Airplane Automatic Pilot Redundancy During Speed Data Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current automatic pilot and thrust regulation systems in airplanes disengage when speed information becomes unavailable, erroneous, or unreliable, leading to increased crew workload and potential structural damage due to unstalled or overspeed situations, and require significant training for new operating modes that are rarely used.
Innovation Solution
An automatic method and device that monitors speed information to detect loss or unreliability, determines control parameters from independent flight data to maintain automatic pilot and thrust regulation system availability, allowing continued operation within safe speed limits, and optionally alerts the crew with selected vertical guidance modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the automatic pilot and thrust regulation system disengage when speed information is lost, then the system protects itself from operating with unreliable data, but the crew workload increases and protective functions are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system that computes control parameters (pitch attitude, thrust) based on alternative flight data (altitude, Mach number, vertical speed) when speed information is unavailable. This intermediary computation layer allows the automatic pilot to continue operating without direct speed input, bridging the gap between unreliable speed data and the need for continuous automated control, thereby maintaining system reliability while reducing crew workload during speed information loss events
2Adaptability or versatility
If new operating modes are introduced to handle speed information loss, then the automatic pilot can continue operating, but the device complexity and training requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal control parameter computation mechanism that can operate with multiple different data sources (normal speed information, or alternatively altitude/Mach/vertical speed combinations). Rather than creating separate specialized modes for different failure scenarios, the system uses a single multi-functional computation framework that automatically selects available data sources, maintaining operational adaptability while minimizing added complexity through code reusability and unified logic
3Ease of operation
If the automatic pilot maintains operation without speed information, then crew workload is reduced, but the risk of unstalled or overspeed situations increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by computing control parameters that inherently maintain safe margins before critical speed boundaries are reached. The system uses altitude, Mach number, and vertical speed data to derive pitch and thrust commands that keep the airplane within safe flight envelopes, providing a buffer against unstalled or overspeed conditions. This preventive approach cushions against potential harmful outcomes before they can occur, allowing continued automatic operation while maintaining flight safety
Data Source
AI summary
A method of aiding the piloting of an airplane ensures the availability of an automatic pilot and a thrust regulation system on board the airplane. To this end, the method includes determining first information by measuring the actual airspeed of the airplane, and this first information is used to control the automatic pilot and the thrust regulation system in a primary mode during normal operations of the airplane. When the first information is lost by becoming unavailable or unreliable, the automatic pilot and the thrust regulation system are each controlled in a secondary mode by control parameters determined using additional flight data independent from the actual airspeed of the airplane and the first information. Consequently, an alternative or redundant control is supplied for ensuring the continued operation of an automatic pilot without necessary intervention from crew members on board the airplane.