Methods and systems for operating a gas turbine engine coupled to an aircraft propeller are described herein. A request for reverse of the propeller thrust is received from a power lever of the aircraft. A blade angle of the propeller is determined. Reverse thrust of the propeller is inhibited when the blade angle exceeds a threshold. Reverse thrust of the propeller based on the request is enabled when the blade angle is below the threshold.

Systems and methods for condition-based validation of performance updates are provided. According to one embodiment of the disclosure, a method can include operating an asset under updated settings, ascertaining ambient conditions of the asset and matching the ambient conditions to a condition range, determining whether data completion criteria for the condition range are satisfied and, based at least in part on the determination, selectively switching between using the updated settings for operating the asset and using baseline settings for operating the asset while collecting data points for a predetermined period of time.

Control systems and methods for controlling an engine. The control system includes a computation module and an input/output (I/O) module attached to the engine. The computation module is located in an area of the engine, or off-engine, that provides a more benign environment than the environment that the I/O module is subject to during operation of the engine. The I/O module includes a first processor and a first network interface device. The computation module includes a second processor with higher processing power than the first processor, and a second network interface device. The control system also includes a sensor configured to provide sensor readings to the first processor. The first processor transmits data based on the sensor readings to the second processor. The control system also includes an actuator operably coupled to the I/O module and that is controlled by the first processor based on commands from the second processor.

A gas turbine engine including a support structure including a conduit coupled to a static support. The conduit defines an end wall between which a fluid is contained within a volume defined by the conduit. An effort variable provided to the support structure modulates a stiffness of the support structure.

An ice protection system for an aircraft may comprise an electric heater embedded within a composite aircraft component. In the event of malfunction of the embedded heater, a secondary heater may be attached to an interior surface of the composite aircraft component. The wiring may be detached from the embedded heater and attached to the secondary heater. The secondary heater may be used to provide ice protection to the composite aircraft component.

A system includes a network of a plurality of sensing/control/identification devices distributed throughout a machine, each of the sensing/control/identification devices associated with at least one sub-system component of the machine and operable to communicate through a plurality of electromagnetic signals. Shielding surrounds at least one of the sensing/control/identification devices to contain the electromagnetic signals proximate to the at least one sub-system component. A communication path is integrally formed in a component of the machine to route a portion of the electromagnetic signals through the component and a remote processing unit operable to communicate with the network of the sensing/control/identification devices through the electromagnetic signals, wherein at least a portion of the sensing/control/identification devices comprise a wide band gap semiconductor device and wherein at least a portion of the sensing/control/identification devices comprise an on-chip antenna.

A system of a machine includes a network of a plurality of identification devices distributed throughout the machine. Each of the identification devices are embedded in a component of the machine and operable to communicate through a plurality of electromagnetic signals. Each identification device includes a unique code characteristic of the component and the identification device is readable by one or more readers to interrogate the unique code characteristic. Shielding surrounds at least one of the identification devices to contain the electromagnetic signals proximate to the component and a communication path is integrally formed in the component of the machine to route a portion of the electromagnetic signals through the component. A remote processing unit is operable to communicate with the network of the identification devices through the electromagnetic signals.

A control system for a gas turbine includes a controller. The controller includes a processor configured to receive a plurality of signals from sensors disposed in the gas turbine engine system, wherein the gas turbine system engine comprises a compressor section fluidly coupled to a gas turbine section. The processor is additionally configured to derive a vanadium content in a gas turbine engine fuel based on at least one of the plurality of signals. The processor is also configured to determine if a control curve should be adjusted based on the vanadium content in the gas turbine engine fuel, and if it is determined that the control curve should be adjusted, then deriving an adjustment to the control curve based on the vanadium content, and applying the adjustment to the control curve to derive an adjusted control curve.

Systems and methods for controlling a gas turbine engine and a propeller are described herein. A target output power for the engine and a target speed for the propeller are received. A measurements of at least one engine parameter and a measurement of at least one propeller parameter are received. At least one engine control command is generated based on the target output power, the measurement of the at least one engine parameter and at least one model of the engine. At least one propeller control command is generated based on the target speed, the measurement of the at least one propeller parameter and the at least one model of the propeller. The at least one engine control command is output for controlling an operation of the engine accordingly and the at least one propeller control command is output for controlling an operation of the propeller accordingly.

A distributed electrical system includes a plurality of engine components each in electrical communication with one of a plurality of docking stations. An electronic engine control is positioned remote from the engine components and is configured to communicate wirelessly with each of the plurality of engine components.