Disengagement for reverse propeller protection
AssigneePratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorAndrew Ghattas
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An engine and propeller control system (EPECS) of an aircraft includes a propeller with a plurality of blades coupled to an aircraft engine. Each of the blades are coupled to an actuator configured to adjust the blades between a first pitch to produce forward thrust and a second pitch to produce reverse thrust. The EPECS further includes a controller configured to control the actuator to invoke the second pitch in response to receiving a reverse thrust command signal. The controller is configured to alert that the reverse thrust command signal is generated prior to landing the aircraft.
Claims17
An engine and propeller control system (EPECS) of an aircraft, the EPECS comprising:
- a propeller coupled to an aircraft engine, the propeller including a plurality of blades, each of the blades coupled to an actuator configured to adjust the blades between a first pitch to produce forward thrust and a second pitch to produce reverse thrust;
- a controller configured to control the actuator to invoke the second pitch in response to receiving a reverse thrust command signal,
- wherein the controller is configured to alert that the reverse thrust command signal is generated prior to landing the aircraft, and
- wherein the controller initiates an engine spool up of the aircraft engine while simultaneously generating an alert that a reverse mode will be automatically initiated after a set time period expires.
A method of controlling an adjustable propeller of an aircraft, the method comprising:
- coupling a plurality of blades to a propeller, each blade including an actuator configured to adjust the blade between a first pitch to produce forward thrust and a second pitch to produce reverse thrust;
- outputting a reverse thrust command signal to invoke the second pitch of the blades;
- generating an alert indicating that the reverse thrust command signal is output prior to landing the aircraft,
- initiating an engine spool up of an aircraft engine while simultaneously generating a second alert that a reverse mode will be automatically initiated after a set time period expires.
A method of controlling an adjustable propeller of an aircraft, the method comprising:
- selecting a reverse propeller mode to transition an adjustable propeller from a forward thrust position to a reverse thrust position;
- generating an alert indicating the reverse propeller mode is selected prior to landing of the aircraft;
- delaying transition into the reverse thrust position for a set time period;
- and
- transitioning the propeller from the forward thrust position to a second thrust position in response to the set time period expiring,
- wherein transitioning the propeller from the forward thrust position to the second thrust position comprises:
- adjusting blades of the adjustable propeller into a flight-idle angle in response to selecting the reverse propeller mode;
- and
- automatically adjusting the blades from the flight-idle angle to a reverse thrust angle in response to the set time period expiring.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.