Process and device for detecting on an aricraft an overshoot of design loads at the level of a structural part of said aircraft

• US 20050192718A1
• Filed: 11/30/2004
• Published: 09/01/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus France
• Inventors: Mathieu, Gerard, Delaplace, Franck, Marquier, Sylvie, Squeglia, Gennaro
• Granted Patent: US 7,164,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2045/0085 Devices for aircraft health monitoring, e.g. monitoring flutter or vibration
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/00 Aircraft indicators or protectors not otherwise provided for camouflage F41H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems

Abstract

Process and device for detecting on an aircraft an overshoot of design loads at the level of a structural part of said aircraft.

The detection device (1) comprises means (2) for measuring an effective speed of the aircraft, means (3) for carrying out a first comparison, by comparing this measured effective speed with at least one maximum speed relating at least to the current flight configuration of the aircraft, means (7) for measuring a vertical load factor of the aircraft, means (8) for carrying out a second comparison, by comparing said measured vertical load factor with at least one limit value of vertical load factor, and means (5) for determining whether a structural inspection needs to be performed at the level of said structural part, at least on the basis of the results of said first and second comparisons.

Claims

1. A process for detecting on an aircraft an overshoot of design loads at the level of a structural part of said aircraft, according to which process the following steps are carried out repetitively and automatically:

a) an effective speed of the aircraft is measured;

b) a first comparison is carried out, by comparing this measured effective speed with at least one maximum speed relating at least to the current flight configuration of the aircraft;

a vertical load factor of the aircraft is measured;

a second comparison is carried out, by comparing said measured vertical load factor with at least one limit value of the vertical load factor; and

c) one determines whether a structural inspection needs to be performed at the level of said structural part, at least on the basis of the result of said first and second comparisons,

wherein, repetitively and automatically;

before said step c);

the value of at least one additional particular parameter is measured, said additional particular parameter being chosen from one of the following parameters;

the weight of the aircraft;

the centering of the aircraft;

the dynamic pressure; and

at least one particular cue; and

an additional comparison is carried out, by comparing said measured value with at least one limit value of said particular parameter; and

in said step c), one determines whether a structural inspection needs to be performed at the level of said structural part, by also taking account of the result of said additional comparison.

2. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein in step β

), said measured vertical load factor is compared with an upper limit value and with a lower limit value, wherein in step b), said measured effective speed is compared with first and second maximum speeds, and wherein in step c), one concludes that a structural inspection needs to be performed, when one of the following three conditions is achieved;

said measured effective speed is below said first maximum speed and said measured vertical load factor is outside a first domain (DA1, DA2) formed by said upper and lower limit values;

said measured effective speed lies between said first and second maximum speeds and said measured load factor is outside a second predetermined domain (DB1, DB2); and

said measured effective speed is greater than said second maximum speed (Vmax1, Vmax2).

3. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein, when lift-enhancing elements of the airfoil of the aircraft are deployed, said first and second maximum speeds depend on a maximum speed with deployed lift-enhancing elements VFE.

4. The process as claimed in claim 3, wherein said first maximum speed VF satisfies the relation VF=VFE+k, k being a value dependent on the position of said lift-enhancing elements, and wherein said second maximum speed Vmax1 satisfies the relation Vmax1=VF+V1, V1 being a predetermined speed value.

5. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein, when the aircraft is in a cruising configuration, said first and second maximum speeds depend on a maximum speed of use VMO.

6. The process as claimed in claim 5, wherein said first maximum speed corresponds to said maximum speed of use VMO, and wherein said second maximum speed Vmax2 satisfies the relation Vmax2=VMO+V2, V2 being a predetermined speed value.

7. The process as claimed in claim 2, wherein, when the main landing gear of the aircraft is down, said first and second maximum speeds depend on a maximum speed with landing gear down.

8. A process as claimed in claim 1, wherein in step b), said measured effective speed is compared with an auxiliary maximum speed, and wherein in step c), a maximum speed overshoot warning is issued when said measured effective speed is greater than said auxiliary maximum speed.

9. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said maximum speed also depends on at least one particular characteristic of the aircraft.

10. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein said measured vertical load factor is filtered before being compared with at least one limit value.

11. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein in step c), the result of at least one comparison needs to be confirmed over a predetermined duration before being taken into account.

12. The process as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one of the thresholds used for a comparison depends on structural parts of the aircraft that are taken into account.

16. An aircraft, which comprises a device (1) able to implement the process specified under claim 1.

13. A device for detecting on an aircraft an overshoot of design loads at the level of a structural part of said aircraft, said device (1) comprising,

first means (2) for measuring an effective speed of the aircraft;

second means (3) for carrying out a first comparison, by comparing this measured effective speed with at least one maximum speed relating to the current flight configuration of the aircraft;

fourth means (7) for measuring a vertical load factor of the aircraft;

fifth means (8) for carrying out a second comparison, by comparing said measured vertical load factor with at least one limit value of vertical load factor; and

third means (5) for determining whether a structural inspection needs to be performed at the level of said structural part, at least on the basis of the result of said first and second comparisons,

wherein;

said device (1) furthermore comprises integrated means,

for measuring the value of at least one additional particular parameter, said additional particular parameter being chosen from one of the following parameters;

the weight of the aircraft;

the centering of the aircraft;

the dynamic pressure; and

at least one particular cue; and

for carrying out at least one additional comparison, by comparing the value of said additional particular parameter with a corresponding limit value; and

said third means (5) are formed so as to determine whether a structural inspection needs to be performed at the level of said structural part, by also taking account of the results of said additional comparison.

14. The device as claimed in claim 13, which moreover comprises sixth means (11) for indicating to an operator as appropriate, that a structural inspection needs to be performed.

15. An aircraft, which comprises a device (1) such as that specified under claim 13.