Airbus Helicopters

Jean-Baptiste Vallart

Setareh Taheri

Romeo Byzery

Hilario Vieira

Nicolas Pierre Certain

Adrien Ott

Patrick Hellio

Damien Gavios

Samuel Leyder

Patricia Gauthier

Celine Rocheron

Roméo Byzery

Nicolas Certain

Céline Rocheron

A control method for controlling aerodynamic means of an aircraft having mechanically decoupled flight controls enabling the aircraft to be piloted by at least two pilots. The aircraft has at least two control members operated by respective ones of the at least two pilots and each enabling control signals to be generated for causing the aerodynamic means to move relative to an incident air stream. The control method includes piloting logic ('operational' logic). The operational logic includes a dual operating mode in which each control member can control the aerodynamic means. In the dual operating mode, only one of the at least two control members, (the 'activated' member), has exclusive control over a full travel amplitude of the aerodynamic means. The other control member, (the &#x201c;deactivated&#x201d; member), then is temporarily inoperative on the aerodynamic means.

Method of controlling aerodynamic means of an aircraft, an associated control system, and an aircraft provided with such a control system

A control system for controlling at least one rotor of a rotorcraft, the control system comprising at least one piloting member suitable for operating at least one control for controlling movements of the at least one rotor. Such a control system comprises: at least one memory enabling information representative of a predetermined control margin threshold to be stored; calculation means for calculating a current control margin, which margin is defined as being the difference between a current position and a limit of the control for controlling movements of the rotor(s); comparator means for comparing the current control margin with the predetermined control margin threshold; and a control unit for modifying an operating relationship of the control for controlling movements of the rotor(s) when the current control margin is less than or equal to the predetermined control margin.

System for controlling a rotorcraft rotor, a rotorcraft fitted with such a system, and an associated control method

A method of driving a rotorcraft rotor () at variable controlled speeds. Starting from a required speed (Nr), a setpoint for total power (Pt) is calculated while taking account of an anticipated power (Pf) to be delivered by the power plant () for driving the main rotor () at the required speed (Nr), and while taking account of a power surplus (S) relating to progressive power needs to be delivered from a current power (Pc) for driving the main rotor () at a current speed (V) of rotation to an anticipated power (Pf) for driving the main rotor () at the required speed (Nr). By way of example, account may be taken at least of the acceleration or conversely of the deceleration of the main rotor () between the current speed (V) and the required speed (Nr), or indeed account may be taken of the flight circumstance of the rotorcraftdetermining the calculated required speed (Nr).

Method of driving rotation of a rotorcraft rotor by anticipating torque needs between two rotary speed setpoints of the rotor

A control system for controlling a rotorcraft rotor, to a rotorcraft fitted therewith, and to a corresponding control method. The system comprises selector means for defining at least two disjoint position ranges for the control member between two physical abutments corresponding to the movement limits of the control member, a first position range being defined between at least two first limit values about a zero force position of the control member, and at least one second position range being defined between at least one of the at least two first limit values and at least one second limit value; and control means for allocating a first control law to the first position range of the control member and a second control law to the second position range of the control member, the first and second control laws being selected to be mutually distinct.

A control method and system for controlling a main rotor of a rotorcraft to perform a stage of flight in auto-rotation. The control system has a control member for controlling the collective pitch of the blades of the main rotor. The control member is movable over an amplitude of positions between two extreme physical stops. A calculation unit calculates a collective pitch angle for the blades of the main rotor, referred to as an 'auto-rotation collective pitch'. This enables the main rotor to rotate at a speed of rotation that is optimum for the stage of flight in auto-rotation of the rotorcraft. A motor means controls the position of the control member at a predetermined position, referred to as the 'auto-rotation position', in which the control member generates a control setpoint for servo-controlling the current collective pitch of the blades of the main rotor on the &#x201c;auto-rotation collective pitch&#x201d;.

Method of controlling a main rotor of a rotorcraft, an associated control system, and a rotorcraft fitted with such a control system

A control system for a rotorcraft, which system includes at least one control unit allowing a rotor of a rotorcraft to be driven, with the rotorcraft including at least three independent landing-gear units, with each landing-gear unit including means for detecting a ground reaction force F1, F2, F3 exerted on the landing-gear unit when the rotorcraft is in contact with the ground, and with the control system being suitable for receiving information from the detection means. The invention also relates to the rotorcraft and to a control method corresponding to the control system.

Rotorcraft control system, associated rotorcraft, and corresponding control method

A method of monitoring a power transmission system of an aircraft, the aircraft including at least one main rotor driven in rotation by a rotor mast and an auxiliary unit having an auxiliary rotor. Control means control the auxiliary rotor. A power relationship is determined providing a first reduced power parameter of the auxiliary unit as a function of a position (POS) of the control means. A setpoint limit is set for a second power parameter for the rotor mast. A current position (POSACTU) of the control means is determined and a calculated value (Vcal) is also determined at least by applying the current position (POSACTU) to the power relationship. A limit value that is not to be exceeded by a power plant is determined, with the limit value being equal to the sum at least of the setpoint limit plus the calculated value.

Device for monitoring a power transmission system of an aircraft, an aircraft provided with the device, and the method used

A device for regulating the speed of rotation of at least one main rotor of a rotorcraft, which speed is known as the speed NR. Such a rotorcraft comprises at least one manual flight control member for delivering a collective pitch control setpoint C for the blades of the at least one main rotor, the control setpoint C being a function of a current position of the at least one control member; and detector means enabling a current state to be detected from at least two distinct states of the rotorcraft, namely a 'ground' state in which the rotorcraft is in contact with the ground, at least in part, and a 'flight' state in which the rotorcraft is at least being sustained in the air.

Device for regulating the speed of rotation of a rotorcraft rotor, a rotorcraft fitted with such a device, and an associated regulation method

A method during which a current position of a pilot control is determined, an equivalent position is determined that the pilot control needs to reach following a control transition in order to avoid modifying the actuator, and at least one mismatch is determined between the equivalent position and the current position. As from a transition, a target is determined for controlling the actuator by giving a corrected value to at least one position variable in a post-transition piloting relationship, the corrected value being determined as a function of the mismatch and of the current position of the pilot control. So long as the mismatch is not zero, the value of the mismatch in the relationship is reduced in proportion to the movement of the pilot control as the pilot control comes closer to the equivalent position.

Method of managing discontinuities in vehicle control following a control transition, and a vehicle

A method of assisting the piloting of a multi-engined rotorcraft in the event of an engine failure. A main rotor of the rotorcraft is driven at a variable NR speed under the control of a control unit. Calculation means identify an authorized margin of mechanical power usable by the pilot depending on a rating for regulating the operation of each of the engines under the control of a regulator unit. Outside an engine-failure situation, and providing the main rotor is being driven at a low NR speed, the mechanical power margin that is usable by the pilot and that is displayed on a screen, is in fact a limited margin of a value less than the authorized margin. Under such conditions, and in an engine-failure situation, the mechanical power reserve that is actually available enables the pilot to counter rapidly the sudden drop in the NR speed of rotation of the main rotor as induced by the engine failure.

Assisting the piloting of a multi-engined rotorcraft in an engine-failure situation, in the context of a main rotor of the rotorcraft being driven at variable speed

A method of regulating the speed of rotation of at least one main rotor of a multi-engined rotorcraft, which rotor is driven at variable speed. In the event of a failure of one of the main engines of the rotorcraft, a control unit generates an NR setpoint that is not less than the nominal drive speed (NRnom) of the main rotor. Thereafter, a calculator acts iteratively to determine a target speed (NRobj) for driving the main rotor to obtain stabilized lift of the rotorcraft by balancing between the torque developed by the main rotor and the rate of increase of its drive speed. The autopilot then causes the pitch of the blades of the main rotor to vary so as to obtain the iteratively calculated target speed (NRobj) until stabilized lift of the rotorcraft is obtained.

Method of regulating the speed of rotation of the main rotor of a multi-engined rotorcraft in the event of one of the engines failing

A flight instrument that displays the rotational speed of a main rotor of a rotary-wing aircraft, with the flight instrument including display means, a first indicator of a setpoint for the rotational speed of the main rotor, a second indicator of the first current value of the rotational speed of the main rotor, and third and fourth indicators of the limit values of the rotational speed. The setpoint for the rotational speed of the main rotor is variable and the first indicator is stationary on the display means, with the second, third and fourth indicators being movable in relation to the first indicator.

Flight instrument displaying a variable rotational speed of a main rotor of an aircraft

A method of driving a rotorcraft rotor () at variable controlled speeds. Starting from a required speed (Nr), a setpoint for total power (Pt) is calculated while taking account of an anticipated power (Pf) to be delivered by the power plant () for driving the main rotor () at the required speed (Nr), and while taking account of a power surplus (S) relating to progressive power needs to be delivered from a current power (Pc) for driving the main rotor () at a current speed (V) of rotation to an anticipated power (Pf) for driving the main rotor () at the required speed (Nr). By way of example, account may be taken at least of the acceleration or conversely of the deceleration of the main rotor () between the current speed (V) and the required speed (Nr), or indeed account may be taken of the flight circumstance of the rotorcraft determining the calculated required speed (Nr).

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Aix en Provence, France

Jean-Baptiste Vallart