Aircraft Engine Controller Ground-Only Radio Activation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft data transmission systems pose hazards during flight due to the need for stringent certification, leading to increased development costs.
Innovation Solution
A communication system where an engine controller with a higher Design Assurance Level (DAL) controls the activation of radio transmitters in the Data Collection and Transmission Unit, ensuring they are only activated on the ground, thereby preventing data transmission during flight and reducing certification requirements for the data transmission unit.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If data transmitters are activated during flight, then data transmission capability is improved, but aircraft operation safety deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The engine controller is configured to automatically activate the radio transmitter only after the aircraft has completed its flight and is parked, using preliminary safety checks (weight-on-wheels sensors, flight computer status) to ensure flight has concluded before enabling transmission. This prevents transmission during flight while maintaining transmission capability when safe.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from multiple sensors (weight-on-wheels switches, flight computer status signals) to continuously monitor aircraft state and control transmitter activation. The engine controller receives real-time status signals and adjusts transmitter power accordingly, disabling transmission during flight conditions and enabling it only when safety criteria are met.
2Reliability
If stringent certification levels are applied to data transmission devices, then transmission safety is improved, but development cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The engine controller serves as an intermediary between the flight management system and the data transmission unit. It assumes the safety-critical function of determining when transmission should occur, allowing the transmission unit itself to be certified to lower DAL levels (DAL E instead of DAL C or higher) while maintaining overall system safety through the intermediary's control logic.
Solution Approach 2:
The safety certification burden is segmented and redistributed: the engine controller (with higher DAL certification) handles safety-critical decisions about transmission activation, while the data transmission unit can be certified to lower levels. This segmentation allows each component to be certified at appropriate levels, reducing overall development cost while maintaining safety.
Data Source
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Figure 3A
AI summary
A communication system and a method for transmitting data from an aircraft (100), the aircraft (100) comprising at least one engine (120). A data collection and transmission unit (108) is configured to collect and transmit data received from one or more locations in the aircraft (100), the data collection and transmission unit (108) comprising at least one radio transmitter (120). At least one engine controller (104) for the at least one engine (102) is communicatively coupled to the data collection and transmission unit (108) and configured to transmit, while the aircraft (100) is airborne, engine data to the data collection and transmission unit (108), and, responsive to determining that the aircraft (100) is on ground, cause the at least one radio transmitter (120) to activate for transmitting the engine data from the data collection and transmission unit (108) to at least one ground equipment.