Integrated thrust and drag control of an aircraft

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11260959-B2
Application number	US-201916513340-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2019
Priority date	Jul 16, 2019
Publication date	Mar 1, 2022
Grant date	Mar 1, 2022

Abstract

Aircraft, auto speed brake control systems, and methods for controlling drag of an aircraft are provided. In one example, an aircraft includes an aircraft structure. A drag device is operatively coupled to the aircraft structure between a stowed and a deployed position and/or an intermediate deployed position. A speed brake controller is in communication with the drag device to control movement. An autothrottle-autospeedbrake controller is in communication with the speed brake controller and is configured to receive data signals. The autothrottle-autospeedbrake controller is operative to direct the speed brake controller to control movement of the drag device between the stowed position and the deployed position and/or the intermediate deployed position in response to at least one of the data signals.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An aircraft comprising:
an aircraft structure;
a first drag device operatively coupled to the aircraft structure to move between a first stowed position and a first deployed position and/or a first intermediate deployed position;
a speed brake controller in communication with the first drag device for controlling movement of the first drag device; and
an autothrottle-autospeedbrake controller in communication with the speed brake controller and configured to receive a plurality of data signals including an aircraft speed data signal, an aircraft altitude data signal, a throttle position data signal, and a speed target data signal, and wherein the autothrottle-autospeedbrake controller is operative to direct the speed brake controller to control movement of the first drag device between the first stowed position and the first deployed position and/or the first intermediate deployed position in response to at least one of the data signals, wherein during descent of the aircraft, the autothrottle-autospeedbrake controller automatically directs the speed brake controller to deploy the first drag device from the first stowed position to one of the first deployed position and the first intermediate deployed position when the throttle position data signal corresponds to an engine idle thrust and the aircraft speed data signal corresponds to a greater speed than the speed target data signal to slow the aircraft to a target speed, and wherein during descent of the aircraft, the autothrottle-autospeedbrake controller automatically directs the speed brake controller to retract the first drag device from one of the first deployed position and the first intermediate deployed position to one of the first stowed position and the first intermediate deployed position prior to increasing the throttle position data signal from the engine idle thrust when the aircraft speed data signal corresponds to a lesser speed than the speed target data signal to increase speed of the aircraft to the target speed.

2. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the first drag device is one of a speed brake, a spoiler, an airbrake, a dive flap, a landing gear, and an air parachute.

3. The aircraft of claim 1 , wherein the aircraft comprises a plurality of drag devices including the first drag device and a second drag device, wherein the second drag device is operatively coupled to the aircraft structure to move between a second stowed position and a second deployed position and/or a second intermediate deployed position, wherein the speed brake controller is in communication with the second drag device for controlling movement of the second drag device, and wherein the autothrottle-autospeedbrake controller is operative to direct the speed brake controller to control movement of the second drag device between the second stowed position and the second deployed position and/or the second intermediate deployed position in response to the at least one of the data signals.

4. The aircraft of claim 3 , wherein the aircraft structure includes a first wing and a second wing, and wherein the first drag device is coupled to the first wing and the second drag device is coupled to the second wing.

5. The aircraft of claim 4 , wherein the first drag device and the second drag device are spoilers.

6. An auto speed brake control system for controlling drag of an aircraft, the auto speed brake control system comprising:
a speed brake controller configured to communicate with a drag device for controlling movement of the drag device between a stowed position and a deployed position and/or an intermediate deployed position; and
an autothrottle-autospeedbrake controller in communication with the speed brake controller and configured to receive a plurality of data signals including an aircraft speed data signal, an aircraft altitude data signal, a throttle position data signal, and a speed target data signal, and wherein the autothrottle-autospeedbrake controller is operative to direct the speed brake controller to control movement of the drag device between the stowed position and the deployed position and/or the intermediate deployed position in response to at least one of the data signals, wherein during descent of the aircraft, the autothrottle-autospeedbrake controller is configured to automatically direct the speed brake controller to deploy the first drag device from the first stowed position to one of the first deployed position and the first intermediate deployed position when the throttle position data signal corresponds to an engine idle thrust and the aircraft speed data signal corresponds to a greater speed than the speed target data signal to slow the aircraft to a target speed, and wherein during descent of the aircraft, the autothrottle-autospeedbrake controller is configured to automatically direct the speed brake controller to retract the first drag device from one of the first deployed position and the first intermediate deployed position to one of the first stowed position and the first intermediate deployed position prior to increasing the throttle position data signal from the engine idle thrust when the aircraft speed data signal corresponds to a lesser speed than the speed target data signal to increase speed of the aircraft to the target speed.

7. A method for controlling drag of an aircraft, the method comprising the steps of:
receiving a plurality of data signals to an autothrottle-autospeedbrake controller, wherein the data signals include an aircraft speed data signal, an aircraft altitude data signal, a throttle position data signal, and a speed target data signal;
communicating a command signal from the autothrottle-autospeedbrake controller to a speed brake controller in response to at least one of the data signals, wherein the command signal is for moving a first drag device; and
controlling movement of the first drag device between a first stowed position and a first deployed position and/or a first intermediate deployed position via the speed brake controller in response to the command signal, wherein during descent of the aircraft, the autothrottle-autospeedbrake controller automatically directs the speed brake controller to deploy the first drag device from the first stowed position to one of the first deployed position and the first intermediate deployed position when the throttle position data signal corresponds to an engine idle thrust and the aircraft speed data signal corresponds to a greater speed than the speed target data signal to slow the aircraft to a target speed, and wherein during descent of the aircraft, the autothrottle-autospeedbrake controller automatically directs the speed brake controller to retract the first drag device from one of the first deployed position and the first intermediate deployed position to one of the first stowed position and the first intermediate deployed position prior to increasing the throttle position data signal from the engine idle thrust when the aircraft speed data signal corresponds to a lesser speed than the speed target data signal to increase speed of the aircraft to the target speed.

Assignees

• Gulfstream Aerospace Corp

Inventors

• Landers Thomas
• Malluck Michael

Classifications

• B64C25/10

  retractable, foldable, or the like · CPC title

• B64C13/18 Primary

  using automatic pilot · CPC title

• B64C13/0425 Primary

  for actuating trailing or leading edge flaps, air brakes or spoilers · CPC title

• B64C13/16 Primary

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

• B64D17/80

  in association with aircraft, e.g. for braking thereof · CPC title