SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZING PERFORMANCE OF AN AIRCRAFT

• US 20150083850A1
• Filed: 09/24/2013
• Published: 03/26/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Moser, Matthew A., Finn, Michael R., Gardner, Mark J., Murphy, Robert M., Thoreen, Adam
• Granted Patent: US 9,359,065 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/99.2
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/0425 for actuating trailing or leading edge flaps, air brakes or spoilers
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 13/16 actuated automatically, e.g. responsive to gust detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 9/16 at the rear of the wing
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/30 Wing lift efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/40 Weight reduction

Abstract

A system for optimizing performance of an aircraft may include a flight control computer for computing an optimum flap setting based on aircraft data. The system may further include a flap control system having a flap control device. The system may additionally include a flap actuation system coupled to the flap control system for positioning the trailing edge device at the optimum flap setting.

Claims

1. A system for optimizing performance of an aircraft, comprising:

a flight control computer configured to compute an optimum flap setting based on aircraft data;

a flap control system having a flap control device; and

a flap actuation system coupled to the flap control system and being configured to position a trailing edge device at the optimum flap setting.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the flight control computer is configured to determine an optimum thrust setting based on the aircraft data.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the flap control system further comprises:

a variable-trailing-edge-position switch that is operative to select a desired flap setting corresponding to the optimum flap setting, the variable-trailing-edge-position switch is operative when the flap control device is in a control device position.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein:

the flap control device comprises a flap control lever having a plurality of flap lever positions and at least one designated flap lever position at which the variable-trailing-edge-position switch is operative; and

the variable-trailing-edge-position switch being non-operative when the flap control lever is in a non-designated flap lever position.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein:

the designated flap lever position comprises at least one of the following;

a takeoff flaps position, a go-around flaps position, an approach flaps position, and a landing flaps position.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein:

the variable-trailing-edge-position switch is configured to change the desired flap setting such that the trailing edge device moves in flap deflection increments of no greater than approximately one degree of actual flap angle.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the aircraft data includes at least one member of a group consisting of aircraft gross weight, aircraft center of gravity, and maximum takeoff thrust.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the aircraft data includes at least one member of a group consisting of airport atmospheric data and airport parameters;

the airport atmospheric data including at least one of outside air temperature, airport elevation, density altitude, pressure altitude, wind speed, and wind direction; and

the airport parameters including at least one of runway length, runway condition, and obstacle height.

9. An aircraft comprising:

a wing having a trailing edge device mounted to a trailing edge;

a system for optimizing a flap setting of the flap, comprising;

a processor-based flight control computer configured to compute an optimum flap setting based on aircraft data;

a flap control system having a flap control device and a variable-trailing-edge-position switch for selecting a desired flap setting corresponding to the optimum flap setting, the variable-trailing-edge-position switch being operative when the flap control device is in a control device position; and

a flap actuation system coupled to the flap control system and being configured to position the trailing edge device at the desired flap setting.

10. The aircraft of claim 9, wherein the flight control computer is configured to determine an optimum thrust setting based on the aircraft data.

11. A method of optimizing performance of an aircraft, comprising:

determining an optimum flap setting based on aircraft data;

selecting a desired flap setting corresponding to the optimum flap setting; and

positioning a trailing edge device at the desired flap setting.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

determining an optimum thrust setting based on the aircraft data.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of selecting the desired flap setting includes:

selecting a control device position on a flap control device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein:

the control device position comprises a flaps position at takeoff of the aircraft.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of selecting the desired flap setting further comprises:

selecting a switch position on a variable-trailing-edge-position switch, the switch position representing the desired flap setting.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of selecting the switch position comprise:

moving a flap control lever to a designated flap lever position at which the variable-trailing-edge-position switch is operative; and

moving the switch position to the desired flap setting after positioning the flap control lever at the designated flap lever position.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein:

the variable-trailing-edge-position switch is non-operative when the flap control lever is in a non-designated flap lever position.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising:

changing, using the variable-trailing-edge-position switch, the desired flap setting in a manner such that the trailing edge device moves in flap deflection increments of no greater than approximately one degree of actual flap angle.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the aircraft data includes at least one member of a group consisting of aircraft gross weight, and aircraft center of gravity.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the aircraft data includes at least one member of a group consisting of outside air temperature, airport elevation, density altitude, pressure altitude, wind speed, wind direction, runway length, runway condition, and obstacle height.