Pratt-whitney Canada Corp

Carmine Lisio

Jasraj Chahal

Giancarlo Zingaro

Darragh McGrath

Jim R Jarvo

Brant Duke

Michel Labrecque

Sean McCarthy

Kenneth Matheson

Andrew Hayes Thompson

Zachary Mounir Faty

Antonio Hernani Nobre

Philippe Beauchesne-Martel

Patrick Manoukian

Kevin Nguyen

Reza Pedrami

Yusuf Razi Syed

Richard Robert Kudrna

Guy Riverin

Xuening Lu

Michael Youssef

Alexandre Charest

Louis-Philippe Larose

Benjamin Bregani

Dave Sellors

Matthew Chiasson

Jean-François Bisson

Saadi Daftari

Romain Chevalier

Eric Ostiguy

Sean Mccarthy

Darragh Mcgrath

A method of regenerating an electric power storage unit for an aircraft hybrid electric propulsion (HEP) system is provided. The HEP system includes a thermal engine, an electric motor, an electric power storage unit, a primary gearbox, and a propulsion unit. The electric motor is configured to selectively provide rotational drive to the propulsion unit. The method includes: controlling the electric motor to operate as the generator; controlling the primary gearbox to be in an output disengaged configuration, wherein in the output disengaged configuration the primary gearbox is disengaged from driving the propulsion unit and the primary gearbox is transfers rotational drive produced by the thermal engine to the electric motor; operating the thermal engine to drive the primary gearbox in the output disengaged configuration; and regenerating the electric power storage unit by providing electrical energy produced by the electric motor to the electric power storage unit.

Hybrid electric propulsion system with regeneration and method for operating the same

System and method for detecting an uncommanded high thrust (UHT) event in an aircraft. The method comprises enabling a UHT function associated with an engine when an enabling condition has been met. When the UHT function is enabled, the UHT event is detected when a power lever of the aircraft is at a given position, a parameter indicative of engine speed or power is above a first threshold, and a rate of change of the engine speed is above a second threshold. In response to detecting the UHT event, an alert is output to trigger accommodations to the UHT event for the engine.

System and method for detecting an uncommanded or uncontrollable high thrust event in an aircraft

There are described methods and systems for controlling an aircraft. The system comprises a power plant controller configured for controlling operation of an engine and a propeller coupled to the engine, a power throttle having at least one throttle lever to regulate output power of the engine and thrust produced by the propeller, and an autothrottle controller operatively connected to the power plant controller and to the power throttle and configured to modulate engine power without pilot input by causing a change to at least one setting of the power throttle.

Autothrottle control for turboprop engines

An electronic controller for an engine and a propeller, a control system and related methods are described herein. The control system comprises the controller having a first channel and a second channel independent from and redundant to the first channel. Each channel comprises a control processor configured to receive first engine and propeller parameters and to output, based on the first engine and propeller parameters, at least one engine control command and at least one propeller control command. Each channel also comprises a protection processor configured to receive second engine and propeller parameters and to output, based on the second engine and propeller parameters, at least one engine protection command and at least one propeller protection command. The control system comprises sensors for measuring the parameters of the engine and/or the propeller and effectors configured to control the engine and the propeller.

Engine and propeller control system

Herein provided are methods and systems for producing reverse thrust in a multi-engine propeller aircraft, comprising: obtaining, at a first engine controller of a first engine of the aircraft, a first power request for the first engine for producing reverse thrust; determining, at the first engine controller, a first blade angle for a first propeller coupled to the first engine; obtaining, at the first engine controller and from a second engine controller of a second engine of the aircraft, a second power request for the second engine and a second blade angle for a second propeller coupled to the second engine; and when the second power request is indicative of a request for producing reverse thrust and when the first and second blade angles are beyond a predetermined threshold, commanding, via the first engine controller, the first engine to produce reverse thrust based on the first power request.

Reverse thrust in multi-engine propeller aircraft

There is provided an aircraft engine printed circuit board assembly generally having a functional circuit contributing to the operation of an aircraft engine. The functional circuit has a first substrate portion, a first electronic component supported by the first substrate portion, and a first electrical conductor supported by the first substrate portion and leading to the first electronic component. The aircraft engine printed circuit board assembly generally has a monitoring circuit having a second substrate portion, a second electronic component supported by the second substrate portion, a second electrical conductor supported by the second substrate portion and leading to the second electronic component, the second electrical conductor having a shorter life expectancy than the first electrical conductor, and a detector monitoring an indicator of operativeness of the second electrical conductor, in which the first electrical conductor and the second electrical conductor are both exposed to the same environment.

Printed circuit board assembly for aircraft engine, and method monitoring same

Methods and systems for operating an aircraft powerplant comprising an engine coupled to a variable-pitch propeller capable of generating forward and reverse thrust are described herein. A request to enable a mode for automated reverse thrust is received. Reverse thrust conditions are determined to have been met when the aircraft is on-ground, a blade angle of the propeller is below a blade angle threshold and a position of a power lever is at a selected idle region of the power lever. Reverse thrust of the propeller is triggered when the mode for automated reverse thrust is enabled and the reverse thrust conditions have been met.

Method and system for operating an aircraft powerplant

Herein provided are methods and systems for a method for controlling autothrottle of an engine. A digital power request is obtained from an autothrottle controller, the digital power request based on an autothrottle input to the autothrottle controller. A manual input mode for the engine is terminated, the manual input mode based on a second power request obtained from a manual input associated with the engine. An autothrottle mode for the engine is engaged to control the engine based on the digital power request.

Autothrottle control system on turbopropeller-powered aircraft

An electronic controller for an engine and a propeller, a control system and related methods are described herein. The controller comprises a first channel and a second channel independent from and redundant to the first channel. Each channel having a control processor configured to receive first engine and propeller parameters and to output, based on the first engine and propeller parameters, at least one engine control command comprising instructions for controlling an operation of the engine and at least one propeller control command comprising instructions for controlling an operation of the propeller. Each channel also comprises a protection processor configured to receive second engine and propeller parameters and to output based on the second engine and propeller parameters, at least one engine protection command comprising instructions for protecting the engine from hazardous conditions and at least one propeller protection command comprising instructions for protecting the propeller from hazardous conditions.

Integrated propeller and engine controller

Systems and methods for operating an engine in a multi-engine rotorcraft are described herein. A first parameter indicative of torque of a first engine is obtained. A decrease of the first parameter is detected. In response to detecting the decrease of the first parameter, an autorotation of the rotorcraft is accommodated, A second parameter indicative of torque of a second engine of the rotorcraft is assessed while accommodating the autorotation. If the second parameter has not decreased, a shaft shear of the first engine is identified and accommodating of the autorotation is ended. If the second parameter has decreased, the accommodating is maintained.

Method and system for operating an engine in a multi-engine aircraft

Methods and systems for starting an aircraft propulsion engine are described herein. Operation of the engine is controlled by an engine controller having a first channel and a second channel. An engine start request is received on the second channel while the first channel is inactive. It is determined which one of the first channel and the second channel was used to conduct a last successful engine start. Responsive to determining that the last successful engine start was conducted on the second channel, a predetermined time period is waited to elapse and for the first channel to reinitialize before commanding, via the first channel, an engine start based on the engine start request.

Method and system for starting an engine

A system and method for feathering an aircraft propeller are provided. A first feather solenoid and a second feather solenoid each comprising at least one solenoid coil and a solenoid valve coupled to the actuator and to the at least one solenoid coil are provided. At least one controller is configured to selectively energize and de-energize the at least one solenoid coil. The solenoid valve of the first feather solenoid is configured to be activated when the at least one solenoid coil of the first feather solenoid is energized and the solenoid valve of the second feather solenoid is configured to be activated when the at least one solenoid coil of the second feather solenoid is de-energized. The solenoid valve is configured to, when activated, modulate the supply of hydraulic fluid to an actuator for adjusting a blade pitch of the propeller towards a feather position.

System and method for feathering an aircraft propeller

A system and method for feathering an aircraft propeller are provided. The aircraft propeller is coupled to an actuator for setting a blade pitch of the propeller. The blade pitch is controlled by modulating a supply of hydraulic fluid to the actuator. At least one feather solenoid is provided that comprises a first solenoid coil, a second solenoid coil, and a solenoid valve coupled to the actuator and to the first and the second solenoid coil. At least one controller is configured to selectively energize and de-energize the first and the second solenoid coil. The solenoid valve is configured to be activated when the first solenoid coil and the second solenoid coil are de-energized and to, when activated, modulate the supply of hydraulic fluid to the actuator for adjusting the blade pitch of the propeller towards a feather position.

At least a selected one of a first and second engine are connected to a drive train for driving an aircraft accessory. A gearbox is connected to a primer mover propulsor and an actuator operatively associated with the selected engine is moveable between a position in which the selected engine drivingly engages the gearbox for driving the propulsor and a position in which the selected engine disengages from the gearbox. A position signal, a status signal, and a request signal respectively indicative of a present position of the actuator, a governing state and present speed of each engine, and a request for movement of the actuator from the present position to the other position are received. If the selected engine's speed differs from a predetermined threshold, a control signal is output for causing the engine's speed to be adjusted towards the threshold. A control signal indicating that movement of the actuator is permitted is then output.

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Laval, Canada

Carmine Lisio