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Flight control systems

  • US 8,401,716 B2
  • Filed: 01/31/2007
  • Issued: 03/19/2013
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2006
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method of operating a control surface on an aircraft, said control surface having a first independent section and a second independent section, said method comprising:

  • providing a device which receives inputs from a user via a mechanical system and angularly displaces said first section using a hydraulic device which is acted on by the mechanical system without any computer-aided correction;

    receiving readings including (i) force measurements representative of operator effort from force sensors located on a pilot-operated control means which is a part of the mechanical system, and (ii) acceleration, airspeed, and altitude parameters into a computer system, the computer system using the readings to electronically control said second section and angularly displace said second section, the second section compensating for the lack of computer-aided correction given to the first section, the aerodynamic sum of effects caused by positions of the first section and second section together resulting in a desired aircraft response; and

    providing an artificial feel system in the mechanical, system which provides variable resistance to the control means based either on aircraft performance parameters or nonlinear force curves.

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