초록 ▼

An apparatus and method for controlling the flight of a helicopter, in which the pilot commands vehicle state changes, embodies several significant advances to the helicopter control art. Among these are control decoupling to reduce undesired helicopter responses in other axes to pilot inputs in one

An apparatus and method for controlling the flight of a helicopter, in which the pilot commands vehicle state changes, embodies several significant advances to the helicopter control art. Among these are control decoupling to reduce undesired helicopter responses in other axes to pilot inputs in one axis, task oriented control modes which are selected automatically, and automatic control of engine torque and rotor speed constraints. Novel task oriented control modes include independent control of heading and ground track at low speed and turn rate and flight path angle control at higher speeds. Control decoupling is achieved through a combination of force/moment decoupling and open loop prediction methods. Vertical control, traditionally accomplished with collective only, is accomplished in this system with a combination of longitudinal cyclic and collective control, increasing vertical response performance and minimizing engine power change demands. These flight control automation methods were designed to enable the use of small displacement, multi-axis controllers for full envelope helicopter control; the system provides dramatic pilot work load reduction for any of wide range of pilot manipulator configurations.

대표청구항 ▼

In an aircraft having control surfaces, an apparatus for controlling the velocity vector of said aircraft comprising: input means for inputting a signal indicative of desired flight performance; stabilization means for maintaining the velocity and orientation of said aircraft in the absence of input

In an aircraft having control surfaces, an apparatus for controlling the velocity vector of said aircraft comprising: input means for inputting a signal indicative of desired flight performance; stabilization means for maintaining the velocity and orientation of said aircraft in the absence of input from said input means; and, decoupling means, connected to said input means and said means for maintaining the velocity and orientation, for generating a complex set of signals to said aircraft\s control surfaces, to produce an aircraft motion only in the desired direction of flight, and wherein said decoupling means further comprises a matrix of coefficients which transform a commanded change in aircraft velocity in one direction into affirmative and compensating commands to said aircraft control surfaces to effect said change in aircraft velocity in one direction.