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Piston engine aircraft automated pre-flight testing

  • US 8,131,406 B2
  • Filed: 04/09/2008
  • Issued: 03/06/2012
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/09/2008
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method for testing an aircraft prior to flight, the method comprising:

  • receiving a user signal from a pre-flight test input source, the user signal indicating that a pilot of the aircraft has directed engine control circuitry, which is arranged to electronically control operation of a set of piston engines of the aircraft during flight, to begin testing the aircraft in an automated manner;

    in response to the user signal, conducting a pre-flight test of the aircraft from the engine control circuitry;

    upon completion of the pre-flight test, outputting a result of the pre-flight test from the engine control circuitry;

    wherein the engine control circuitry includes (i) a primary electronic control unit (ECU) which is arranged to control engine combustion during a normal flight mode of the engine control circuitry, and (ii) a secondary ECU which is arranged to control engine combustion during a backup flight mode of the engine control circuitry, the engine control circuitry transitioning from the normal flight mode to the backup flight mode in the event of a failure of the primary ECU;

    wherein the primary ECU includes a first memory device which stores a first set of instructions and a first processor; and

    wherein the secondary ECU includes a second memory device which stores a second set of instructions and a second processor.

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