Rotorcraft Emergency Landing Control After Engine Failure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing rotorcraft piloting assistance methods face challenges during take-off and landing phases, particularly in managing emergency landings when engine failure occurs, as they require complex three-dimensional trajectories and are constrained by onboard equipment mass, making it difficult to maintain rotor speed and attitude.

Innovation Solution

A method that periodically determines the rotorcraft's position and generates emergency landing profiles based on minimum rotor speed and rate of descent, allowing automatic or partial automatic control to maintain rotor speed and adjust pitch, enabling safe emergency landing even with engine failure.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a complex three-dimensional trajectory is used for emergency landing, then the rotorcraft can reach a predetermined touchdown point, but the device complexity and onboard equipment mass increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveemergency landing capabilityVSAvoidtrajectory control complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the essential control parameters from the complex three-dimensional trajectory, focusing only on the critical parameters of rotor speed and descent rate. This simplification removes unnecessary complexity while maintaining the core emergency landing function, allowing the system to achieve reliable touchdown without requiring full three-dimensional trajectory control capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the control parameters from complex three-dimensional spatial coordinates to simplified rotational speed and descent rate parameters. This parameter transformation makes the control system more manageable and reduces equipment mass requirements while still achieving the emergency landing objective at a predetermined touchdown point

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If the rotorcraft follows a strict three-dimensional trajectory, then emergency landing precision is improved, but the ease of operation decreases due to pilot workload

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetouchdown point accuracyVSAvoidpilot workload
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables the rotorcraft control system to automatically manage the emergency landing process by itself, using automated control of rotor speed and descent rate parameters. This self-service approach maintains precise touchdown accuracy while significantly reducing pilot workload during the critical emergency landing phase

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback control mechanisms that continuously monitor rotor speed and descent rate, automatically adjusting control inputs to maintain the desired emergency landing profile. This closed-loop feedback system ensures accurate touchdown point achievement while relieving the pilot of manual control burdens during the emergency procedure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Stability of the object's composition

If the minimum rotor speed is maintained during emergency landing, then the lift is ensured, but the use of energy increases due to engine stress

Engineering Contradiction:
Improverotor speed stabilityVSAvoidengine power consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies dynamic control strategies that allow the rotor speed to vary within acceptable ranges during different phases of the emergency landing, rather than maintaining a constant minimum speed throughout. This dynamic approach ensures sufficient lift is generated at all times while optimizing engine power consumption and reducing overall energy usage during the emergency procedure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4099117B1Method for assisting the piloting of a rotorcraft comprising at least two engines
Publication Date: 2023.07.05 EUROCOPTER FRANCE SA
  • EP4099117B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4099117B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4099117B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

The present invention relates to a method of assisting (10) the piloting of a rotorcraft comprising at least two engines capable of transmitting engine torque to at least one main rotor, said method of assistance (10) comprising the following steps: • periodic determination (12) of a current position of said rotorcraft (1), • first periodic comparison (13) between said current position and a decision point, • identification of an engine failure (14), • second periodic comparison (15) between said current position of said rotorcraft and a landing point, • periodic determination (16) of an emergency landing profile, said emergency landing profile being generated at least as a result of said second periodic comparison (15), and • periodic generation (17) of control commands to pilot said rotorcraft according to said emergency landing profile.