US 4,067,517 A · Automatic heading synchronization control system

Abstract

The automatic heading retention mode of operation of a flight control system for a rotary wing aircraft is discontinued and reestablished through the use of logic circuitry responsive to the bank angle of the aircraft and to the force applied to a control stick by the pilot. When the bank angle of the aircraft exceeds a preselected minimum and the lateral force applied to the cyclic pitch stick also exceeds a predetermined minimum the logic circuit operates to isolate the heading hold control from heading error signals and the heading retention mode of operation is automatically resumed when both of the bank angle and stick force fall below the preselected minimum levels. The invention may also encompass the application to the control mechanism of signals which will cause the aircraft to perform coordinated turns above a preselected minimum airspeed.

Claims14

Dependent claims

A method for exercising control over the flight of a rotary wing aircraft, the aircraft having a flight control system with the capability of automatically holding the aircraft on a desired heading, said method including the steps of:

discontinuing the automatic heading hold mode of operation when a bank angle in excess of a predetermined minimum is experienced and an operator applies a force in excess of a predetermined minimum to the aircraft cyclic pitch control stick;
exercising manual control over the flight of the aircraft upon discontinuance of the heading hold mode of operation;
and
resuming the automatic heading hold mode of operation when the bank angle falls below the predetermined minimum and the force applied to the cyclic pitch stick also falls below the predetermined minimum force.

1 more element

In a flight control system for a rotary wing aircraft, the flight control system having a yaw channel with the capability of automatically holding the aircraft on a desired heading, the yaw channel receiving signals commensurate with deviations from a desired heading and applying heading correction commands to an actuator coupled to a device for varying the heading of the aircraft, the improvement comprising:

means for sensing the actual bank angle of the aircraft and generating a signal commensurate therewith;
means for generating a bias signal commensurate with a preselected minimum bank angle;
first comparator means for comparing said signals commensurate with actual bank angle and preselected minimum bank angle and providing a first output signal when the actual bank angle exceeds the predetermined minimum bank angle;
means coupled to a pilot's bank angle selection control mechanism for sensing the force applied thereto and generating a signal commensurate therewith;
means for generating a bias signal commensurate with a predetermined minimum control mechanism applied force;
second comparator means for comparing said actual and preselected minimum control mechanism applied forces and providing a first output signal when the actual force exceeds the preselected minimum force;
and
means responsive to the generation of first output signals by both of said first and second comparator means for isolating the yaw channel actuator from heading correction commands when said bank angle exceeds the predetermined minimum and the force applied to the control mechanism exceeds the predetermined minimum.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Automatic heading synchronization control system

Life of this patent

Automatic heading synchronization control system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims14