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

• US 7,164,366 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2004
• Issued: 01/16/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations SAS (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Airbus France
• Inventors: Delaplace, Franck, Marquier, Sylvie, Squeglia, Gennaro, Mathieu, Ge
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, HUNG T
• Application Number:
  US10/998,811
• Publication Number:
  US 20050192718A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 340/945, 340/971, 340/973, 340/967, 340/968, 340/969, 340/970, 340/979, 340/438, 701/1, 701/3, 701/4, 701/14, 701/211
• US Class Current: 340/945
• 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

A process and device for detecting on an aircraft an overshoot of design loads at the level of a structural part of the aircraft. The detection device includes a speed measuring device for measuring an effective speed of the aircraft. A first comparator compares the measured effective speed with a maximum speed relating to the current flight configuration of the aircraft. A vertical load measuring device measures a vertical load factor of the aircraft, and a second comparator compares the measured vertical load factor with a limit value of the vertical load factor. An inspection determining device determines whether a structural inspection needs to be performed at the level of the structural part, based of the results of the first and second comparisons.

Claims

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

a) measuring an effective speed of the aircraft;

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

measuring a vertical load factor of the aircraft;

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

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

wherein, repetitively and automatically;

before said step c);

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

a weight of the aircraft;

a centering of the aircraft;

a 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

step c) includes determining 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 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), a conclusion is made 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 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; and

said measured effective speed is greater than said second maximum speed.

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 able to implement the process specified under claim 1.

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

a speed measuring device that measures an effective speed of the aircraft;

a first comparator that compares said measured effective speed with at least one maximum speed relating to a current flight configuration of the aircraft;

a load measuring device that measures a vertical load factor of the aircraft;

a second comparator that compares said measured vertical load factor with at least one limit value of vertical load factor; and

an inspection determining device that determines whether a structural inspection needs to be performed at the level of said structural part, at least on a basis of a result of said first and second comparisons, wherein;

said device furthermore comprises an integrated device,

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

a weight of the aircraft;

a centering of the aircraft;

a 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 inspection determining device determines 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 an indicator that indicates to an operator as appropriate, that a structural inspection needs to be performed.

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