초록 ▼

A method and systems for controlling an aircraft during descent are provided. The control system includes an input device configured to receive a speed margin for the vehicle and a processor communicatively coupled to the input device wherein the processor is programmed to automatically determine a

A method and systems for controlling an aircraft during descent are provided. The control system includes an input device configured to receive a speed margin for the vehicle and a processor communicatively coupled to the input device wherein the processor is programmed to automatically determine a flight path of the vehicle that is shallower than an idle flight path for the vehicle and generate a flight control surface control signal configured to maintain the determined flight path using the received speed margin. The control system further includes an output device communicatively coupled to the processor. The output device is configured to transmit the flight control surface control signal to a flight control system of the vehicle.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A control system for controlling a flight path of a vehicle, said system comprising: an input device configured to receive a speed margin value for the vehicle;a processor communicatively coupled to said input device, said processor programmed to:receive a speed target value, the speed target val

1. A control system for controlling a flight path of a vehicle, said system comprising: an input device configured to receive a speed margin value for the vehicle;a processor communicatively coupled to said input device, said processor programmed to:receive a speed target value, the speed target value representing a desired vehicle speed along the fight path;generate a thrust control signal using the speed target value;automatically determine a flight path of the vehicle that is shallower than an idle flight path for the vehicle using the thrust control signal, during a descent path an amount of thrust is determined using: T=D+VT-Δ⁢⁢VVT·[T-Δ⁢⁢V-D-Δ⁢⁢V], where T is the idle+Δ thrust solution,D is the drag at your desired speed,VT is the true airspeed (TAS) equivalent of the desired speed,VT−ΔV is the TAS equivalent of the desired speed less ΔV,T−ΔV is idle thrust at the desired speed less ΔV, andD−ΔV is drag at the desired speed less ΔV; andgenerate a flight control surface control signal configured to maintain the determined flight path using the received speed margin; andan output device communicatively coupled to said processor, said output device is configured to transmit the flight control surface control signal to a flight control system of the vehicle. 2. A control system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said input device is configured to receive the speed margin at least one of entered manually by a user using a user interface and transmitted automatically from a computed value storage location. 3. A control system in accordance with claim 2, wherein said input device is configured to receive the speed margin from a Required Time-of-Arrival (RTA) algorithm. 4. A control system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said output device is configured to transmit the flight control surface control signal to an elevator control system. 5. A control system in accordance with claim 1, wherein said processor is programmed to determine a new flight path when a flight speed of the vehicle is outside the speed margin. 6. A control system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the speed margin is determined using an estimated uncertainty of forecast winds and temperatures, a desired RTA accuracy, a distance or time to a next RTA waypoint, a presence or lack of other performance entries, and a characteristic of an RTA algorithm. 7. A method of controlling an aircraft during descent comprising: receiving a speed margin input for controlling the aircraft;generating a thrust control signal using a speed target value representing a desired vehicle speed along the fight path;automatically determining, using a flight control processor, a first flight path of the aircraft that is shallower than an idle flight path for the aircraft using the thrust control signal where an amount of thrust is determined using: T=D+VT-Δ⁢⁢VVT·[T-Δ⁢⁢V-D-Δ⁢⁢V], where T is the idle+Δ thrust solution,D is the drag at your desired speed,VT is the true airspeed (TAS) equivalent of the desired speed,VT−ΔV is the TAS equivalent of the desired speed less ΔV,T−ΔV is idle thrust at the desired speed less ΔV, andD−ΔV is drag at the desired speed less ΔV;generating a flight control surface control signal configured to maintain the determined flight path using the received speed margin; andtransmitting the flight control surface control signal to a flight control surface control system of the aircraft. 8. A method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising controlling a speed of the aircraft using a throttle within the speed margin to maintain the determined flight path. 9. A method in accordance with claim 7, further comprising: determining a second flight path when the speed margin is exceeded; andcontrolling a speed of the aircraft within the speed margin to maintain the determined second flight path. 10. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein determining a first flight path of the aircraft comprises determining a first flight path of the aircraft using a flight speed that is less than the desired speed by an amount equal to the speed margin. 11. A vehicle comprising: an input device configured to receive a speed margin input;a control system comprising a processor communicatively coupled to said input device, said processor programmed to:receive a speed target value, the speed target value representing a desired vehicle speed along the fight path;generate a thrust control signal using the speed target value;automatically determine a flight path of the vehicle that is shallower than an idle flight path for the vehicle using the thrust control signal, during a descent path an amount of thrust is determined using: T=D+VT-Δ⁢⁢VVT·[T-Δ⁢⁢V-D-Δ⁢⁢V], where T is the idle+Δ thrust solution,D is the drag at your desired speed,VT is the true airspeed (TAS) equivalent of the desired speed,VT−ΔV is the TAS equivalent of the desired speed less ΔV,T−ΔV is idle thrust at the desired speed less ΔV, andD−ΔV is drag at the desired speed less ΔV; andgenerate a flight control surface control signal configured to maintain the determined flight path using the received speed margin; andan output device communicatively coupled to said processor, said output device is configured to transmit the flight control surface control signal to a flight control surface control system. 12. A vehicle in accordance with claim 11, wherein said input device is configured to receive the speed margin at least one of entered manually by a user using a user interface and transmitted automatically from a computed value storage location. 13. A vehicle in accordance with claim 12, wherein said input device is configured to receive the speed margin from a Required Time-of-Arrival (RTA) algorithm. 14. A vehicle in accordance with claim 11, wherein said output device is configured to transmit the flight control surface control signal to an elevator control system. 15. A vehicle in accordance with claim 11, wherein said processor is programmed to determine a new flight path when a flight speed of the vehicle is outside the speed margin. 16. A vehicle in accordance with claim 11, wherein the speed margin is determined using an estimated uncertainty of forecast winds and temperatures, a desired RTA accuracy, a distance or time to a next RTA waypoint, a presence or lack of other performance entries, and a characteristic of an RTA algorithm. 17. A method of controlling an aircraft during ascent comprising: receiving a speed margin input for controlling the aircraft;automatically determining, using a flight control processor, a first flight path of the aircraft that is shallower than a climbing flight path that assumes maximum thrust and elevator controlling to the target speed for the aircraft the first flight path determined using a thrust control signal representing an amount of thrust determined using: T=D+VT-Δ⁢⁢VVT·[T-Δ⁢⁢V-D-Δ⁢⁢V], where T is the Maximum Thrust-Δ Thrust solution,D is the drag at your desired speed,VT is the true airspeed (TAS) equivalent of your desired speed,VT+ΔV is the TAS equivalent of your desired speed plus ΔV,T+ΔV is maximum thrust at the desired speed plus ΔV, andD+ΔV is drag at the desired speed plus ΔV;generating a flight control surface control signal configured to maintain the determined flight path using the received speed margin; andtransmitting the flight control surface control signal to a flight control surface control system of the aircraft. 18. A method in accordance with claim 17, further comprising controlling a speed of the aircraft using a throttle within the speed margin to maintain the determined flight path.