Textron Innovations Inc.

Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Eric Thomas Bird

Shyhpyng Jack Shue

Alan Carl Ewing

Tommie Lynn Wood

John James Corrigan

A method and apparatus for reconfiguring flight control of an aircraft during a failure while the aircraft is flying. The method and apparatus provide a control law that is software-implemented and configured to automatically send flight control data to a mixing/mapping matrix. The method and apparatus also provide a reconfiguration management tool configured to communicate with the mixing/mapping matrix in order to safely transfer authority from a failed actuator to a back-up actuator. The method and apparatus also provide a sensor management tool for providing input to the reconfiguration management tool in order to smooth any transient conditions that may occur during reconfiguration. The method and apparatus provide for a way of smoothing any possible transient situation that might otherwise occur by employment of a fader, the fader being used to gradually convert positioning of failed actuators and positioning of reconfigured actuators. An exemplary aircraft for using the method and apparatus of a reconfigurable flight control system is a quad tilt rotor. The quad tilt rotor provides a variety of redundant and back-actuators, as such, having a robust and highly qualified reconfigurable flight control system is very desirable.

Method and apparatus for aircraft sensor and actuator failure protection using reconfigurable flight control laws

A method and apparatus for reconfiguring flight control of an aircraft during a failure while the aircraft is flying. The method and apparatus provide a control law that is software-implemented and configured to automatically send flight control data to a mixing/mapping matrix and a reconfiguration management tool configured to communicate with the mixing/mapping matrix in order to safely transfer authority from a failed actuator to a back-up actuator. A sensor management tool is provided for input to the reconfiguration management tool in order to smooth any transient conditions that may occur during reconfiguration. The method and apparatus provide for a way of smoothing any possible transient situation that might otherwise occur by employment of a fader, the fader being used to gradually convert positioning of failed actuators and positioning of reconfigured actuators.

Growing community of inventors

Weatherford, TX, United States of America

Eric Thomas Bird