Flight control laws for vertical flight path
First Claim
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1. A flight control system for vertical flight path control of an aircraft having a sensor, the system comprising:
- a flight control computer having an algorithm, the algorithm having a stable decoupled model having a decoupled lateral equation of aircraft motion and a decoupled longitudinal equation of aircraft motion; and
a feedback command loop operably associated with the stable decoupled model, the feedback command loop having;
a vertical flight path angle control law configured to receive data from the sensor and a vertical command from a controller;
an altitude control law configured to receive data from the sensor; and
a vertical speed control law configured to receive data from the sensor and configured to send a command to the actuator;
a switch in communication with both the vertical flight path angle control law and the altitude control law, the switch being configured to send data to the vertical speed control law;
wherein the vertical flight path angle control law, the altitude control law, and the vertical speed control law utilize the lateral equation of aircraft motion and the longitudinal equation of aircraft motion; and
wherein the vertical speed control law is operably associated with the altitude control law when an aircraft altitude hold device is activated.
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Abstract
A flight control system and method for controlling the vertical flight path of an aircraft, the flight control system includes a stable decoupled model having a decoupled lateral equation of motion and a decoupled longitudinal equation of motion and a feedback command loop operably associated with the stable decoupled model. The feedback command loop includes a vertical flight path angle control law; an altitude control law; and a vertical speed control law.
134 Citations
17 Claims
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1. A flight control system for vertical flight path control of an aircraft having a sensor, the system comprising:
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a flight control computer having an algorithm, the algorithm having a stable decoupled model having a decoupled lateral equation of aircraft motion and a decoupled longitudinal equation of aircraft motion; and a feedback command loop operably associated with the stable decoupled model, the feedback command loop having; a vertical flight path angle control law configured to receive data from the sensor and a vertical command from a controller; an altitude control law configured to receive data from the sensor; and a vertical speed control law configured to receive data from the sensor and configured to send a command to the actuator; a switch in communication with both the vertical flight path angle control law and the altitude control law, the switch being configured to send data to the vertical speed control law; wherein the vertical flight path angle control law, the altitude control law, and the vertical speed control law utilize the lateral equation of aircraft motion and the longitudinal equation of aircraft motion; and wherein the vertical speed control law is operably associated with the altitude control law when an aircraft altitude hold device is activated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for vertical flight path control of an aircraft, comprising:
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providing a flight control computer having an algorithm, the algorithm being configured to decouple a model having a lateral equation of aircraft motion and a longitudinal equation of aircraft motion; stabilizing the aircraft by individually analyzing the lateral equation of motion and the longitudinal equation of motion; and controlling the vertical flight path of the aircraft with a feedback command loop associated with the algorithm, the feedback command loop, having; a vertical flight path angle control law configured to receive data from the sensor and a vertical command from a controller; an altitude control law configured to receive data from the sensor; and a vertical speed control law configured to receive data from the sensor and configured to send a command to the actuator; communicating both the vertical flight path angle control law and the altitude control law with a switch, the switch being configured to send data to the vertical speed control law; wherein the vertical flight path angle control law, the altitude control law, and the vertical speed control law utilize the lateral equation of aircraft motion and the longitudinal equation of aircraft motion; and wherein the vertical speed control law is operably associated with the altitude control law when an aircraft altitude hold device is activated. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17)
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Specification