Aircraft flight termination system and method

• US 8,256,716 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2008
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Dietrich, Mark C., Trepanier, Charles N., Werch, Timothy R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Tien
• Assistant Examiner(s): Xavier, Valentina
• Application Number:
  US12/112,047
• Publication Number:
  US 20090272840A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,588 Days
• Field of Search: 244/131, 244/3.15, 244/3.25
• US Class Current: 244/131
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 1/32 Severable or jettisonable parts of fuselage facilitating emergency escape
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 19/00 Aircraft control not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 3/56 Folding or collapsing to reduce overall dimensions of aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: B64C 39/024 of the remote controlled vehicle type, i.e. RPV
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 10/25 Fixed-wing aircraft VTOL aircraft B64U10/20
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 20/60 UAVs characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 30/14 detachable
• CPC Class Codes: B64U 40/10 for adjusting control surfaces or rotors
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/02 Anti-aircraft or anti-guided missile or anti-torpedo defence installations or systems cartridges or missiles for producing smoke or for dispensing radar chaff or infrared material F42B5/15, F42B12/48, F42B12/70; informative reference: details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00; jamming or electronic countermeasures G01S7/38, G01S7/495, H04K3/00
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/48 Range-reducing, destabilising or braking arrangements, e.g. impact-braking arrangements; Fall-retarding means, e.g. balloons, rockets for braking or fall-retardingF42B10/34 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 15/36 Means for interconnecting rocket-motor and body section; Multi-stage connectors; Disconnecting means

Abstract

An aircraft has a flight termination system that allows flight of an unmanned aircraft to be quickly and efficiently terminated. The flight termination system separates one of the control surfaces of the aircraft, such as a wing, from a fuselage of the aircraft, while one or more other control surfaces connected to the fuselage. The separation may be accomplished by firing one or more explosive bolts to release a clamp that connects the control surface to the fuselage. The separation causes an asymmetry in configuration that results in a rapid crash of the aircraft. The flight termination system causes termination to be effected in small flight footprint, without use of powerful explosives, and without a large cost in weight or volume. The flight termination system may be used in unpowered or powered aircraft.

Claims

1. An aircraft comprising:

a fuselage;

multiple control surfaces coupled to the fuselage; and

a flight termination system configured to separate one or more of the control surfaces from the fuselage, while leaving at least one other of the control surfaces coupled to the fuselage;

wherein the flight termination system includes one or more explosive nuts that are fired to separate the one or more control surfaces from the fuselage by allowing release of a control surface in from the fuselage; and

wherein the one or more explosive nuts are part of a clamp that holds a cover in a closed position, against the fuselage;

wherein the cover, when in the closed position, holds the control surface pin in a notch in the fuselage.

2. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the one or more explosive nuts includes:

a first explosive nut that separably couples the fuselage to an intermediate member of the clamp; and

a second explosive nut that separably couples the intermediate member to the cover.

3. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein firing the one or more explosive nuts releases the clamp and opens the cover, allowing the one or more control surfaces to be sheared away from the fuselage.

4. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein explosives used in the one or more explosive nuts have a minor explosive hazard.

5. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein explosives used in the one or more explosive nuts are a Class 1.4 explosive, as defined in 49 CFR 173.50.

6. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein the aircraft is an unpowered glider with no fuel supply.

7. The aircraft of claim 1, wherein separating the one or more control surfaces from the fuselage makes the aircraft aerodynamically asymmetric.

13. The aircraft of claim 1,

wherein the multiple control surfaces includes a pair of wings;

wherein the one or more control surfaces to be separated from the fuselage includes one of the wings; and

wherein the at least one other control surface includes the other of the wings.

8. A method of terminating flight of an aircraft, the method comprising:

separating a first control surface of the aircraft from a fuselage of the aircraft, while maintaining a second control surface of the aircraft coupled to the fuselage; and

after separating the first control surface from the fuselage, crashing the aircraft;

wherein the separating includes firing one or more explosive nuts of a clamp that holds a pin of the first control surface mechanically coupled to the fuselage; and

wherein the firing the one or more explosive nuts opens a cover that, when opened, allows a pivot pin of the first control surface to disengage from a notch in the fuselage.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the separating includes shearing the first control surface away from the fuselage.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the first control surface and the second control surface are both wings of the aircraft.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the clamp includes multiple of the explosive nuts, the firing of any of which will be sufficient to release the clamp.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the crashing includes unstably flying the aircraft prior to impact.