Aircraft Wing Flap Freewheeling Skew Detection Method
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aircraft systems fail to reliably detect small wing flap deflections indicative of freewheeling skew failures due to measurement errors in low-accuracy sensors, which can lead to complete disconnection of flaps during flight, and existing solutions like additional structure or visual detection are either costly or limited to specific flap configurations.
Innovation Solution
A method using existing low-accuracy flap sensors to measure and compare in-flight and on-ground flap deflections, canceling out measurement errors by taking differences, and comparing these differences with predetermined thresholds to detect freewheeling skew failures without adding weight or cost.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional structure or multiple load paths are provided between the flap and the wing, then the reliability of detecting flap failures is improved, but the weight and cost of the aircraft increases substantially
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the existing flap sensors and drive mechanisms to detect failures. The sensors that were already installed for flap position measurement are repurposed to detect freewheeling skew conditions by comparing in-flight and on-ground readings, eliminating the need for additional detection hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The system compares sensor readings taken during flight with readings taken on the ground to detect changes in flap position that indicate failure. This feedback mechanism uses the existing sensors to monitor for anomalies by analyzing differences in measurements under different operational conditions.
2Measurement precision
If additional sensors or wiring are installed to detect small flap deflections, then the measurement precision is improved, but the device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The existing flap sensors are made to serve dual purposes: their original function for monitoring flap position and the new function of detecting freewheeling skew failures. This eliminates the need for additional sensors while maintaining detection capability through careful selection and processing of existing sensor data.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes how existing sensor data is processed by comparing readings under different conditions (in-flight vs. on-ground). This parameter change in the measurement approach enables detection of small deflections without requiring higher-precision sensors, as the differential measurement approach amplifies the detectable signal.
3Ease of operation
If visual detection methods are used to detect flap failures, then the ease of operation is improved, but the adaptability is limited to specific flap configurations
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides a universal detection method that works across different flap configurations and aircraft types. By using the existing sensor network and drive mechanisms, the detection system can be applied to various flap types without requiring configuration-specific modifications, making it broadly applicable to modern aircraft.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for detecting freewheeling skew failures in the wing flaps of an aircraft includes measuring the outputs of flap skew sensors when the aircraft is in flight (IF) and the flaps are extended to a selected position, and when the aircraft is next on the ground (OG) and the flaps are extended to the selected position. The respective differences between the IF and OG outputs of symmetrical pairs of the flap skew sensors are computed, and then the respective difference between the computed IF output difference and the computed OG output difference of each symmetrical pair of the sensors is computed. The computed IF and OG difference of each symmetrical pair of the sensors is then compared with each of predetermined maximum and minimum threshold value to determine whether a freewheeling skew failure exists in any of the flaps of the aircraft.