Method of automatically controlling the descent phase of an aircraft using aircraft avionics executing a descent algorithm

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9646505-B2
Application number	US-201414581709-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 23, 2014
Priority date	Dec 23, 2014
Publication date	May 9, 2017
Grant date	May 9, 2017

Abstract

A method of controlling the flight of an aircraft by automatically controlling the descent phase of an aircraft using a Flight Management System and Flight Guidance System (FMS & FGS) to control the air speed of the air craft and respond to an over speed condition.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of automatically controlling the descent phase of an aircraft using aircraft avionics executing a descent algorithm, the method comprising:
repeatedly receiving as input to the aircraft avionics an airspeed input indicative of the airspeed of the aircraft;
comparing by the aircraft avionics the airspeed input to a first reference airspeed;
determining by the aircraft avionics when airspeed input indicates an over-speed condition based on the comparison; and
placing the aircraft into a slip maneuver in response to the determined over-speed condition by the aircraft avionics.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising exiting the aircraft from the slip maneuver when the over-speed condition ceases.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising determining the cessation of the over-speed condition by, during the slip maneuver:
repeatedly receiving as input to the flight management an airspeed input indicative of the airspeed of the aircraft;
comparing by the aircraft avionics the airspeed input to a second reference airspeed; and
determining by the aircraft avionics when airspeed input indicates an absence of the over-speed condition based on the comparison.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the first reference air speed is greater than the second reference air speed.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the first and second reference air speeds differ by at least 10 knots.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the reference air speed is a threshold speed.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the threshold speed is a maximum operating speed limit (Vmo).

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the first reference air speed is a speed range.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining of the over-speed condition comprises the airspeed input exceeding the reference airspeed.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising placing the aircraft into the slip maneuver when the over-speed condition occurs during a minimum thrust condition.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising placing the aircraft into the slip maneuver when the over-speed condition occurs during an idle descent.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the slip maneuver comprises at least one of a side-slip maneuver or a forward-slip maneuver.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein placing the aircraft into the slip maneuver comprises the aircraft avionics outputting control surface settings to adjust one or more control surfaces of the aircraft and/or outputting engine throttle control signals.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the throttle control signals implement a differential thrust from the aircraft engines.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the control surfaces comprise at least one of a rudder and aileron.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the output control surface settings provide for opposite rudder and aileron.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the placing the aircraft into the slip maneuver occurs prior to the aircraft initiating a landing phase.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising ceasing the slip maneuver prior to the landing phase.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the landing phase begins prior to a flaring of the aircraft.

20. The method of claim 1 wherein the slip maneuver occurs without the application of a speed brake on the aircraft.

Assignees

• Ge Aviation Systems Llc

Inventors

• Ali Sherif Fouad
• Darnell Mark Lawrence

Classifications

• G05D1/0088

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

• G08G5/02 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G05D1/0676

  specially adapted for landing · CPC title

• G08G5/54 Primary

  for approach or landing · CPC title

• B64C13/18 Primary

  using automatic pilot · CPC title