A blade angle feedback assembly for a variable-pitch aircraft propeller rotor rotatable about an axis and having an adjustable blade pitch angle is provided. A feedback device is coupled to rotate with the rotor and to be displaced axially along the axis with adjustment of the blade pitch angle. Sensor(s) mounted adjacent the feedback device are configured to detect a passage of position marker(s) provided on the feedback device as the feedback device rotates. A magnetic shield mounted to the sensor(s) is configured to define a magnetic return path for some magnetic flux of a magnetic field exiting from a first pole of the magnet toward a second pole opposite the first pole. The magnetic shield comprises a wall member positioned adjacent the position marker(s) and configured to span a distance over which the position marker(s) are configured to be displaced with axial displacement of the feedback device.

A phonic wheel having a body and a tooth is disclosed. An embodiment of the phonic wheel includes a body that is configured to rotate about a rotation axis. The tooth is attached to the body. The tooth has a first axial end relative to the rotation axis, a second axial end opposite the first axial end, and a mid portion extending between the first and second axial ends. The mid portion has a substantially axially uniform height from the body. The first axial end has a greater height from the body than the height of the mid portion.

The present disclosure provides methods and systems for controlling a pitch for an aircraft-bladed rotor. A plurality of sensor signals are obtained from at least one sensor positioned proximate to a feedback device, the feedback device coupled to rotate with the rotor about a longitudinal axis and to move along the longitudinal axis with adjustment of a blade pitch angle of the rotor, the sensor signals produced responsive to detecting passage of a plurality of position markers of the feedback device, the plurality of position markers spaced circumferentially around the feedback device and having lengths along the longitudinal axis which vary monotonically and incrementally along at least part of the circumference of the feedback device. The plurality of sensor signals are processed to identify passage of the plurality of position markers. A feedback signal indicative of the blade pitch angle is generated based on the processed sensor signals.

A blade angle feedback system for an aircraft-bladed rotor rotatable about a longitudinal axis and having an adjustable blade pitch angle is provided. A feedback device is coupled to rotate with the rotor and to move along the axis with adjustment of the blade angle. At least one position marker is affixed to a core of the feedback device and extends along a direction angled relative to the axis. The core is made of a first material having a first magnetic permeability and the position marker comprises a second material having a second magnetic permeability greater than the first magnetic permeability. A sensor is positioned adjacent the feedback device and produces, as the feedback device rotates about the axis, a sensor signal in response to detecting passage of the position marker. A control unit generates a feedback signal indicative of the blade angle in response to the sensor signal.

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.

There is provided a blade angle feedback system for an aircraft-bladed rotor rotatable about a longitudinal axis and having an adjustable blade pitch angle. A feedback device is coupled to rotate with the rotor and to move along the axis with adjustment of the blade pitch angle. The feedback device comprises a body having position marker(s) embedded therein, the body made of a first material having a first magnetic permeability and the position marker(s) comprising a second material having a second magnetic permeability greater than the first. Sensor(s) are positioned adjacent the feedback device and configured for producing, as the feedback device rotates about the axis, sensor signal(s) in response to detecting passage of the position marker(s). A control unit is communicatively coupled to the sensor(s) and configured to generate a feedback signal indicative of the blade pitch angle in response to the sensor signal(s) received from the sensor(s).

A system and method for providing feedback for an aircraft-bladed rotor about a longitudinal axis and having an adjustable blade pitch angle. At least one position marker is provided at the rotor, extends along an axial direction, from a first end to a second end, and has varying magnetic permeability from the first end to the second end. At least one sensor is coupled to the rotor and configured for producing, as the rotor rotates about the longitudinal axis, at least one sensor signal in response to detecting passage of the at least one position marker. A control unit is communicatively coupled to the at least one sensor and configured to generate a feedback signal indicative of the blade pitch angle in response to the at least one sensor signal received from the at least one sensor.

A feedback device for use in a gas turbine engine, and methods and systems for controlling a pitch for an aircraft-bladed rotor, are provided. The feedback device is composed of a circular disk and a plurality of position markers. The circular disk is coupled to rotate with a rotor of the gas turbine engine, to move along a longitudinal axis of the rotor, and has first and second opposing faces defining a root surface that extends between and circumscribes the first and second faces. The plurality of position markers extend radially from the root surface and are circumferentially spaced around the circular disk. The position markers have a top surface elevated with respect to the root surface and opposing first and second side surfaces. The side surfaces of the position markers have a curved concave profile extending toward the root surface.

A feedback device for use in a gas turbine engine, and methods and systems for controlling a pitch for an aircraft-bladed rotor, are provided. The feedback device is composed of a circular disk and a plurality of position markers. The circular disk is coupled to rotate with a rotor of the gas turbine engine, to move along a longitudinal axis of the rotor, and has first and second opposing faces defining a root surface that extends between and circumscribes the first and second faces. The plurality of position markers extend radially from the root surface, are circumferentially spaced around the circular disk, and extending along the longitudinal axis from a first end portion to a second end portion. At least part of the first end portion and/or of the second end portion comprises a material having higher magnetic permeability than that of a remainder of the position markers.

A propeller control system for controlling a blade pitch angle including: a propeller blade extending from a blade base, the propeller blade being configured to rotate around a longitudinal axis to generate thrust for the propeller blade and rotate around a pitch change axis to adjust the blade pitch angle, wherein the pitch change axis extends through a center point of the blade base; a trunnion pin operably connected to the blade base at a location offset from the center point; a yoke plate operably connected to the trunnion pin; an actuator configured to move the yoke plate linearly along the longitudinal axis to rotate the trunnion pin and the propeller blade around the pitch change axis; and a transfer tube operably connected to the yoke plate, the transfer tube being free to rotate around the longitudinal axis as the actuator moves the yoke plate linearly along the longitudinal axis.