A method for determining the minimum flight crew and verifying airworthiness of a civil helicopter
Through a systematic approach, the design architecture and main flight missions of civil helicopters are clarified from the early stage of design, combined with the information of competing aircraft models and operating regulations and requirements, through multi-faceted analysis and test flight verification, a reasonable minimum flight unit is determined, which solves the problems of long design and verification cycles and high cost in the existing technology, and achieves more efficient development and verification of civil helicopters.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202111382284.1
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2021-11-19
- Publication Date
- 2025-04-22
- Estimated Expiration
- 2041-11-19
AI Technical Summary
The lack of systematic minimum flight crew determination and airworthiness verification methods in the design process of existing civil helicopters has resulted in long design and verification cycles, high costs, and reduced competitiveness.
A comprehensive method is adopted to clarify the design architecture and main flight missions of civil helicopters from the early stage of design, collect information on the minimum flight crew of competing models, analyze the configuration and operation regulations and requirements of mission equipment, and determine the reasonable minimum flight crew through workload analysis of flight and operation tasks, cockpit man-machine factor analysis and on-flight test flight verification of different types of pilots.
Determining a reasonable minimum flight unit through a systematic method reduces the repetition of design and verification, shortens the development and verification cycle of civil helicopters, reduces costs, and enhances competitiveness.
Smart Images
Figure CN114065532B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to the field of aircraft airworthiness certification, and in particular to a method for determining and verifying the airworthiness of a minimum flight crew of a civil helicopter. Background Art
[0002] In order to ensure safe operation, civil helicopters must determine the minimum flight crew and pass airworthiness certification in accordance with airworthiness regulations. The determination of the minimum flight crew involves factors such as cockpit layout, configuration of mission equipment, pilot workload, and the economy and competitiveness of civil helicopters.
[0003] In the current civil helicopter design process, the minimum flight crew is determined more based on the experience of similar models, and a systematic design and verification method has not been formed. The subsequent development and airworthiness certification process may bring a lot of repetitions of work, increase the cycle and cost of civil aircraft development and verification, and reduce competitiveness. Summary of the invention
[0004] The purpose of the present invention is to provide a method for determining and verifying the airworthiness of a minimum flight crew of a civil helicopter, so as to fully consider various requirements from the initial design stage and conduct sufficient airworthiness verification, and finally determine a reasonable minimum flight crew to avoid repetition in subsequent design and verification.
[0005] In order to achieve the above tasks, the present invention adopts the following technical solutions:
[0006] A method for determining and verifying the minimum flight crew of a civil helicopter comprises the following steps:
[0007] S1, preliminarily clarify the design architecture and main flight missions of civil helicopters;
[0008] S2, collect the minimum flight crew information of competing aircraft models and conduct economic analysis;
[0009] S3, determine the requirements for flight crew and equipment configuration in civil aircraft operating regulations;
[0010] S4, analyze the mission equipment configuration and the requirements of the crew performing the operation;
[0011] S5, the minimum flight crew initially determined;
[0012] S6, performs workload analysis for flight and operational tasks;
[0013] S7, conduct cockpit human-machine factors analysis to ensure visibility and accessibility of flight operations;
[0014] S8, conduct on-board test flight verification for different types of pilots and provide test flight opinions.
[0015] Furthermore, the design architecture should include the basic data and indicators of the civil helicopter, the expected operation type, the main onboard equipment, and the operating environment; the main flight mission should clarify the main flight scenarios of this type of civil helicopter.
[0016] Furthermore, the collection of the minimum flight crew information of competing aircraft models and the economic analysis include:
[0017] Collect relevant information and intelligence on similar civil helicopters at home and abroad, and analyze their minimum flight crew information, including economic analysis of the minimum flight crew settings in different operation types or operation missions, in order to balance the cost and carrying capacity when the minimum flight crew information is determined.
[0018] Furthermore, the requirements for flight crew and equipment configuration in the civil aircraft operation regulations include:
[0019] In combination with the current operation types of civil helicopters, the requirements for flight crew and equipment configuration in the corresponding operation regulations are analyzed, and the configuration requirements for various types of equipment of civil helicopters under their corresponding types are obtained, so as to ensure that the flight crew can fly normally under the corresponding operation type. At the same time, the determination of the minimum flight crew should also meet the operation requirements.
[0020] Furthermore, the analysis of the mission equipment configuration and the requirements of the crew performing the operation includes:
[0021] In combination with the application areas of civil helicopters and the equipment configuration required for different flight missions, the requirements for the minimum flight crew under different flight missions and equipment configurations are clarified.
[0022] Furthermore, the initially determined minimum flight crew includes:
[0023] When determining the minimum flight crew, the number of crew members in the design architecture should be used as the basis, and the relevant information of the minimum flight crew of competing models should be analyzed. The minimum flight crew of the current civil helicopter should be made less than that of competing models to improve economy. The minimum flight crew for different flight missions should be determined based on the equipment configuration required for different flight missions. The determined minimum flight crew should meet the requirements in the operating regulations. If it does not meet the requirements, the minimum flight crew should be adjusted to ensure that the minimum flight crew is not lower than the requirements for the minimum flight crew in the operating regulations to ensure that the current helicopter can be put into operation normally.
[0024] Furthermore, the workload analysis of the flight and operation tasks includes:
[0025] After the minimum flight crew is preliminarily determined, the workload of the flight crew under various flight conditions is analyzed to verify through analytical calculation whether the workload of the preliminarily determined minimum flight crew can meet the requirements of safe flight; when it cannot meet the requirements, it is necessary to modify the design, modify the cockpit layout and display interface, and simplify the flight operation procedures to reduce the workload to an acceptable level.
[0026] Furthermore, the cockpit human-machine factor analysis is performed to ensure the visibility and accessibility of flight operations, including:
[0027] Human-machine factors analysis is conducted in three ways: first, under the drawing and digital model state, computer simulation is used to preliminarily determine the pilot's visual range, and conduct a preliminary assessment of the visual accessibility of various instruments and panels. If the requirements are not met, the drawing needs to be modified to improve the visual range; at the same time, models are established as needed, including but not limited to cockpit layout drawings, instrument panel models, and full-size physical models of the cockpit, so that the pilot can conduct a qualitative assessment. If the requirements are not met, the drawings and models need to be modified to improve the visual range; after the prototype is manufactured, the pilot can go on board for an on-board assessment. At this time, the status is consistent with the actual status. If the requirements are not met, the design needs to be modified, and the cockpit layout and display interface need to be modified until the visual accessibility is recognized by the pilot.
[0028] Furthermore, the on-board test flight verification of different types of pilots and the provision of test flight opinions include:
[0029] First, the selection of pilots should not be limited to the manufacturer's test pilots, but should include representative civil aircraft pilots;
[0030] Secondly, the flight test scenarios should be determined to ensure that the selected scenarios cover the basic job functions, workload factors and operation types;
[0031] During the test flight, it should first be verified that the minimum flight crew can meet the basic workload, including flight track control, collision avoidance, navigation, communication, operation and monitoring, and command decision-making; secondly, during the test flight, the following aspects should be evaluated:
[0032] (1) The accessibility and simplicity of the main control devices such as the joystick and collective lever;
[0033] (2) Visibility of necessary instrument display information such as altitude, speed, and heading;
[0034] (3) The conspicuousness of the warning information and form;
[0035] (4) Complexity of operating procedures;
[0036] (5) Workload for navigation and internal / external communications;
[0037] (6) Workloads for identifying and handling failures under normal circumstances;
[0038] (7) Increased workload in emergency situations.
[0039] The workload during the test flight was subjectively assessed by the pilots through questionnaires to obtain different pilots’ judgments on workload in each scenario;
[0040] When the test flight results of the basic workload and key evaluation items are both approved by the pilots, it means that the determined minimum flight crew basically meets the airworthiness requirements; if not, the design needs to be modified, the cockpit layout and display interface need to be modified, the flight operation procedures need to be simplified, and the workload needs to be reduced until the test flight verification is passed.
[0041] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following technical features:
[0042] The method of the present invention comprehensively considers factors such as cockpit layout, configuration of mission equipment, pilot workload, and economy of civil helicopters, fully considers various requirements from the initial design stage, and conducts sufficient airworthiness verification as the development progresses, and finally determines the minimum flight unit, thus avoiding repetition in subsequent design and verification. The present invention can reasonably determine and verify the minimum flight unit in the process of civil helicopter design and airworthiness certification, reduce the cycle and cost of civil aircraft development and verification, and enhance competitiveness. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0043] Figure 1 It is a schematic diagram of the process of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0044] Referring to the accompanying drawings, a method for determining and verifying the minimum flight crew of a civil helicopter provided by the present invention comprises the following steps:
[0045] S1. Preliminary clarification of the main design architecture and main flight missions of civil helicopters
[0046] In the early stages of civil helicopter design, the design architecture and main flight missions of the model are preliminarily determined.
[0047] The design framework should include the basic data and indicators of the civil helicopter, the expected operation type (visual flight, instrument flight, night operation, etc.), the main airborne equipment, the use environment, etc. The main flight mission should clarify the main flight scenarios of this type of civil helicopter, such as offshore platform transportation, training, aerial tours, line inspection, hanging operations, etc.
[0048] S2: Collect the minimum flight crew information of competing aircraft models and conduct economic analysis
[0049] Collect relevant information and intelligence on similar civil helicopters at home and abroad, analyze their minimum flight crew information, and especially conduct an economic analysis on the minimum flight crew settings in different operation types or missions, in order to balance the cost and carrying capacity when the minimum flight crew information is determined.
[0050] Analyze the economics related to the minimum flight crew of competing models. On the one hand, analyze and calculate the wage costs required for flight personnel. Reducing the number of required flight personnel will inevitably lead to a corresponding reduction in costs, thereby reducing operating costs; on the other hand, if the total load / passenger capacity of civil helicopters remains unchanged, reducing the number of required pilots can increase the carrying capacity; at the same time, reducing the number of minimum flight crew members will place higher requirements on the onboard equipment and pilot training, which will increase the operating costs of civil helicopters.
[0051] S3, determine the requirements for flight crew and equipment configuration in civil aircraft operating regulations
[0052] In combination with the current operation types of civil helicopters, the requirements for flight crew and equipment configuration in the corresponding operation regulations are analyzed, and the configuration requirements for various types of equipment of civil helicopters under their corresponding types are obtained, so as to ensure that the flight crew can fly normally under the corresponding operation type. At the same time, the determination of the minimum flight crew should also meet the operation requirements.
[0053] For civil helicopters, the General Operation and Flight Rules and the Small Aircraft Commercial Transport Operator Operation Qualification Certification Rules provide the configuration requirements for instruments, communications, navigation, emergency life-saving and other related equipment under various operation rules such as visual flight, instrument flight, night operation, and operation under known icing conditions. At the same time, the operation regulations also stipulate the flight crew in some situations including instrument flight. For example, when implementing Category II or Category III operations, the flight crew must consist of a captain and a co-pilot, and the minimum flight crew at this time is at least 2 people.
[0054] S4, analyze the mission equipment configuration and the requirements of the crew performing the operation
[0055] In combination with the application areas of civil helicopters and the equipment configuration required for different flight missions, the requirements for the minimum flight crew under different flight missions and equipment configurations are clarified.
[0056] Unlike airplanes, civil helicopters are widely used in various fields such as personnel transportation, medical rescue, hoisting operations, line inspection, and disaster relief. The equipment configuration required for different tasks is different, and the corresponding minimum flight crew requirements are also different, which need to be analyzed. For example, when a helicopter uses an electric winch or an external hanger to perform a hoisting task, the operator may need to operate or monitor on board, and the minimum flight crew needs to be adjusted. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the impact of performing operational tasks on the minimum flight crew.
[0057] S5, the minimum flight crew initially determined
[0058] Based on the analysis of the design architecture and main flight missions of the civil helicopter model, the information related to the minimum flight crew of competing models, the requirements for flight crew and equipment configuration in the operating regulations, the mission equipment configuration and the requirements for the crew performing the operation, the minimum flight crew of the model can be preliminarily determined and given in the relevant configuration documents.
[0059] When determining the minimum flight crew, the number of crew members in the design architecture should be used as the basis, and the relevant information of the minimum flight crew of competing models should be analyzed at the same time, and the minimum flight crew of the current civil helicopter should be made less than that of competing models to improve economy; and the minimum flight crew for different flight missions should be determined based on the equipment configuration required for different flight missions. The determined minimum flight crew should meet the requirements of the operating regulations. If it does not meet the requirements, the minimum flight crew needs to be adjusted to ensure that the minimum flight crew is not lower than the requirements for the minimum flight crew in the operating regulations to ensure that the current helicopter can be put into normal operation.
[0060] S6, perform workload analysis for flight and operational tasks
[0061] After the minimum flight crew is preliminarily determined, the workload of the flight crew under various flight conditions is analyzed to verify through analytical calculation whether the workload of the preliminarily determined minimum flight crew can meet the requirements of safe flight; when it cannot meet the requirements, it is necessary to modify the design, modify the cockpit layout and display interface, and simplify the flight operation procedures to reduce the workload to an acceptable level.
[0062] The workload analysis method can use existing mature analysis and calculation theories and methods to obtain the workload level of each stage and task in the flight through analysis and calculation. In addition, it can also be carried out by comparative analysis with existing models that have been delivered and put into operation, combined with existing usage and service experience, to analyze the impact of workload on the differences.
[0063] S7, conduct cockpit human-machine factors analysis to ensure visibility and accessibility of flight operations
[0064] The determined minimum flight crew should ensure that relevant status and data information can be obtained during the flight, that relevant equipment and panels can be operated normally, and that flight-related displays and operations are visible and accessible during the flight.
[0065] Human-machine factors analysis is conducted in three ways: First, in the state of drawings and digital models, computer simulation is used to preliminarily determine the visual reach of the pilot, and the visual reachability of various instruments and panels is preliminarily evaluated. If it is not satisfied, the drawings need to be modified to improve the visual reachability. At the same time, models are established as needed, including but not limited to cockpit layout drawings, instrument panel models, and full-size physical models of the cockpit, so that pilots can conduct qualitative evaluations. If it is not satisfied, the drawings and models need to be modified to improve the visual reachability. After the prototype is manufactured, the pilot can go on board to conduct an on-board evaluation. At this time, the status is consistent with the actual status. If it is not satisfied, the design needs to be modified, and the cockpit layout and display interface need to be modified until the visual reachability is recognized by the pilot.
[0066] S8, conduct on-board test flights for different types of pilots and provide test flight advice
[0067] Based on the previous workload analysis and human-machine factor analysis, different pilots are organized to conduct on-board test flights to verify whether the minimum flight crew can meet the requirements through actual test flights.
[0068] First of all, the selection of pilots should not be limited to the manufacturer's test pilots, but should include representative civil aircraft pilots. The flight experience and training of these pilots should be representative of the personnel who will fly this type of civil helicopter. Different pilots have different training and flight experience, so their flying skills and experience are different. When facing various situations in flight, their flying skills, situational awareness and coping ability are different, so their test flight results are more representative.
[0069] Next, the test flight scenarios should be determined, ensuring that the selected scenarios cover the basic job functions, workload factors and types of operations. The test flight scenarios should be able to realistically assess the workload of the proposed crew members.
[0070] During the test flight, it should first be verified that the minimum flight crew can meet the basic workload, including flight track control, collision avoidance, navigation, communication, operation and monitoring, command decision-making, etc.; secondly, during the test flight, the following aspects should be evaluated:
[0071] (1) The accessibility and simplicity of the main control devices such as the joystick and collective lever;
[0072] (2) Visibility of necessary instrument display information such as altitude, speed, and heading;
[0073] (3) The conspicuousness of the warning information and form;
[0074] (4) Complexity of operating procedures;
[0075] (5) Workload for navigation and internal / external communications;
[0076] (6) Workloads for identifying and handling failures under normal circumstances;
[0077] (7) Increased workload in emergency situations.
[0078] The workload during the test flight was subjectively evaluated by the pilots through questionnaires to obtain the judgment of different pilots on the workload in each scenario.
[0079] When the test flight results of the basic workload and key evaluation items are both approved by the pilots, it means that the determined minimum flight crew basically meets the airworthiness requirements. If not, the design needs to be modified, the cockpit layout and display interface need to be modified, the flight operation procedures need to be simplified, and the workload needs to be reduced until the test flight verification is passed.
[0080] The verification process of the minimum flight crew of a civil helicopter should be recognized and witnessed by the airworthiness authority and ultimately approved by the authority.
[0081] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present application, rather than to limit them. Although the present application has been described in detail with reference to the aforementioned embodiments, a person skilled in the art should understand that the technical solutions described in the aforementioned embodiments may still be modified, or some of the technical features may be replaced by equivalents. Such modifications or replacements do not deviate the essence of the corresponding technical solutions from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and should be included in the protection scope of the present application.
Claims
1. A method for determining the minimum flight crew and verifying the airworthiness of a civil helicopter, characterized in that: The following steps are involved: S1, preliminarily clarify the design architecture and flight mission of civil helicopters; S2, collect the minimum flight crew information of competing aircraft models and conduct economic analysis; S3, determine the requirements for flight crew and equipment configuration in civil aircraft operating regulations; S4, analyze the mission equipment configuration and the requirements of the crew performing the operation; S5, the minimum flight crew initially determined; S6, performs workload analysis for flight and operational tasks; S7, conduct cockpit human-machine factors analysis to ensure visibility and accessibility of flight operations; S8, conduct on-board test flights for different types of pilots and provide test flight opinions; Wherein, the S2 includes: collecting relevant information and intelligence on similar civil helicopters at home and abroad, analyzing their minimum flight crew information, including economic analysis of the minimum flight crew settings in different operation types or operation missions, so as to balance the cost and carrying capacity when the minimum flight crew information is determined; The minimum flight crew initially determined by S5 includes: When determining the minimum flight crew, the number of crew members in the design architecture is used as the basis, and the relevant information of the minimum flight crew of competing models is analyzed. The minimum flight crew of the current civil helicopter is made less than that of competing models to improve economy. The minimum flight crew for different flight missions is determined based on the equipment configuration required for different flight missions. The determined minimum flight crew meets the requirements in the operating regulations. If it does not meet the requirements, the minimum flight crew needs to be adjusted to ensure that the minimum flight crew is not lower than the requirements for the minimum flight crew in the operating regulations to ensure that the current helicopter can be put into operation normally.
2. The method for determining the minimum flight crew and verifying the airworthiness of a civil helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The design architecture includes civil helicopter data and indicators, expected operation type, equipped onboard equipment, and operating environment; the flight mission clearly defines the flight scenario of this type of civil helicopter.
3. The method for determining the minimum flight crew and verifying the airworthiness of a civil helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The requirements for flight crew and equipment configuration in the civil aircraft operation regulations include: Combined with the current operation types of civil helicopters, the requirements for flight crew and equipment configuration in the corresponding operation regulations are analyzed, and the configuration requirements for various types of equipment of civil helicopters under their corresponding types are obtained, so as to ensure that the flight crew can fly normally under the corresponding operation type. At the same time, the determination of the minimum flight crew also meets the operation requirements.
4. The method for determining the minimum flight crew and verifying the airworthiness of a civil helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The analysis of mission equipment configuration and the requirements of the crew performing the operation include: In combination with the application areas of civil helicopters and the equipment configuration required for different flight missions, the requirements for the minimum flight crew under different flight missions and equipment configurations are clarified.
5. The method for determining the minimum flight crew and verifying the airworthiness of a civil helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The workload analysis of flight and operation tasks includes: After the minimum flight crew is preliminarily determined, the workload of the flight crew under various flight conditions is analyzed to verify through analytical calculation whether the workload of the preliminarily determined minimum flight crew can meet the requirements of safe flight; when it cannot meet the requirements, it is necessary to modify the design, modify the cockpit layout and display interface, and simplify the flight operation procedures to reduce the workload to an acceptable level.
6. The method for determining the minimum flight crew and verifying the airworthiness of a civil helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The cockpit human-machine factors analysis is conducted to ensure the visibility and accessibility of flight operations, including: Human-machine factors analysis is conducted in three ways: first, under the drawing and digital model state, computer simulation is used to preliminarily determine the pilot's visual range, and conduct a preliminary assessment of the visual accessibility of various instruments and panels. If the requirements are not met, the drawings need to be modified to improve the visual range; at the same time, models are established as needed, including but not limited to cockpit layout drawings, instrument panel models, and full-size physical models of the cockpit, so that the pilot can conduct a qualitative assessment. If the requirements are not met, the drawings and models need to be modified to improve the visual range; after the prototype is manufactured, the pilot will conduct an on-board assessment. At this time, the status is consistent with the actual status. If the requirements are not met, the design needs to be modified, and the cockpit layout and display interface need to be modified until the visual accessibility is recognized by the pilot.
7. The method for determining the minimum flight crew and verifying the airworthiness of a civil helicopter according to claim 1, characterized in that: The above mentioned on-board test flight verification for different types of pilots and giving test flight opinions include: First, the selection of pilots is not limited to test pilots from manufacturers, but also includes representative civil aircraft pilots; Secondly, determine the test flight scenarios, ensuring that the selected scenarios cover job functions, workload factors, and operation types; During the test flight, firstly, it is verified that the minimum flight crew can meet the basic workload, including flight track control, collision avoidance, navigation, communication, operation and monitoring, and command decision-making. Secondly, during the test flight, the following aspects are evaluated: (1) The accessibility and simplicity of the control devices such as the joystick and collective pitch lever; (2) The visibility of information displayed on instruments such as altitude, speed, and heading; (3) The conspicuousness of the warning information and form; (4) Complexity of operating procedures; (5) Workload for navigation and internal / external communications; (6) Workloads for identifying and handling failures under normal circumstances; (7) Increased workload in emergency situations; The workload during the test flight was subjectively assessed by the pilots through questionnaires to obtain different pilots’ judgments on workload in each scenario; When the test flight results of the basic workload and evaluation items are both approved by the pilots, it means that the determined minimum flight crew meets the airworthiness requirements; if not, the design needs to be modified, the cockpit layout and display interface need to be modified, the flight operation procedures need to be simplified, and the workload needs to be reduced until the test flight verification is passed.