System and method for rotorcraft collective power hold

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10479491-B2
Application number	US-201715679645-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 17, 2017
Priority date	Aug 17, 2017
Publication date	Nov 19, 2019
Grant date	Nov 19, 2019

Abstract

A method for operating a rotorcraft includes providing a power hold by performing monitoring one or more operational parameters of the rotorcraft during flight, determining whether operational parameters need adjustment according to a relationship between the operational parameters and operating limits associated with a power setting for the power hold, and determining a flight parameter for one or more flight control devices of the rotorcraft in response to determining that the operational parameters need adjustment. Providing the power hold further includes sending a position set signal to a trim assembly of the rotorcraft to set a first position of a pilot control connected to the trim assembly according to a pilot control setting generated according to the flight parameter, and controlling a flight control device control according to a second position of the pilot control.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rotorcraft, comprising:
a collective control;
a collective position sensor connected to the collective control, wherein the collective position sensor is operable to generate collective position signals indicating a position of the collective control;
a flight control computer (FCC) in signal communication with the collective position sensor and operable to provide a power hold for the rotorcraft in response to a power hold activation signal and further in response to a first one of the collective position signals indicating that the collective control is overdriven, wherein the FCC is further operable to determine a power setting for the power hold and one or more operational limits associated with the power hold;
a collective trim motor connected to the collective control and in signal communication with the FCC; and
one or more flight control devices connected to the FCC and operable to control flight of the rotorcraft in response to a flight control device control signal received from the FCC;
wherein the FCC is operable to determine a flight parameter for the one or more flight control devices according to a relationship between the one or more operational limits and one or more operational parameters indicated by one or more sensor signals received at the FCC, wherein the FCC is further operable to determine a pilot control setting according to the flight parameter and generate a collective set command according to the pilot control setting;
wherein the collective trim motor is operable to move the collective control according to the collective set command; and
wherein the FCC is operable to generate the flight control device control signal according to a second one of the collective position signals, and to send the flight control device control signal to the one or more flight control devices.

2. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the FCC is further operable to determine the power setting for the power hold according to an operating regime of the rotorcraft.

3. The rotorcraft of claim 2 , wherein the FCC is further operable to determine the power setting by selecting as the power setting a selected power setting set by a pilot in response to the pilot selecting the power setting, and by selecting a default power setting in response to the pilot not selecting the power setting.

4. The rotorcraft of claim 2 , wherein the operating regime is determined according to a number of engines operable to power the rotorcraft.

5. The rotorcraft of claim 4 , wherein the FCC is further operable to determine the power setting by selecting, in response to the operating regime being a twin engine operating regime, the power setting from a maximum continuous power setting and a maximum takeoff power setting, and wherein the FCC is further operable to determine the power setting by selecting, in response to the operating regime being a single engine operating regime, the power setting from the maximum continuous power setting, a thirty second maximum power setting, and two minute maximum power setting.

6. The rotorcraft of claim 1 , wherein the FCC is further operable to determine the flight parameter for the one or more flight control devices by determining an adjustment to a collective setting of the rotorcraft according to the relationship between the one or more operational limits and the one or more operational parameters indicated by one or more sensor signals received at the FCC.

7. The rotorcraft of claim 6 , wherein the FCC is further operable to determine the adjustment to the collective setting to be a decrease in the collective setting in response to the FCC determining, according to one or more of the operational limits and at least one of a value of the one or more operational parameters and a rate of change of the one or more operational parameters, that the one or more operational parameters need to be mitigated.

8. A flight control system computer (FCC) for a rotorcraft, comprising:
a processor; and
a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program to be executed by the processor, the program including instructions for providing a power hold, the instructions for providing the power hold including instructions for:
receiving a power hold indication signal sent from a power hold indication device;
determining a power setting selected according to at least an operating regime of the rotorcraft, wherein the power setting is a selected power setting associated with the operating regime in response to having a saved selected power limit associated with the operating regime, and wherein the power setting is a default power setting associated with the operating regime in response to not having a saved selected power limit associated with the operating regime;
adjusting one or more flight parameters according to an operational limit associated with the power setting;
controlling positioning of one or more pilot controls according to the flight parameters; and
controlling one or more flight control devices of the rotorcraft according to positioning of the one or more pilot controls.

9. The FCC of claim 8 , wherein the instructions for providing the power hold further include instructions for:
selecting, in response to the operating regime being a twin engine operating regime, the power setting from a maximum continuous power setting and a maximum takeoff power setting; and
selecting, in response to the operating regime being a single engine operating regime, the power setting from a maximum continuous power setting, a thirty second maximum power setting, and two minute maximum power setting.

10. The FCC of claim 8 , further comprising a computer readable memory; and
wherein the instructions for providing the power hold further include instructions for:
receiving a selected power setting indication for the operating regime and saving, in the computer readable memory, the selected power setting associated with the selected power setting indication.

11. The FCC of claim 10 , wherein the instructions for providing the power hold comprise instructions for providing the power hold in response to receiving the power hold indication signal sent from the power hold indication device while a position of a collective pilot control of the rotorcraft is in an overdrive range.

12. The FCC of claim 11 , wherein the program further includes instructions for providing a second function in response to receiving the power hold indication signal when the position of the collective pilot control is outside of the overdrive range.

13. The FCC of claim 11 , wherein the instructions for providing the power hold further include instructions for adjusting a collective setting of the rotorcraft to optimize performance of the rotorcraft while maintaining a main rotor revolutions per minute (RPM) within a selected range.

14. The FCC of claim 11 , wherein the instructions for providing the power hold further include instructions for releasing the power hold in response to receiving a power hold release signal sent from the power hold indication device while the power hold is being provided; and
wherein the power hold indication device is separate from a device from which the selected power setting indication is received.

15. A method for operating a rotorcraft, comprising:
providing a power hold by performing:
receiving a power hold indication signal sent from a power hold indication device;
determining a power setting selected according to at least an operating regime of the rotorcraft and in response to the power hold indication signal, wherein the power setting is a selected power set

Assignees

• Bell Helicopter Textron Inc
• Textron Innovations Inc

Inventors

• Schaeffer Joseph M
• Gillett Luke Dafydd

Classifications

• B64C27/57 Primary

  automatic or condition responsive, e.g. responsive to rotor speed, torque or thrust · CPC title

• B64C13/503

  Fly-by-Wire · CPC title

• B64D31/04

  actuated personally · CPC title

• B64C13/18

  using automatic pilot · CPC title

• B64D31/00

  Power plant control systems; Arrangement of power plant control systems in aircraft · CPC title