Rotorcraft Trim Failure Detection Through Pilot Control Position Monitoring
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing complexity of rotorcraft systems makes it challenging to detect failures in automated trim drive systems, which can lead to unstable flight conditions and increased pilot workload, as existing systems lack effective mechanisms for real-time monitoring and notification of trim system failures.
Innovation Solution
A flight control computer (FCC) system that monitors the trim system's operation by comparing actual and target positions of pilot controls, using integrators to detect errors and initiate a retrim process, and alerts the pilot or automatically terminates automated control when a failure is detected, ensuring safe and stable flight operations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If automated trim drive systems are implemented to reduce pilot workload, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to undetected failures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism where the flight control computer continuously monitors the position of pilot controls and compares it with target positions generated by flight control processes. When a discrepancy is detected, the system generates a retrim prompt to notify the pilot of potential trim system failure, enabling continuous verification of automated system performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary monitoring mechanism between the automated trim system and the pilot. The flight control computer acts as an intermediary that detects failures by comparing actual control positions with expected positions, and communicates system status to the pilot through retrim prompts, bridging the gap between automated operation and pilot awareness.
2Stability of the object's composition
If complex automated flight control processes are used to improve flight stability, then stability is improved, but device complexity increases making failure detection difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs feedback by continuously monitoring pilot control positions and comparing them with target positions from flight control processes. This feedback loop enables detection of discrepancies caused by complex automated processes without requiring the pilot to understand the underlying complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The flight control computer performs self-verification by automatically comparing actual control positions with expected positions from its own flight control processes. This self-service mechanism allows the system to monitor its own operation and detect failures internally without external intervention.
3Reliability
If real-time monitoring of trim system is implemented to improve reliability, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flight control computer performs multiple functions: it executes flight control processes, generates target control positions, monitors actual control positions, and generates retrim prompts. By making the flight control computer multi-functional, the patent avoids adding separate dedicated monitoring hardware, thus improving reliability without proportionally increasing device complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A rotorcraft including a pilot control having a sensor that generates pilot control position data, a flight control that controls a flight characteristic of the rotorcraft, a trim system connected to the pilot control and configured to move the pilot control, and a flight control computer (FCC) configured to receive the pilot control position data from the sensor. The FCC executes a first flight control process and generates, according to the first flight control commands, a trim signal indicating a target position for the pilot control and to send the trim signal to the trim system to cause the trim system to attempt to move the pilot control to the target position to reflect a position of the flight control, and to monitor a working state of the trim system and execute a retrim process in response to determining that the trim system has failed.