The Boeing Company

Nikos D Mills

Douglas Wilson

Heidi M Haugeberg

Kioumars Najmabadi

Kent Edmund Karnofski

David Paul Eggold

David Daniel Leopold

Christopher M Hodges

Tristan C Flanzer

Leonard J Inderhees

Uy-Loi Ly

Steven Beland

An example method of limiting an aircraft to a pitch axis envelope includes determining aircraft state limits associated with multiple pitch axis variables of an aircraft, determining predicted aircraft states, comparing the predicted aircraft states to the aircraft state limits to produce aircraft state errors, translating the aircraft state errors into a set of positive and negative limit elevator commands, selecting a highest priority positive limit elevator command, selecting a highest priority negative limit elevator command, limiting a primary pitch axis control law elevator command of the aircraft to a value that is less than or equal to the highest priority positive limit elevator command and greater than or equal to the highest priority negative limit elevator command, and controlling the aircraft according to the primary pitch axis control law elevator command limited to the value.

Systems and methods for pitch axis envelope limiting of an aircraft

In an example, method of controlling thrust produced by a plurality of engines on an aircraft for assisting with nose-down recovery of the aircraft is described. The method includes selecting a maximum value of an aircraft parameter, measuring a value of the aircraft parameter while the aircraft is in flight, based on a comparison of the maximum value and the measured value determining that the measured value exceeds the maximum value, and reducing a thrust produced by each of the engines of the plurality of engines to bring the measured value of the aircraft parameter below the maximum value of the aircraft parameter.

Methods and systems for controlling thrust produced by a plurality of engines on an aircraft for assisting with certain flight conditions

An aircraft stall protection system and method include calculating a first angle of attack and a second angle of attack based on aircraft configuration and environmental conditions, the first angle of attack being greater than the second angle of attack. The system and method limit the actual aircraft angle of attack to the first angle of attack for a predetermined period of time and thereafter the system and method limit the actual aircraft angle of attack to the second angle of attack. The system and method allow the aircraft operator or pilot to extract maximum performance from the aircraft for any given set of flight conditions, without the risk of stalling or remaining in a high drag state for a prolonged period of time. This system and method are suitable for use in conjunction with a stall warning system.

Aircraft stall protection system

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Bellevue, WA, United States of America

Nikos D Mills