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Enhanced flight control systems and methods for a jet powered tri-mode aircraft
| Details |
Inventors: Osder, Stephen S.; Thompson, Thomas L.;
Assignee: The Boeing Company (Mesa, AZ)
Primary Examiner: Black; Thomas G.
Assistant Examiner: Mancho; Ronnie
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Stout, Uxa, Buyan & Mullins, LLP, Stout; Donald E.
A method of stabilizing a jet-powered tri-mode aircraft as the aircraft travels in a helicopter mode, a compound mode, and a fixed-wing mode is disclosed. The method includes receiving a plurality of velocity vector component values and velocity vector commands derived from either (1) a number of pilot operated controllers or (2) a commanded array of waypoints, which are used for fully automated flights, and a rotor speed reference value, which is decreased with increasing forward speed to unload the rotor, thereby permitting conditions for stopping the rotor in flight. Stabilization of the commanded velocity vector is achieved in all modes of flight using blended combinations of rotor swashplate controls and aerodynamic controls such as elevons, canards, rudders, and a horizontal tail. Stabilization to the commanded velocity vector includes a plurality of control constraints applied to the pilot stick controllers that prevent penetration of envelope limits. |
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION One embodiment of the present invention includes a jet-powered tri-mode aircraft capable of automatically transitioning from a helicopter mode to a compound mode to a fixed-wing mode without any intervention by a pilot of the aircraft.
The aircraft includes a fuselage, a turbofan engine mounted within the fuselage for producing an airflow, and a rotor blade having a plurality of exit nozzles for outputting the airflow.
The aircraft also includes a mast valve for regulating the airflow to the plurality of exit nozzles of the rotor blade, a cruise nozzle for regulating and outputting the airflow, and a scheduler for scheduling the mast valve and the cruise nozzle as a function of aircraft speed and for monitoring the airflow being output from the plurality of rotor blade exit nozzles, the cruise nozzle, the mast valve, and the lateral thrusters to prevent the turbofan engine from stalling.
Another embodiment of the present invention includes a method of stabilizing a jet-powered tri-mode aircraft as the jet-powered tri-mode aircraft travels in a compound mode, which is between a helicopter mode and a fixed-wing mode.
The method of stabilizing a jet-powered tri-mode aircraft includes receiving a plurality of velocity vector component values and velocity vector commands derived from either (1) a number of pilot operated controllers or (2) a commanded array of waypoints, which are used for fully automated flights, and a rotor speed reference value, which is decreased with increasing forward speed to unload the rotor, thereby permitting conditions for stopping the rotor in flight.
Stabilization of the commanded velocity vector is achieved in all modes of flight using blended combinations of rotor swashplate controls and aerodynamic controls such as elevons, canards, rudders, and a horizontal tail.
A turbofan engine is used to drive the rotor and to attain forward propulsion, with engine controls, including active stall margin control integrated with the flight controls.
In support of the stabilization, scheduled mast valve and cruise nozzle direct the engine thrust to the rotor or to the conventional exhaust for forward propulsion, while the canard and horizontal tail surfaces are scheduled to assume aircraft lift as the rotor is unloaded
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