Automatic formation turns
First Claim
1. A method for performing a coordinated turn of a formation of a plurality of aircraft flying at a first air speed V, said plurality of aircraft including a leader aircraft and at least one follower aircraft in said formation, said formation characterized by preselected rearward displacement DS and lateral displacement DR of said follower aircraft relative to said leader aircraft and a known pre-turn leader aircraft flight path, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) rolling said leader aircraft into said turn at a preselected roll rate for a first preselected time interval tr to a preselected leader aircraft bank angle Bc, maintaining said leader aircraft at said preselected leader bank angle for a second preselected time interval, and rolling said leader aircraft out of said turn at said roll rate for a third time interval substantially equal to said first time interval, whereby said leader aircraft completes said turn with determinable change in flight direction;
(b) turning said follower aircraft in response to said rolling of said leader aircraft into said turn by;
(i) gradually changing the air speed of said follower aircraft to a second air speed from the start of said rolling of said leader aircraft into said turn until the earlier of the time of said rolling of said leader aircraft out of said turn and the lapse of a period of time substantially equal to tr +DS /V from inception of said rolling of said leader aircraft into said turn, maintaining said second air speed until start of said rolling of said leader aircraft out of said turn, and gradually changing the air speed of said follower aircraft from said second air speed to that of said leader aircraft over a time interval substantially equal to tr +DS /V from inception of said rolling of said leader aircraft out of said turn;
(ii) maintaining level flight from inception of said rolling of said leader aircraft into said turn until said distance DS is traversed by said follower aircraft;
(iii) banking said follower aircraft into said turn to a first follower aircraft bank angle while adjacent that portion of the path said leader aircraft traversed during the rolling of said leader aircraft into said turn, banking said follower aircraft into said turn to a second follower aircraft bank angle while adjacent that portion of the path said leader aircraft traversed while maintaining said preselected leader aircraft bank angle Bc, banking said follower aircraft into said turn to a third follower aircraft bank angle while adjacent that portion of the path said leader aircraft traversed during the rolling of said leader aircraft out of said turn;
(iv) unbanking said follower aircraft to level flight when said follower aircraft is adjacent that portion of the path of said leader aircraft beyond leader aircraft roll-out;
whereby the spacing between said leader aircraft and said follower aircraft is maintained substantially constant during said turn.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method for coordinated turning of a formation of aircraft flying at air speed V, the formation characterized by respective rearward displacement DS and lateral displacement DR of each follower aircraft in formtion from a leader aircraft relative to a formation line of flight, is described which comprises the steps of rolling the leader into the turn at predetermined roll rate for a first time interval tr to a leader bank angle Bc, maintaining the leader at that bank angle for a second time interval, and rolling the leader out of the turn at the same roll rate for a third time interval equal to the first interval, whereby the leader turns with determinable change in flight direction; and turning the follower in response to the rolling in of the leader by first gradually accelerating or decelerating the follower (depending upon whether on the outside or inside of the turn) to a second air speed from the start of leader roll-in until the earlier of leader roll-out inception and lapse of a time interval of tr +DS /V from start of leader roll-in, maintaining the second air speed until start of leader roll-out, and gradually changing the air speed of the follower from the second air speed to that of the leader over a time interval of about tr +DS /V from start of leader roll-out, while maintaining level flight from the start of leader roll-in until distance DS is traversed by the follower; and banking the follower into the turn to a first bank angle while adjacent that portion of the path the leader traversed during leader roll-in, banking the follower into the turn to a second bank angle while adjacent that portion of the path the leader traversed while maintaining bank angle Bc, banking the follower into the turn to a third bank angle while adjacent that portion of the path the leader traversed during leader roll-out, and returning the follower to level flight upon completion of the turn whereby the spacing between the leader and the follower is maintained substantially constant during the turn.
-
Citations
5 Claims
-
1. A method for performing a coordinated turn of a formation of a plurality of aircraft flying at a first air speed V, said plurality of aircraft including a leader aircraft and at least one follower aircraft in said formation, said formation characterized by preselected rearward displacement DS and lateral displacement DR of said follower aircraft relative to said leader aircraft and a known pre-turn leader aircraft flight path, said method comprising the steps of:
-
(a) rolling said leader aircraft into said turn at a preselected roll rate for a first preselected time interval tr to a preselected leader aircraft bank angle Bc, maintaining said leader aircraft at said preselected leader bank angle for a second preselected time interval, and rolling said leader aircraft out of said turn at said roll rate for a third time interval substantially equal to said first time interval, whereby said leader aircraft completes said turn with determinable change in flight direction; (b) turning said follower aircraft in response to said rolling of said leader aircraft into said turn by; (i) gradually changing the air speed of said follower aircraft to a second air speed from the start of said rolling of said leader aircraft into said turn until the earlier of the time of said rolling of said leader aircraft out of said turn and the lapse of a period of time substantially equal to tr +DS /V from inception of said rolling of said leader aircraft into said turn, maintaining said second air speed until start of said rolling of said leader aircraft out of said turn, and gradually changing the air speed of said follower aircraft from said second air speed to that of said leader aircraft over a time interval substantially equal to tr +DS /V from inception of said rolling of said leader aircraft out of said turn; (ii) maintaining level flight from inception of said rolling of said leader aircraft into said turn until said distance DS is traversed by said follower aircraft; (iii) banking said follower aircraft into said turn to a first follower aircraft bank angle while adjacent that portion of the path said leader aircraft traversed during the rolling of said leader aircraft into said turn, banking said follower aircraft into said turn to a second follower aircraft bank angle while adjacent that portion of the path said leader aircraft traversed while maintaining said preselected leader aircraft bank angle Bc, banking said follower aircraft into said turn to a third follower aircraft bank angle while adjacent that portion of the path said leader aircraft traversed during the rolling of said leader aircraft out of said turn; (iv) unbanking said follower aircraft to level flight when said follower aircraft is adjacent that portion of the path of said leader aircraft beyond leader aircraft roll-out;
whereby the spacing between said leader aircraft and said follower aircraft is maintained substantially constant during said turn. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
Specification