The Boeing Company

Alan D Marx

Michael E Renzelmann

Neal Van Huynh

Patrick Joseph McCormick

Mark H Smith

Timothy G Overton

Mark Steven Good

Mark John Gardner

Michael R Finn

Christopher D Feet

Gary A Emch

Richard I Apfel

Gregory J Seehusen

A system of an aircraft includes a system pump and a booster pump. The system pump is configured to provide hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic system at a first working pressure. The booster pump is configured to supply hydraulic fluid to at least one boostable actuator at a second working pressure higher than the first working pressure. The boostable actuator is operatively coupled to and configured to actuate at least one flight control surface of an aircraft. The booster pump is configured as a high-pressure accumulator and an accumulator energizer, or as a hydraulic actuator pump and a variable speed motor.

Hydraulic system and method for a flight control system of an aircraft

A hydraulic system of an aircraft may include a system pump configured to provide hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic system at a first working pressure. The hydraulic system may further include a booster pump configured to supply hydraulic fluid to at least one boostable actuator at a second working pressure higher than the first working pressure. The boostable actuator may be operatively coupled to and configured to actuate at least one flight control surface of an aircraft.

Hydraulic system and method for an aircraft flight control system

A method for detecting freewheeling skew failures in the wing flaps of an aircraft includes measuring the outputs of flap skew sensors when the aircraft is in flight (IF) and the flaps are extended to a selected position, and when the aircraft is next on the ground (OG) and the flaps are extended to the selected position. The respective differences between the IF and OG outputs of symmetrical pairs of the flap skew sensors are computed, and then the respective difference between the computed IF output difference and the computed OG output difference of each symmetrical pair of the sensors is computed. The computed IF and OG difference of each symmetrical pair of the sensors is then compared with each of predetermined maximum and minimum threshold value to determine whether a freewheeling skew failure exists in any of the flaps of the aircraft.

In-flight detection of wing flap free wheeling skew

A plurality of latch pins are locked into a latch position by primary locks and secondary locks. Each primary lock mechanically blocks movement of its corresponding secondary lock into the secondary lock's locked position when the primary lock is out of its locked position. The secondary locks are ganged together to cause them to move together into and out from their locked positions. A follow-up switch senses movement of the ganging mechanism. A latch pin inhibitor blocks movement of the latch pin into the latch position and is moved away to permit latching by spreading of the wing tip. The inhibitor is linked to a valve to shift the valve and thereby cause hydraulic pressure to be supplied to extend the latch pin. When the locks are in their looked positions, the secondary locks mechanically block the primary locks from moving out of their locked positions. The secondary locks are biased into their locked positions. During flight, the latch pins and locks are isolated from hydraulic pressure. Spreading, latching, and locking procedures are carried out automatically following manual actuation of a control member. A hydraulic actuator that moves the wing-tip between folded and spread positions acts as a strut to hold the wing tip in the folded position.

Folding wing-tip system

A plurality of radially extendable/retractable lock bolts (LB) are carried by a piston head (PH). A cylinder body (CB) in which the piston head (PH) is located includes a lock-bolt cavity (52) or cavities. When the actuator is in a lock position (fully extended or fully retracted), the lock bolt or bolts (LB) are in radial alignment with the lock bolt cavity or cavities. A locking piston (LP) within the actuator is movable axially to place a bolt block (62) radially inwardly of the lock bolt or bolts (LB), to in such position block the lock bolt or bolts (LB) against a radial inward movement out from the lock bolt cavity (52) or cavities. The locking piston (LP) includes a piston face (60) against which hydraulic fluid pressure may be directed, to move the locking piston (LP) axially, for retracting the bolt block (62) out from its position radially inwardly of the lock bolt or bolts (LB). This frees the lock bolt or bolts (LB) so that they can move radially inwardly, out from the lock bolt cavity 52 or cavities.

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Alan D Marx