Aircraft Landing Gear Deployment Using Dynamic Approach Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft landing gear deployment methods are inefficient, leading to increased fuel consumption, noise, and risk of damage due to early deployment, as they typically deploy landing gear too far from the landing site, and lack automated optimization for specific flight conditions and airport requirements.
Innovation Solution
An aircraft controller system that determines an optimal time and position for landing gear deployment based on dynamic flight conditions and aircraft landing site information, allowing for delayed deployment until closer to the landing site, and automatically triggers deployment if necessary to ensure safe and efficient landing, including features like accelerated deployment and pilot feedback mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If landing gear is deployed early during approach, then safety is improved by ensuring gear is deployed before landing, but fuel consumption increases and noise increases due to extended deployment time
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically determines the optimal deployment position based on real-time flight conditions including aircraft speed, altitude, and distance to landing site. The controller continuously monitors these parameters and calculates the precise position where deployment should occur, allowing the deployment timing to adapt dynamically rather than using a fixed early deployment rule
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from multiple sensors monitoring aircraft position, speed, and flight conditions to continuously update the deployment decision. The controller receives feedback about current flight state and compares it against safety criteria and optimization goals to determine the optimal deployment moment, enabling closed-loop control that balances safety with fuel efficiency
2Reliability
If landing gear is deployed early during approach, then safety is improved by ensuring gear is deployed before landing, but noise increases due to extended deployment time
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts deployment timing based on real-time flight conditions and calculated optimal position, minimizing the duration that landing gear is in the extended position during approach. By delaying deployment until the optimal moment rather than deploying early, the system reduces the time noise is generated while still ensuring safety
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the deployment parameter (timing/position) based on flight conditions to optimize the balance between safety and noise reduction. By calculating the optimal deployment position as a function of speed, altitude, and distance to landing site, the system finds parameter values that minimize noise exposure time while maintaining safety margins
3Reliability
If landing gear is deployed early during approach, then safety is improved, but risk of damage increases due to extended exposure to debris and environmental factors
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically determines deployment position based on real-time flight conditions, delaying deployment until the optimal moment rather than deploying early. This minimizes the time the landing gear is exposed to potential damage from debris, weather, and other environmental factors during the approach phase, while still ensuring deployment occurs safely before landing
4Loss of energy
If automated deployment control is implemented, then fuel efficiency is improved by optimizing deployment timing, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller is designed as a multi-functional system that not only determines optimal deployment position but also monitors multiple flight parameters, processes sensor data, handles various deployment scenarios, and interfaces with the landing gear system. By consolidating these functions into a single universal controller, the system achieves fuel optimization without proportionally increasing overall complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the aircraft's existing sensors and flight data to automatically determine deployment timing without requiring additional complex external systems. The controller self-services by processing available flight information and making deployment decisions autonomously based on pre-programmed optimization criteria, reducing the need for additional complex hardware
5Loss of energy
If delayed deployment is implemented, then fuel efficiency is improved, but deployment timing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors flight conditions with high precision sensors and uses feedback loops to track the aircraft's approach trajectory. By comparing real-time position data against the calculated optimal deployment position, the system can precisely determine when to deploy, compensating for variations in speed and trajectory to maintain accurate timing despite the delayed deployment strategy
Data Source
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AI summary
Disclosed is a method 300 for deploying an aircraft landing gear. The method comprises: receiving an aircraft landing gear deployment signal 310, receiving an aircraft position signal indicative of a distance of the aircraft from an aircraft landing site 320, receiving one or more flight signals indicating one or more dynamic conditions or parameters relating to the flight of the aircraft 330, determining, based at least on the one or more flight signals, a first aircraft position, relative to the aircraft landing site, at which the landing gear deployment should commence 340, and deploying the landing gear (a) when the aircraft reaches the first aircraft position, in the event that the deployment signal is received before the aircraft reaches the first aircraft position, or (b) immediately, in the event that the deployment signal is received when the aircraft has passed the first aircraft position 350. Also disclosed is an aircraft landing gear system, an aircraft controller, and an aircraft.