Aircraft cruise speed control
AssigneesEMBRAER - Empresa Brasileira de Aeronautica S.A., Pratt & Whitney Canada Corp.
InventorsDomingos Candido Wong Ramos, Alex Sander Ferreira Da Silva, Celso Valerio Bastos Casagrande, Salvatore Calandra, Keith Morgan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention provides an alternative to the auto-throttle integrated in an aircraft autopilot by restricting the conditions in which the system operates. The proposed system removes the auto-throttle function from the autopilot system and gives it directly to the Full Authority Digital Engine Control (FADEC). A cruise control mode is available to the pilot only under stable flight conditions.
Claims10
A method for controlling a flight speed of an engine propelled aircraft, the method comprising:
- in a computerized control system:
- receiving a cruise control request signal for engaging a cruise control mode of operation of the engine;
- receiving a flight stability condition signal indicative of whether a flight stability condition is met, wherein the flight stability condition is met when the aircraft is in a stable flight path and in one of flight level transition and final approach;
- activating the cruise control mode upon receipt of the cruise control request signal and when the flight stability condition is met;
- receiving a flight speed signal indicative of the flight speed;
- and
- in the cruise control mode, automatically adjusting only a thrust setting of the engine within a given range according to the flight speed signal to maintain the flight stability condition.
A flight speed control system for controlling a flight speed of an engine propelled aircraft, the system comprising:
- a first input for receiving a cruise control request signal for engaging a cruise control mode of operation of the engine;
- a second input for receiving a flight stability condition signal indicative of whether a flight stability condition is met, wherein the flight stability condition is met when the aircraft is in a stable flight path and in one of flight level transition and final approach;
- a logic circuit for activating a cruise control mode upon receipt of the cruise control request signal and when the flight stability condition is met;
- a third input for receiving a flight speed signal indicative of the flight speed;
- and
- an engine controller in the cruise control mode configured for adjusting only a thrust setting of the engine within a given range according to the flight speed signal to maintain the flight stability condition while in the cruise control mode.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.