Patent classifications
B64D43/02
PREDICTING FAILURE AND/OR ESTIMATING REMAINING USEFUL LIFE OF AN AIR-DATA-PROBE HEATER
Apparatus and associated methods relate to predicting failure and/or estimating remaining useful life of an air-data-probe heater. Failure is predicted or useful life is estimated based on an electrical metric of the electrical operating power provided to a resistive heating element of the air-data-probe heater. The electrical metric of the air data probe heater is one or more of: i) phase relation between voltage across the resistive heating element and leakage current, which is conducted from the resistive heating element to a conductive sheath surrounding the resistive heating element; ii) a time-domain profile of leakage current through the heating element insulation during a full power cycle; and/or iii) high-frequency components of the electrical current conducted by the resistive heating element and/or the voltage across the resistive heating element.
PREDICTING FAILURE AND/OR ESTIMATING REMAINING USEFUL LIFE OF AN AIR-DATA-PROBE HEATER
Apparatus and associated methods relate to predicting failure and/or estimating remaining useful life of an air-data-probe heater. Failure is predicted or useful life is estimated based on an electrical metric of the electrical operating power provided to a resistive heating element of the air-data-probe heater. The electrical metric of the air data probe heater is one or more of: i) phase relation between voltage across the resistive heating element and leakage current, which is conducted from the resistive heating element to a conductive sheath surrounding the resistive heating element; ii) a time-domain profile of leakage current through the heating element insulation during a full power cycle; and/or iii) high-frequency components of the electrical current conducted by the resistive heating element and/or the voltage across the resistive heating element.
System and Method for Protection Against Vortex Ring State
A system and method for protecting a rotorcraft from entering a vortex ring state, the method including monitoring a vertical speed of a rotorcraft, comparing the vertical speed to a vertical speed safety threshold, and performing vortex ring state (VRS) avoidance in response to the vertical speed exceeding the vertical speed safety threshold. The performing the VRS avoidance includes determining a power margin available from one or more engines of the rotorcraft, limiting the vertical speed of the rotorcraft in response to the power margin exceeding a threshold, and increasing a forward airspeed of the rotorcraft in response to the power margin not exceeding the threshold.
System and Method for Protection Against Vortex Ring State
A system and method for protecting a rotorcraft from entering a vortex ring state, the method including monitoring a vertical speed of a rotorcraft, comparing the vertical speed to a vertical speed safety threshold, and performing vortex ring state (VRS) avoidance in response to the vertical speed exceeding the vertical speed safety threshold. The performing the VRS avoidance includes determining a power margin available from one or more engines of the rotorcraft, limiting the vertical speed of the rotorcraft in response to the power margin exceeding a threshold, and increasing a forward airspeed of the rotorcraft in response to the power margin not exceeding the threshold.
EMBEDDED DISPLAY AUTOMATIC FLIGHT CONTROLS DISTRIBUTED ARCHITECTURE
A flight display is described. The flight display includes a display screen, a physical network interface, and multiple processors. The flight display interfaces with the flight deck by way of the physical network interface. The display screen displays images representative of avionics data in response to signals generated by one or more of the processors. The processors also generate command signals causing an actuator of the aircraft to control a flight control surface or a throttle. In this regard, the one or more of the processors perform various automatic flight control system (AFCS) functions. A system is further described including multiple of the flight displays. By hosting the AFCS functions across processors of the multiple flight displays, a level of command integrity may be reached. Furthermore, backups flight displays are available to be reconfigured to perform the AFCS functions.
EMBEDDED DISPLAY AUTOMATIC FLIGHT CONTROLS DISTRIBUTED ARCHITECTURE
A flight display is described. The flight display includes a display screen, a physical network interface, and multiple processors. The flight display interfaces with the flight deck by way of the physical network interface. The display screen displays images representative of avionics data in response to signals generated by one or more of the processors. The processors also generate command signals causing an actuator of the aircraft to control a flight control surface or a throttle. In this regard, the one or more of the processors perform various automatic flight control system (AFCS) functions. A system is further described including multiple of the flight displays. By hosting the AFCS functions across processors of the multiple flight displays, a level of command integrity may be reached. Furthermore, backups flight displays are available to be reconfigured to perform the AFCS functions.
User interfaces for mutually exclusive three dimensional flying spaces
Boundary information associated with a three-dimensional (3D) flying space is obtained, including a boundary of the 3D flying space. Location information associated with an aircraft is obtained, including a location of the aircraft. Information is presented based at least in part on the boundary information associated with the 3D flying space and the location information associated with the aircraft, including by presenting, in a display, the boundary of the 3D flying space and an avatar representing the aircraft at the location of the aircraft.
User interfaces for mutually exclusive three dimensional flying spaces
Boundary information associated with a three-dimensional (3D) flying space is obtained, including a boundary of the 3D flying space. Location information associated with an aircraft is obtained, including a location of the aircraft. Information is presented based at least in part on the boundary information associated with the 3D flying space and the location information associated with the aircraft, including by presenting, in a display, the boundary of the 3D flying space and an avatar representing the aircraft at the location of the aircraft.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING SAFE LANDING ASSISTANCE FOR A VEHICLE
Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable medium for providing a safe landing for a vehicle. The method may include: displaying, on one or more displays, a vehicle, an intended landing zone, and a real-time flight path of the vehicle as the vehicle approaches the intended landing zone; receiving data related to one or more of the vehicle, the flight path of the vehicle, the intended landing zone, and an obstacle; determining the proximity of the vehicle relative to the center of the intended landing zone based on the received data; displaying the proximity of the vehicle relative to the center of the intended landing zone; displaying the obstacle when present; displaying an alert when the vehicle deviates in proximity to the center of the intended landing zone and/or approaches the obstacle; and upon determining a failure to respond to the alert computing flight controls to modify landing.
SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING SAFE LANDING ASSISTANCE FOR A VEHICLE
Disclosed are systems, methods, and non-transitory computer-readable medium for providing a safe landing for a vehicle. The method may include: displaying, on one or more displays, a vehicle, an intended landing zone, and a real-time flight path of the vehicle as the vehicle approaches the intended landing zone; receiving data related to one or more of the vehicle, the flight path of the vehicle, the intended landing zone, and an obstacle; determining the proximity of the vehicle relative to the center of the intended landing zone based on the received data; displaying the proximity of the vehicle relative to the center of the intended landing zone; displaying the obstacle when present; displaying an alert when the vehicle deviates in proximity to the center of the intended landing zone and/or approaches the obstacle; and upon determining a failure to respond to the alert computing flight controls to modify landing.