Systems and methods are provided for aircraft spoiler lockout. One embodiment is a system that includes a locking device that removably engages a control member inside a cockpit of an aircraft. The locking device restricts motion of the control member to prevent movement of wing surfaces of the aircraft. The system further includes a controller in communication with a wireless transmitter. The controller determines from a signal sent by the wireless transmitter whether both handheld switches connected to the wireless transmitter are being actively held. If so, the controller directs a supply of power to the locking device thereby causing the locking device to temporarily release the control member. Otherwise, the locking device restricts motion of the control member.

A roll control system controls roll control surfaces of an aircraft that are capable of causing the aircraft to perform a roll maneuver by respectively deflecting in upward and downward directions. The roll control system includes deflection limiter units for respectively limiting angles of deflection of the roll control surfaces, and further includes deflection rate limiter units for respectively limiting rates of deflection of the roll control surfaces. The deflection limiter unit limits the roll control surfaces to deflection distances and deflection rates based at least in part on the deflection direction of the roll control surfaces. For a given set of flight conditions, such as airspeed, if a roll control surface is deflecting upwardly, it is less limited by the roll control system in terms of deflection distance and deflection rate than if the roll control surface is deflecting downwardly.

If irregular movement is detected in a given one of left and right spoilers, a spoiler control device outputs a retracting signal for the given one of the spoilers and refrains from outputting the retracting signal for the other of the left and right spoilers, and if the difference between the angles of the left and right spoilers becomes equal to or less than a specified value, the spoiler control device outputs the retracting signal for the other of the left and right spoilers.

Selector lever systems of aircraft are provided. The selector lever systems include a selector lever configured to control operation of one or more aircraft control surfaces, the selector lever having a handle configured to enable manual operation of the selector lever, a touch sensor arranged on the handle, and a controller arranged in communication with the touch sensor, the controller configured to at least one of generate a notification when a signal is received from the touch sensor and unlock the selector lever from a locked state.

Aircraft control surface actuation systems and methods are described herein. An example control surface actuation system includes an interface cable, a test interface, and a controller. The test interface is to be disposed in an electrical equipment (EE) bay of an aircraft and operatively coupled to an actuator associated with a control surface of the aircraft. The interface cable is to be connected between the test interface and the controller, and the controller is to transmit a signal via the interface cable to the test interface to control the actuator.

A retention member monitoring system for a slat-flap control lever assembly including a control lever movable over a range of discrete angular positions. Also included is a retention member engageable with the control lever to retain the control lever in each of the discrete angular positions. Further included is at least one electric device in communication with the retention member to determine the structural integrity of the retention member.

A system and method for controlling one or more flaps of a wing of an aircraft include a first flap moveably secured to a first wing of the aircraft. The first flap is moveable between an extended position and a retracted position. First and second actuators are coupled to the first flap. A flap control unit is in communication with the first and second actuators. The flap control unit is configured to operate the first and second actuators to move the first flap between retracted and extended positions, monitor a first electrical signal provided to the first actuator, monitor a second electrical signal provided to the second actuator, and determine that the first and second actuators are synchronized by monitoring the first and second electrical signals.

A control augmentation system for high aspect ratio aircraft has aileron/flaperon and throttle position sensors; spoiler and flap controls; a mode switch with manual, and landing modes; and a controller driving left and right spoiler and flap servos, the controller including at least one processor with memory containing firmware configured to: when the mode switch is in manual mode, drive both spoiler servos to a symmetrical position according to the spoiler control; when the mode switch is in landing mode, drive the left spoiler to a position dependent on aileron and throttle position, and the right spoiler to a position dependent on aileron and throttle position, the left and right spoiler positions differing whenever ailerons are not centered, and an average of spoiler positions is more fully deployed when the throttle position is at a low-power setting than when the throttle position is at a high-power setting.

Aircraft control surface actuation systems and methods are described herein. An example control surface actuation system includes an interface cable, a test interface, and a controller. The test interface is to be disposed in an electrical equipment (EE) bay of an aircraft and operatively coupled to an actuator associated with a control surface of the aircraft. The interface cable is to be connected between the test interface and the controller, and the controller is to transmit a signal via the interface cable to the test interface to control the actuator.

Systems and methods are provided for aircraft spoiler lockout. One embodiment is a system that includes a locking device that removably engages a control member inside a cockpit of an aircraft. The locking device restricts motion of the control member to prevent movement of wing surfaces of the aircraft. The system further includes a controller in communication with a wireless transmitter. The controller determines from a signal sent by the wireless transmitter whether both handheld switches connected to the wireless transmitter are being actively held. If so, the controller directs a supply of power to the locking device thereby causing the locking device to temporarily release the control member. Otherwise, the locking device restricts motion of the control member.