A system for automated management of in-flight restarting of engines of an aircraft includes controllers, each engine of the aircraft being managed by one of the controllers. A controller that detects an engine that has stopped: cuts off the energy supply of the engine and performs a windmill engine start. If at least one other engine has stopped, prioritization of engine restarting includes: collecting information concerning a state of health of each engine; determining from the information collected information representing a probability of restarting each stopped engine; determining a sequential order of restarting the stopped engines as a function of information representing the probability of restarting each stopped engine. Each stopped engine continues to be windmill started until selection of the engine in question in the sequential order of restarting the stopped engines. Thus, the operational status of the aircraft is improved as quickly as possible.

A power plant comprising two engine groups and a main power transmission gearbox. Each engine group drives the main gearbox mechanically in order to rotate a main rotor of an aircraft at a frequency of rotation NR. A first engine group comprising two main engines is regulated on a first setpoint NR* for the frequency of rotation NR, while a second engine group comprising a secondary engine is regulated on a second setpoint W.sub.2* for power of the second engine group. In addition, each engine operates with margins relative to operating limits. The second setpoint W.sub.2* for power is determined so that each secondary engine operates with a lowest second margin that is equal to the lowest first margin of the first engine group.

Systems and methods for controlling a throttle can use an auto throttle system. The auto throttle system includes an auto throttle monitor and a disable processor. The auto throttle monitor is configured to monitor throttle levers for an uncommanded throttle movement and disengage auto throttle control in response to the uncommanded throttle movement. The disable processor is configured to receive an indication of a loss of engine power from a first engine and prevent the auto throttle monitor from disengaging the auto throttle control for a throttle lever of the throttle levers associated with a second engine, the second engine being different than the first engine.

In one aspect, a method for dynamically controlling the operation of an aircraft having a first gas turbine engine and a second gas turbine engine may generally include receiving, by a first engine controller and a second engine controller, one or more operator commands deriving from an operator manipulated input device. The method may also include controlling the operation of the first gas turbine engine via the first engine controller, and the second gas turbine engine via the second engine controller. In addition, the method may include detecting a fault condition associated with the first engine controller, and subsequently switching control of the first gas turbine engine from the first engine controller to the second engine controller. The method may further include dynamically controlling the operation of the first gas turbine engine with the second engine controller.

A vehicle (100) comprising: an engine (102); a system for starting the engine (102); a fault detection module (120); an electrical power source (110); and a controller (116, 122). The controller (116, 122) is configured to, responsive to the fault detection module (120) detecting a fault occurring with the engine (102): determine a window in which to attempt to start the engine (102); control the electrical power source (110) to provide electrical power to the system for starting the engine (102); and control the system for starting the engine (102) to attempt to start the engine (102) using the supplied electrical power only during the determined window.

Systems and methods for an aircraft comprising: wings in tandem configuration wherein each wing having one tilting motor; an additional tilting motor located at the rear part of said aircraft; wherein all said tilting motors can tilt in the range between full horizontal and full vertical positions; at least two arrays of batteries, said arrays capable of moving forward and backward; sensing means; a computing device configured for: receiving said sensed information; controlling said motors; calculating the compensation required in case of a single motor failure and controlling the active motors accordingly; based on said sensed information and flight/movement instructions calculating continuously the optimal center of gravity location in the range possible given the movement range of said batteries arrays and controlling the movement of said batteries arrays accordingly.

Systems and methods for an aircraft comprising: wings in tandem configuration wherein each wing having one tilting motor; an additional tilting motor located at the rear part of said aircraft; wherein all said tilting motors can tilt in the range between full horizontal and full vertical positions; at least two arrays of batteries, said arrays capable of moving forward and backward; sensing means; a computing device configured for: receiving said sensed information; controlling said motors; calculating the compensation required in case of a single motor failure and controlling the active motors accordingly; based on said sensed information and flight/movement instructions calculating continuously the optimal center of gravity location in the range possible given the movement range of said batteries arrays and controlling the movement of said batteries arrays accordingly.

A set of commands for each of a plurality of actuators to alter an aircraft's state responsive to one or more inputs is produced. The set of commands is provided to fewer than all actuators comprising the plurality of actuators.

The invention relates to the redundant supply of kinetic energy to a drive system of an aircraft in order to ensure in each case largely safe operation of the aircraft during normal operation of the system and also in various emergency scenarios. The system has two electrical machines (110, 130), each of which is connected to in each case one of the two propellers. A high-voltage battery (120) and an internal combustion engine (140) are also provided. These components of the system are, depending on the type of component, electrically and/or mechanically connected to one another and to the propellers, and a controller of the system controls energy flows between the components depending on the mode of operation or readiness for operation of the components in a redundant manner in such a way that the aircraft can be largely safely operated in various normal and emergency situations.

An aircraft emergency descent method includes setting a pre-set maximum collective blade pitch and a pre-set altitude as part of a failure procedure; monitoring rotor assemblies through an aircraft control system and a failure detection module; determining when a rotor assembly has failed; and activating the failure procedure. The failure procedure includes commanding a maximum torque to a motor of each rotor assembly such that the rotational velocity of functioning rotors increases; detecting the increase in rotational velocity; adjusting either motor torque or a collective blade pitch to regulate rotational velocity; monitoring altitude of the aircraft; and upon determining when the aircraft reaches the pre-set altitude, adjusting the collective blade pitch to the pre-set maximum collective blade pitch via the at least one governor such that momentum is conserved, causing a descent rate of the aircraft to decrease as the aircraft approaches a ground surface.