployment situation of the first and second water scoops, and in response thereto
- (v) initiate a safety response movement of one or both of the first and second water scoops to address the asymmetrical deployment situation.
A method of operating a water scoop system for a firefighting float plane, the firefighting float plane comprising a fuselage, a wing, a water tank structure, first and second floats, and an active scoop management system, the first and second floats mounted to the fuselage by a mount structure such that they are spaced below and laterally offset from the fuselage, the water tank structure comprising a water tank disposed within the fuselage, the water scoop system comprising a first water scoop associated with the first float and a second water scoop associated with the second float, each of the first and second water scoops being movable between a retracted position and an extended position, the water scoops when in the extended position being configured to scoop water from a body of water while the firefighting float plane flies along a surface of the body of water with the first and second floats skimming the surface of the body of water, such that scooped water is delivered via pipes or tubes from the first and second water scoops, through the first and second floats, upwardly along the mount structure and to the water tank in the fuselage, wherein the method involves the active scoop management system:
- (a) sensing position, velocity and/or acceleration of the first water scoop with the first sensor;
- (b) sensing position, velocity and/or acceleration of the second water scoop with the second sensor;
- (c) comparing a signal from the first sensor reflecting the position, velocity and/or acceleration of the first water scoop to a signal received from the second sensor reflecting the position, velocity and/or acceleration of the second water scoop, thereby making a comparison of position information for the first water scoop and the second water scoop;
- (d) based on the comparison of position information for the first water scoop and the second water scoop, detecting an asymmetric deployment condition of the first and second water scoops, and
- (e) in response to detecting the asymmetric deployment condition, initiating a safety response movement of one or both of the first and second water scoops.
A method of operating a water scoop system for a firefighting float plane, the firefighting float plane comprising a fuselage, a wing, a water tank structure, and first and second floats, the water scoop system comprising a first water scoop associated with the first float and a second water scoop associated with the second float, each of the first and second water scoops being movable between a retracted position and an extended position, the method comprising:
- (i) detecting an asymmetric deployment condition of the first and second water scoops, and
- (ii) in response to detecting the asymmetric deployment condition, initiating a safety response movement of one or both of the first and second water scoops;
- wherein initiating the safety response movement comprises moving one or both of the first and second water scoops to the retracted position, and the method further comprises,
- following the safety response movement, performing one or more in-flight deployment tests, the one or more in-flight deployment tests comprising:
- (a) commanding the first and second water scoops to move from the retracted position to the extended position;
- and
- (b) determining whether the first and second water scoops move from the retracted position to the extended position in a symmetric manner.
A method of operating a water scoop system for a firefighting float plane, the firefighting float plane comprising a fuselage, a wing, a water tank structure, and first and second floats, the water scoop system comprising a first water scoop associated with the first float and a second water scoop associated with the second float, each of the first and second water scoops being movable between a retracted position and an extended position, the method comprising:
- (a) detecting an asymmetric deployment condition of the first and second water scoops, and
- (b) in response to detecting the asymmetric deployment condition, initiating a safety response movement of one or both of the first and second water scoops;
- wherein detecting the asymmetric deployment condition of the first and second water scoops comprises sensing a first water scoop velocity and a second water scoop velocity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.