Aircraft load factor overload warning system
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Air Force
InventorsJohn T. Johnston, George W. Venorsky
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An overload warning system for fighter type aircraft combines analytical techniques of computing structural loads with flight conditions and aircraft control inputs to calculate the allowable load factor/control input on a real time basis. The flight conditions and aircraft control inputs are monitored by a microprocessor, which continuously monitors actual load factor, compares the answers with a computed allowable value and generates an output signal whenever a prescribed value is exceeded. This signal is available for transmission to aural or visual warning devices and for permanent recording.
Claims5
In an aircraft having a control stick for controlling aircraft roll rate, an air data computer outputting air speed and static pressure data, fuel quantity measuring means and an exceedance counter system accelerometer the improvement residing in an overload, warning system, said overload warning system comprising,
- means for sensing control stick lateral force,
- means for continuously monitoring the actual aircraft load factor from the aircraft exceedance counter system accelerometer,
- means for continuously computing an allowable aircraft load factor said allowable aircraft load factor being comprised of a symmetrical aircraft load factor derived from aircraft operating weight and stores data, the output of said fuel measuring means, and data from said air data computer, and a predictive unsymmetrical aircraft load factor derived from the output of said means for sensing control stick lateral force,
- means for continuously calculating the ratio of current actual load factor to current allowable load factor, and
- means for generating a warning signal when said ratio exceeds a given value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.