Precision pointing mode of an aircraft
AssigneeSikorsky Aircraft Corporation
InventorsSteven D. Marzella, David L. Adams, William C. Fell, Matthew T. Luszcz
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An aircraft is provided including at least one pilot input and a flight control system n communication with the at least one pilot input. The flight control system is operable in a manual mode and a pointing mode. In the manual mode, a velocity, position, and attitude of the aircraft are controlled manually, and in the pointing mode, at least one of the velocity and position of the aircraft is controlled by the flight control system and at least one of the attitude and heading of the aircraft is controlled manually.
Claims19
An aircraft comprising:
- at least one pilot input;
- a flight control system in communication with the at least one pilot input, the flight control system being operable in a manual mode and a pointing mode, wherein in the manual mode, a velocity, position, and attitude of the aircraft are controlled manually, and in the pointing mode, at least one of the velocity and position of the aircraft is controlled by the flight control system and at least one of the attitude and heading of the aircraft is controlled manually.
A system for controlling an aircraft comprising:
- at least one control input;
- a flight control system for receiving commands from the at least one control input;
- and
- a haptic-enabled device operable to indicate to an operator of the aircraft that an attitude of the aircraft is approaching an allowable limit.
A method of operating an aircraft comprising:
- initiating operation in a pointing mode in response to an input;
- manually controlling at least one of an attitude and heading of the aircraft;
- and
- automatically maintaining at least one of a position and velocity of the aircraft via a flight control system while at least one of the attitude and heading of the aircraft is manually adjusted.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.