Control systems to emulate jet aircraft in reciprocating engine-powered trainers
First Claim
1. A control system for in-flight use in a reciprocating engine-powered aircraft, the control system emulating that of a turbine-powered aircraft, the control system comprising:
- an integrated power controller configured for use in a reciprocating engine-powered aircraft while the aircraft is in flight and further configured to;
(a) accept a single input from a pilot of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft;
(b) based at least in part on the single input, provide a first control signal to control a throttle setting for at least one engine of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft;
(c) based at least in part on the single input, provide a second control signal to control a propeller pitch setting for at least one propeller of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; and
(d) based at least in part on the single input, provide a third control signal to control a fuel/air mixture setting for at least one engine of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; and
a set of one or more computer displays that is configurable to emulate a set of instrument gauges used on the turbine-powered aircraft to display a set of information, the set of information comprising;
(a) information about an altitude of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft;
(b) information about an attitude of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft;
(c) information about an airspeed of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; and
(d) information about a heading of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
This disclosure describes novel aircraft control systems for propeller-driven training aircraft, and methods for their use. In an aspect of some embodiments, a control system might comprise an integrated power control that takes a single power input from the pilot and translates that input into controls for a throttle, a propeller pitch setting, and a fuel/air mixture. In another aspect of some embodiments, a glass cockpit may be provided, with computer displays emulating the instruments of the aircraft for which the pilot is training. Advantageously, this allows a pilot in training to learn, from the beginning, the power controls and/or instrumentation for the aircraft for which the pilot is training, instead of having to learn one power control and instrumentation system, only to later have to learn another system. In a specific embodiment, the instrumentation displays may be reconfigurable, allowing the displays to emulate those of a variety of jet aircraft.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A control system for in-flight use in a reciprocating engine-powered aircraft, the control system emulating that of a turbine-powered aircraft, the control system comprising:
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an integrated power controller configured for use in a reciprocating engine-powered aircraft while the aircraft is in flight and further configured to; (a) accept a single input from a pilot of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; (b) based at least in part on the single input, provide a first control signal to control a throttle setting for at least one engine of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; (c) based at least in part on the single input, provide a second control signal to control a propeller pitch setting for at least one propeller of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; and (d) based at least in part on the single input, provide a third control signal to control a fuel/air mixture setting for at least one engine of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; and a set of one or more computer displays that is configurable to emulate a set of instrument gauges used on the turbine-powered aircraft to display a set of information, the set of information comprising; (a) information about an altitude of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; (b) information about an attitude of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; (c) information about an airspeed of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; and (d) information about a heading of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. In a reciprocating-engine powered aircraft, a method of emulating a control system for a turbine-powered aircraft, the method comprising:
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accepting, with an integrated power controller, a single input from a pilot of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft while the reciprocating-engine powered aircraft is in flight; providing, based at least in part on the single input, a first control signal to control a throttle setting for at least one engine of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; providing, based at least in part on the single input, a second control signal to control a propeller pitch setting for at least one propeller of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; providing, based at least in part on the single input, a third control signal to control a fuel/air mixture setting for at least one engine of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; and displaying, on a set of one or more computer displays that is configurable to emulate a set of instrument gauges used on the turbine-powered aircraft, a set of information comprising; (i) information about an altitude of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; (ii) information about an attitude of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; (iii) information about an airspeed of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; and (iv) information about a heading of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft.
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20. A control system for a reciprocating engine-powered aircraft, the control system emulating that of a turbine-powered aircraft, the control system comprising:
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means for accepting a single input from a pilot of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft while the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft is in flight; means for providing, based at least in part on the single input, a first control signal to control a throttle setting for at least one engine of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; means for providing, based at least in part on the single input, a second control signal to control a propeller pitch setting for at least one propeller of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; means for providing, based at least in part on the single input, a third control signal to control a fuel/air mixture setting for at least one engine of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; and means for emulating a set of instrument gauges used on the turbine-powered aircraft to display a set of information comprising; (i) information about an altitude of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; (ii) information about an attitude of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; (iii) information about an airspeed of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; and (iv) information about a heading of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft.
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21. A method, comprising:
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providing a control system configured to emulate a turbine-powered aircraft, the control system comprising; (a) an integrated power controller, the integrated power controller being configured for use in a reciprocating engine-powered aircraft while the aircraft is in flight and further configured to; (i) accept a single input from a pilot of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; (ii) based at least in part on the single input, provide a first control signal to control a throttle setting for at least one engine of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; (iii) based at least in part on the single input, provide a second control signal to control a propeller pitch setting for at least one propeller of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; (iv) based at least in part on the single input, provide a third control signal to control a fuel/air mixture setting for at least one engine of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; and (b) a set of one or more computer displays that is configurable to emulate a set of instrument gauges used on the turbine-powered aircraft to display a set of information, the set of information comprising; (i) information about an altitude of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; (ii) information about an attitude of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; (iii) information about an airspeed of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; and (iv) information about a heading of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; and installing the control system in a reciprocating engine-powered aircraft.
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22. A reciprocating engine powered aircraft comprising a control system configured to emulate a turbine-powered aircraft while the reciprocating engine powered aircraft is in flight, the control system comprising:
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an integrated power controller operable with the reciprocating engine powered aircraft while the aircraft is in flight, the integrated power controller being configured to; (a) accept a single input from a pilot of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; (b) based at least in part on the single input, provide a first control signal to control a throttle setting for at least one engine of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; (c) based at least in part on the single input, provide a second control signal to control a propeller pitch setting for at least one propeller of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; (d) based at least in part on the single input, provide a third control signal to control a fuel/air mixture setting for at least one engine of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; and a set of one or more computer displays that is configurable to emulate a set of instrument gauges used on the turbine-powered aircraft to display a set of information, the set of information comprising; (a) information about an altitude of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; (b) information about an attitude of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; (c) information about an airspeed of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft; and (d) information about a heading of the reciprocating engine-powered aircraft.
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Specification