US 6,161,801 A · Method of reducing wind gust loads acting on an aircraft

Abstract

A method of reducing the bending moment effect of wind gust loads acting on the wing of an aircraft involves adjusting the aerodynamic configuration of the wing so as to alter the distribution of lift generated by the wing during phases of flight in which critical wind gusts are expected to occur. Particularly, during climb and descent phases of flight below cruise altitude, the lift generated by outboard portions of the wings is reduced while the lift generated by inboard portions of the wings is increased. Thereby, the 1 g basis load acting on the outboard portions of the wings is reduced, and consequently the total load applied to the outboard portions of the wings, resulting from the 1 g basis load plus the additional wind gust load, is correspondingly reduced. This leads to a reduction of the bending moments effective on the wings, and of any rolling moment effective on the aircraft. The required adjustment of the lift distribution is preferably achieved by deflecting the ailerons of both wings symmetrically upward and/or deflecting the flaps of both wings symmetrically downward during climb and descent. The adjustment of the wing configuration is carried out dependent only on flight parameters such as the altitude, speed and gross weight, and does not require rapid sensing of the occurrence of a wind gust and rapid actuation of control surfaces to try to instantaneously counteract a wind gust as it occurs.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of reducing the influence of a total load acting on the wings of an aircraft, wherein said total load includes a 1 g basis load and a variable wind gust load, wherein said wings each respectively include an outer wing portion and an inner wing portion, and wherein at least one of said inner and outer wing portions of each one of said wings has a variable lift geometry, said method comprising the following steps:

flying said aircraft in a climb phase from take-off up to a cruising altitude, in a cruise phase substantially at said cruising altitude, and in a descent phase from said cruising altitude down to landing,
adjusting said variable lift geometry of each one of said wings to a first configuration during at least a part of said climb phase and at least a part of said descent phase,
adjusting said variable lift geometry of each one of said wings to a second configuration during a majority of said cruise phase, and
expressly excluding a step of sensing a vertical acceleration of said aircraft or said wings in connection with said adjusting of said variable lift geometry,
wherein said first and second configurations in comparison to each other have respective different lift distributions on said inner and outer wing portions, wherein said outer wing portions provide a relatively lower lift in said first configuration and a relatively higher lift in said second configuration, and wherein a portion of said total load acting on said outer wing portions is lower in said first configuration than in said second configuration because a portion of said 1 g basis load acting on said outer wing portions is lower in said first configuration than in said second configuration.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method of reducing wind gust loads acting on an aircraft

Life of this patent

Method of reducing wind gust loads acting on an aircraft

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20