Air-ground logic system and method for rotary wing aircraft

• US 6,259,379 B1
• Filed: 11/29/1999
• Issued: 07/10/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Alliedsignal Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Alliedsignal Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Loos, Alden L., Paterson, Noel S., Ostrom, Gary A.
• Primary Examiner(s): SWARTHOUT, BRENT
• Application Number:
  US09/450,834
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• Field of Search: 340/959, 340/960, 340/969, 340/970, 340/977, 340/963, 340/946, 244/12.11, 701/9, 701/14, 701/15, 701/16
• US Class Current: 340/970
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 5/005 altimeters for aircraft G01C5/02, G01C5/06 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/882 for altimeters measuring height using barometric means G01C5/06
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0065 for taking-off
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0086 for monitoring terrain radar or analogous systems specially adapted for terrain avoidance G01S13/935
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/045 Navigation or guidance aids, e.g. determination of anti-collision manoeuvers radar or analogous systems specially adapted for anti-collision between aircraft G01S13/933

Abstract

The present invention provides ground proximity warning system and method for aircraft, particularly rotary wing aircraft such as helicopters. The warning system generally includes an air ground detection device disposed on the aircraft to confirm whether the aircraft is on the ground or in the air. A controller is coupled to the air ground detection device and configured to move between a ground state when the aircraft is on the ground and an airborne state when the aircraft is in the air. The controller may be used for a variety of applications within the aircraft, such as disabling a ground proximity warning device when the aircraft is on the ground and enabling the warning device when the aircraft is in the air. In addition, the air ground controller may be used to signal the beginning and the end of a flight for the aircraft'"'"'s flight history fault memory.

Claims

1. A ground proximity warning system for rotary wing aircraft comprising:

a sensor disposed on the aircraft to detect a flight condition;

a warning computer having an input connected to the sensor, the warning computer including a controller coupled to the input for generating a signal representing the flight condition and a warning device coupled to the controller for receiving the signals and generating an aural warning to the pilot indicating the flight condition; and

an air-ground detector wherein the air-ground detector comprises an engine torque detector disposed to detect the torque of one or more of the aircraft'"'"'s engines, wherein the condition when the torque is below one of an on ground torque or an autorotation torque is a sufficient condition for causing the controller to move into a ground state whereby said air-ground detector is disposed to detect whether the aircraft is on the ground or in the air, the air-ground detector being coupled to the warning computer and disposed to disable the controller or the warning device when the aircraft is on the ground.

2. The warning system of claim 1 wherein the air-ground detector enables the warning computer when the aircraft is in the air.

3. The warning system of claim 1 wherein the air-ground detector comprises a force sensor positioned on or near the aircraft'"'"'s wheel for detecting the weight placed on the wheel, wherein the controller moves into the ground state when the sensor detects a threshold weight.

4. The warning system of claim 1 wherein the sensor is an altitude detector disposed to detect the altitude of the aircraft, the controller is coupled to said detector and disposed to generate signals representative of the altitude of the aircraft, and the warning device is coupled to the controller for receiving the signals and generating an aural warning to the pilot indicating the altitude.

5. A method for warning a pilot of a flight condition in a rotary wing aircraft, the method comprising:

sensing a weight placed on the aircraft'"'"'s wheel;

determining a torque of the aircraft'"'"'s engine;

determining whether the aircraft is in the air or on the ground based on said weight; and

torque;

if the aircraft is in the air, generating a warning to the pilot based on one or more flight conditions and wherein the warning is generated only when both the torque is above an on-ground torque and an autorotation torque and the weight is below a threshold weight, in order to avoid a nuisance warning when the aircraft is on the ground or under an engine failure condition.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising comparing said weight to a threshold weight to determine whether the aircraft is in the air.

7. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

detecting the radio altitude of the rotary wing aircraft;

determining whether the radio altitude is one of a plurality of preselected altitude callouts;

generating signals representative of the radio altitude if the radio altitude is one of said plurality of preselected altitude callouts; and

if the aircraft is in the air, issuing an aural warning to the pilot indicating the radio altitude of the aircraft.