Woodward Mpc, Inc.

Mpc Products Corporation

Brian P Dyra

Zenon P Szulyk

Darryl S Stachniak

Ganga P Jayaraman

Alex Makhlin

Thomas M Rusak

Charles C Frayman

An indirect drive active control column for an aircraft control system is provided. The indirect drive active control column provides both active and passive feedback to the control stick. The passive feedback relates to adjustments of the control stick relative to a feedback neutral position. The active feedback actively adjusts the position of the feedback neutral position to adjust a feedback profile of the passive feedback.

Indirect drive active control column

A aircraft control system is provided that provides tactile feedback between control columns of the aircraft relating to discrepancies in the control inputs to the sticks of the respective control columns. In one implementation, the sticks each have an associated feedback assembly that is adjustable relative to mechanical ground to adjust the feedback profile applied to the corresponding stick. The position of each feedback assembly is adjusted based on a relative displacement between the other feedback assembly and its corresponding stick to provide active feedback relating to the control of the other control column.

Position control system for cross coupled operation of fly-by-wire control columns

The present invention provides an active control system for coupling the movements of a pair of independently operated manual input devices such as dual flight control sticks operated by a pilot and co-pilot flying an aircraft. Each input device is configured to receive manual input data in the form of angular displacement of the device about one or more rotational axes. The active control system provides desired tactile feedback to an operator who displaces one of the manual input devices in the form of a restorative centering force. If an external system such as an auto-pilot system is engaged, the restorative force may be in a direction necessary to reconcile manual displacement of the input device with a position commanded by the external system, rather than directed toward the center position. The system also acts to reflect manual displacement of each input device as a force applied to the other. For example, when a pilot moves his or her control stick forward, the co-pilot will feel a like force tending to move the co-pilot's control stick forward.

Dual input servo coupled control sticks

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Elmhurst, IL, United States of America

Brian P Dyra