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Disposed on each wing of an aircraft adjacent the wing tip is at least one deflector mechanism for twisting the wings as part of a control system for alleviating a gust load on the wing. The wing twisting is performed in conjunction with a vertical motion sensor, a sensor signal processor, and a def

Disposed on each wing of an aircraft adjacent the wing tip is at least one deflector mechanism for twisting the wings as part of a control system for alleviating a gust load on the wing. The wing twisting is performed in conjunction with a vertical motion sensor, a sensor signal processor, and a deflector controller. The vertical motion sensor measures the vertical motion of the wing tip in response to the gust load on the wing and generates a sensor output signal. A sensor signal processor generates a deflector control signal in response to the sensor output signal. The deflector control signal represents the duration and degree of the deflector mechanism movement effective to counteract an increase in bending moment on the wing due to a gust load on the wing. A deflector controller regulates the deflector mechanism movement in response to the deflector control signal such that the deflector mechanism is alternately deployed and retracted into and out of the airstream.

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1. A control system for alleviating a gust load on an aircraft wing having upper and lower surfaces, a leading edge, a wing tip and wing slots, the control system comprising:a first slat and a second slat each having outer surfaces and being linearly reciprocatable out of a receiving pair of the win

1. A control system for alleviating a gust load on an aircraft wing having upper and lower surfaces, a leading edge, a wing tip and wing slots, the control system comprising:a first slat and a second slat each having outer surfaces and being linearly reciprocatable out of a receiving pair of the wing slots formed in the upper and lower surfaces of the leading edge of the wing adjacent the wing tip, the first and second slats being outwardly deployable from the wing slots for generating a deflector torque on the wing such that the deflector torque effects a twisting motion thereon, the first and second slats being retractable into the wing slots such that the outer surfaces of the first and second slats are substantially flush with the upper and lower surfaces of the wing;a vertical motion sensor mounted proximate the wing for sensing vertical motion of the wing tip in response to the gust load on the wing and generating a sensor output signal in response thereto;a sensor signal processor in electrical communication with the vertical motion sensor for generating a deflector control signal in response to the sensor output signal, the deflector control signal being representative of the duration and degree of first and second slat movement; anda deflector controller in electrical communication with the sensor signal processor for regulating the first and second slat movement in response to the deflector control signal such that the first and second slats are selectively deployed and retracted in response to the deflector control signal. 2. The control system of claim 1 wherein the sensor signal processor generates a deflector control signal only when the vertical motion of the wing tip exceeds a threshold value, the threshold value being representative of wing tip vertical motion induced by a maneuver load on the wing. 3. The control system of claim 1 wherein the wing is a flexible wing. 4. The control system of claim 1 wherein the duration and degree of first and second slat movement is effective to counteract an increase in bending moment on the wing due to the gust load on the wing. 5. The control system of claim 1 wherein the deflector torque effects a downward twisting motion on a leading edge of the wing when the gust load effects an upward vertical motion of the wing tip. 6. The control system of claim 1 wherein the deflector torque effects an upward twisting motion on a leading edge of the wing when the gust load effects a downward vertical motion of the wing tip. 7. The control system of claim 1 wherein the vertical motion sensor is an accelerometer disposed on the wing tip. 8. The control system of claim 7 wherein the accelerometer is a linear accelerometer oriented to measure vertical acceleration of the wing tip. 9. The control system of claim 8 wherein the sensor signal processor determines the rate of change of the wing tip vertical acceleration and generates a deflector control signal when the rate of change of the wing tip vertical acceleration exceeds a threshold value. 10. The control system of claim 1 wherein the deflector controller is operative to selectively deploy and retract the first and second slats simultaneously. 11. The control system of claim 1 wherein the first and second slat movement is parallel to the wing leading edge. 12. The control system of claim 1 wherein the first and second slat movement is perpendicular to the air stream. 13. The control system of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second slats is formed as a plurality of aligned elongate slat members, the elongate slat members being spaced and configured to avoid operational interference therebetween as the wing bends in response to vertical motion of the wing tip and operation of the deflector mechanism. 14. The control system of claim 13 wherein the wing defines a wing root, the plurality of elongate slat members being distributed along the wing from the wing tip to the wing root. 15. The control system of claim 14 wherein the plu rality of elongate slat members are distributed along the wing from the wing tip to a location about midway between the wing tip and the wing root. 16. The control system of claim 1 wherein the first and second slats are forward facing when outwardly deployed. 17. A method for alleviating a gust load on an aircraft wing having upper and lower surfaces, a leading edge, a wing tip and wing slots, the aircraft having first and a second slat each having outer surfaces and being linearly reciprocatable out of a receiving pair of the wing slots formed in the upper and lower surfaces of the leading edge adjacent the wing tip, the first and second slats being outwardly deployable from the wing slots, the method comprising:sensing vertical motion of the wing tip produced by the gust load on the wing;generating a sensor output signal representative of the wing tip vertical motion;determining the duration and degree of the first and second slat movement in response to the sensor output signal, the first and second slat movement being effective to counteract an increase in bending moment on the wing due to the gust load on the wing;generating a deflector control signal to bring about the first and second slat movement;regulating the first and second slat movement in response to the deflector control signal in a manner to outwardly deploy the first and second slats from the wing slots and generate a deflector torque such that the deflector torque imparts a twisting motion on the wing; andretracting the first and second slats into the wing slots such that the outer surfaces of the first and second slats are substantially flush with the upper and lower surfaces of the wing. 18. The method of claim 17 further comprising the steps of recording the vertical motion of the wing tip, comparing the wing tip vertical motion to a threshold value, the threshold value being representative of wing tip vertical motion induced by a maneuver load on the wing, and wherein the deflector control signal is generated only when the vertical motion of the wing tip exceeds the threshold value. 19. The method of claim 17 wherein the deflector torque effects a downward twisting motion on a leading edge of the wing when the gust load effects an upward vertical motion on the wing tip. 20. The method of claim 17 wherein the deflector torque effects an upward twisting motion on a leading edge of the wing when the gust load effects a downward vertical motion on the wing tip. 21. The method of claim 17 wherein the aircraft wing is a flexible wing. 22. A method for alleviating a gust load on an aircraft wing having upper and lower surfaces, a leading edge, a wing tip and wing slots, the aircraft having first and a second slat each having outer surfaces and being linearly reciprocatable out of a receiving pair of the wing slots formed in the upper and lower surfaces of the leading edge adjacent the wing tip, the method comprising:sensing vertical acceleration of the wing tip produced by the gust load on the wing;generating a sensor output signal representative of the wing tip vertical acceleration;recording the sensor output signal;updating a time history of the sensor output signal;determining a rate of change of the wing tip vertical acceleration representative of the time history of the sensor output signal;comparing the rate of change of the wing tip vertical acceleration to a threshold value, the threshold value being representative of the wing tip vertical motion induced by a maneuver load on the wing tip;generating a deflector control signal only when the rate of change of the wing tip vertical acceleration is greater than the threshold value, the deflector control signal being representative of the duration and degree of the first and second slat movement effective to counteract an increase in bending moment on the wing due to the gust load on the wing;regulating the first and second slat movement in response to the deflector control signal in a manner to outwardly deploy the first and second slats from the wing slots and generate a deflector torque such that the deflector torque imparts a twisting motion on the wing; andretracting the first and second slats into the wing slots such that the outer surfaces of the first and second slats are substantially flush with the upper and lower surfaces of the wing. 23. The method of claim 22 further comprising the steps of determining the peak acceleration based on the time history, comparing the peak acceleration to a predetermined maximum allowable acceleration, and generating a deflector control signal when either the rate of change of the wing tip vertical acceleration is greater than the threshold value or the peak acceleration is greater than the predetermined maximum allowable acceleration. 24. The method of claim 23 wherein a flight control command is generated by a pilot or autopilot, the method further including the steps of:generating a control surface movement signal representative of the flight control command;estimating a predicted commanded wing tip acceleration in response to the control surface movement signal;recording the predicted commanded wing tip acceleration;updating a time history of the predicted commanded wing tip acceleration;determining a rate of change of the predicted commanded wing tip acceleration representative of the time history of the predicted wing tip acceleration;comparing the rate of change of the predicted commanded wing tip acceleration to the rate of change of the wing tip vertical acceleration;generating a deflector control signal when the rate of change of the wing tip vertical acceleration is greater than either the threshold value or the rate of change of the predicted commanded wing tip vertical acceleration. 25. The method of claim 22 wherein the aircraft wing is a flexible wing. 26. An aircraft adapted to alleviate a gust load, the aircraft comprising:a fuselage;a pair of wings extending outwardly from the fuselage, each one of the wings having upper and lower surfaces, a leading edge, a wing tip and wing slots; anda first slat and a second slat being mounted on each of the wings, each one of the first and second slats having an outer surface and being linearly reciprocatable out of a receiving pair of the wing slots formed in the upper and lower surfaces of the leading edge of each one of the wings adjacent the wing tip, the first and second slats being outwardly deployable from the wing slots for generating a deflector torque on the wings such that the deflector torque effects a twisting motion thereon, each one of the first and second slats being retractable within the respective wings such that the outer surfaces are substantially flush with the upper and lower surfaces. 27. The aircraft of claim 26 wherein the wings are flexible wings. 28. The aircraft of claim 26 wherein the deflector torque effects a downward twisting motion on the leading edges of the wings when the gust load effects an upward vertical motion of the wing tips. 29. The aircraft of claim 26 wherein the deflector torque effects an upward twisting motion on the leading edges of the wings when the gust load effects a downward vertical motion of the wing tips.