Controlling excitation loads associated with open rotor aeronautical engines

An open rotor aeronautical engine comprising:

• a core engine;
• a plurality of airfoils extending outwardly from the core engine;
• a pitch change assembly operably coupled to the plurality of airfoils, the pitch change assembly comprising:
• one or more actuators configured to change a pitch angle of respective ones of the plurality of airfoils to augment or to compensate for an excitation load;
• and
• a plurality of linkage arms that are respectively movable by actuation of at least one of the one or more actuators, the plurality of linkage arms being directly or indirectly coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of airfoils;
• a sensor configured to detect sensor data acting upon the open rotor aeronautical engine and to produce a sensor data output;
• and
• a computing system configured to receive the sensor data output from the sensor, to calculate the excitation load, to compare the excitation load to a threshold to determine an airfoil pitch control command, and to output the airfoil pitch control command to the pitch change assembly.

An aircraft comprising:

• a fuselage;
• at least one wing extending from the fuselage;
• and
• at least one propulsion system mounted to the aircraft, the propulsion system comprising an open rotor aeronautical engine, wherein the open rotor aeronautical engine includes:
• a core engine;
• a plurality of airfoils extending outwardly from the core engine;
• a pitch change assembly operably coupled to the plurality of airfoils, the pitch change assembly comprising:
• one or more actuators configured to change a pitch angle of respective ones of the plurality of airfoils to augment or to compensate for an excitation load;
• and
• a plurality of linkage arms that are respectively moveable by actuation by actuation of at least one of the one or more actuators, the plurality of linkage arms being directly or indirectly coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of airfoils;
• a sensor configured to detect sensor data acting upon the open rotor aeronautical engine and to produce a sensor data output;
• and
• a computing system configured to receive the sensor data output from the sensor, to calculate the excitation load, to compare the excitation load to a threshold to determine an airfoil pitch control command, and to output the airfoil pitch control command to the pitch change assembly.