Method for optimizing the take-off parameters of an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10228702-B2
Application number	US-201715609090-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 31, 2017
Priority date	Jun 3, 2016
Publication date	Mar 12, 2019
Grant date	Mar 12, 2019

Abstract

A method for optimizing the take-off parameters of an aircraft. The aircraft comprises a system for automatically controlling the high lift devices at the moment when the wheels of the aircraft leave the ground. The method comprises a step of selecting a first configuration of the high lift devices at the start of the take-off phase and a selection of an acceleration speed of the aircraft. The method is advantageous in that, on reception of an actual aircraft take-off detection signal, a control unit is configured to transmit a control command making it possible to bring the high lift devices into a second configuration, in which they are retracted relative to the first position, and consecutively accelerate the speed of the aircraft automatically to an acceleration speed entered by the pilot.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for optimizing take-off parameters of an aircraft, the aircraft comprising
high lift devices and an automatic control system for automatically controlling the high lift devices, the automatic control system comprising
a control lever for moving the high lift devices,
a control unit for controlling a retraction of the high lift devices,
a human-machine interface provided with a display screen and an input interface,
a sensor for detecting an actual take-off of the aircraft, corresponding to a moment when wheels of the aircraft leave the ground,
a sensor for detecting the retraction of landing gear of the aircraft, and,
at least one device for measuring a speed of the aircraft,

the method comprising the steps:
selecting a first configuration of the high lift devices at the start of the take-off phase,
selecting an objective acceleration speed of the aircraft on the human-machine interface higher than an 11-meter passage aircraft speed,
positioning the control lever on the position of the first configuration of the high lift devices at the start of the take-off phase,
activating the automatic control system,
receiving, by the control unit, an actual aircraft take-off detection signal, wherein the actual take-off signal comprises receiving, first, a landing gear retraction signal and receiving, second, a confirmation that an actual speed of the aircraft is higher than a minimum set point speed of a second configuration of the high light devices, the second configuration as being the next configuration relative to the first configuration in a list of the set points known by the control unit, and,
transmitting, by the control, a control command to bring the high lift devices into the second configuration, in which the high lift devices are retracted relative to the first configuration and, then, consecutively, to accelerate the speed of the aircraft automatically to the objective acceleration speed.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of displaying, on the display screen, an objective configuration of the high lift devices defined by the unit, a real position of the high lift devices and a position of the control lever.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the control lever is provided with a motor drive, wherein the control unit is configured to simultaneously bring the high lift devices and the control lever, via the motor drive, to the current aircraft configuration position.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the automatic control system comprises a device for controlling the take-off parameters, wherein the device computes at least one optimized take-off parameter according to given runway parameters and for given atmospheric conditions.

5. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the device computes the take-off parameter of the first configuration according to given runway parameters and for given atmospheric conditions.

6. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the device computes the take-off parameter of the second configuration according to given runway parameters and for given atmospheric conditions.

7. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the device computes the take-off parameter of a set point rotation speed according to given runway parameters and for given atmospheric conditions.

8. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the device computes the take-off parameter of the objective speed augmented relative to the 11-meter speed, according to given runway parameters and for given atmospheric conditions.

Assignees

• Airbus Operations Sas

Inventors

• Demortier Jean-Pierre
• Petit Eric
• Homehr Christophe
• Thiers Cyrille
• Hodges Colin
• Lulla Christian

Classifications

• B64C13/00

  Control systems or transmitting systems for actuating flying-control surfaces, lift-increasing flaps, air brakes, or spoilers · CPC title

• G05D1/0088

  characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours (using knowledge based models G06N5/00) · CPC title

• G05D1/0661 Primary

  specially adapted for take-off · CPC title

• B64C13/16

  actuated automatically, e.g. responsive to gust detectors · CPC title

• B64C13/18

  using automatic pilot · CPC title