Automatic go-around control system for aircraft

Claim 2

In combination in a pitch axis control system for an aircraft: first means for providing a first signal representative of the altitude rate of said aircraft: second means for generating a second signal representative of the desired change in said aircraft altitude rate during a goaround maneuver; third means including series switching means for coupling said second signal to lag circuit means for producing a third signal representative of commanded change in altitude rate during said go-around; fourth means for generating a fourth signal representative of the altitude rate of said aircraft at the initiation of said go-around maneuver; fifth means for combining said first signal, said third signal, and said fourth signal, and wherein said first signal nulls or cancels said third signal and said fourth signal thereby providing a fifth signal representative of the altitude rate error of said aircraft during a go-around manuever.

Claim 3

The invention according to claim 1 further comprising sixth means including longitudinal control actuator means coupled between said fifth means and the control surfaces of said aircraft and control surface position sensing means coupled between said control surfaces and said fifth means.

Claim 4

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said second means comprises: a signal source representative of desired altitude rate during go-around; a signal source representative of altitude rate existing at the initiation of go-around; and, means for combining the outputs of said signal sources to provide said second signal.

Claim 5

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said third means comprises: series switching means coupled to the output of said second means, said switching means actuated upon initiation of go-around; and, lag circuit means couplEd to the output of said series switching means, said lag circuit means having the transfer function F(s) 1/(TS + 1, wherein T is the time constant of the go-around maneuver and S is the laplace operator to provide said third signal.

Claim 6

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said fourth means comprises: glide slope detector means providing a signal representative of glide slope error signal; further series switching means coupled to said glide slope detector means; and, integrator circuit means coupled to the output of said series switching means, said further series switching means actuated upon initiation of go-around for removing said glide slope error signal from the input of said integrator circuit means to provide said fourth signal.

Claim 7

The invention according to claim 1 wherein said fifth means provides a fifth signal representative of h* error, where h* error as a function of time during go-around equals h(t) + Delta h(1-e t/ ) - ho wherein h(t) is representative of said first signal Delta h(1-e t/ ) is representative of said third signal ho is representative of said fourth signal, and T is representative of the time constant of said lag circuit.

Claim 8

The invention according to claim 2 further comprising acceleration normal to flight path detector means and band pass filter means coupled in series circuit with said fifth means.

Claim 9

The invention according to claim 7 further comprising pitch rate detector means and further band pass filter means coupled in series circuit with said fifth means.

Claim 10

In combination in a pitch axis control system for providing a signal at an output terminal representative of the error between the commanded go-around altitude rate and the altitude rate of an aircraft; glide slope detector means; glide slope gain programmer means; first switching means; first adder circuit means; said glide slope gain programmer means and said first switching means coupled in series circuit path between said glide slope detector means and said first adder circuit means, and wherein said first switching means is responsive to initiation of go-around of said aircraft thereby decoupling said glide slope detector means from said first adder circuit means integrator circuit means; second adder circuit means; said integrator circuit means coupled between said first adder circuit and said second adder circuit means; third adder circuit means; second series switching means; said third adder circuit means and said second series switching means coupled between the output of said integrator circuit means and said first adder circuit means and wherein, said second series switching means is responsive to initiation of go-around of said aircraft thereby coupling said third adder circuit means to said first adder circuit means; altitude rate command circuit means; said altitude rate command circuit means coupled to said third adder means; altitude rate detector means; said altitude rate detector means coupled to said second adder means; amplifier circuit means; said amplifier circuit means coupled between said second adder circuit means and said output terminal.

Claim 11

In combination in a pitch axis control system for providing a signal at an output terminal representative of the error between the commanded go-around altitude rate and the altitude rate of an aircraft; glide slope detector means; glide slope gain programmer means; first switching means; first adder circuit means; said glide slope gain programmer means and said first switching means coupled in series circuit path between said glide slope detector means and said first adder circuit means, and wherein said first switching means is responsive to initiation of go-around of said aircraft thereby decoupling said glide slope detector means from said first adder circuit means integrator circuit means; second adder circuit means; said integrator circuit means coupled between said first adder circuit and said second adder circuit means; third adder circuit means; second series switching means; said third adder circuit means and said second series switching means coupled between the output of said integrator circuit means and said first adder circuit means and wherein, said second series switching means is responsive to initiation of go-around of said aircraft thereby coupling said third adder circuit means to said first adder circuit means; altitude rate command circuit means; said altitude rate command circuit means coupled to said third adder means; altitude rate detector means; said altitude rate detector means coupled to said second adder means; amplifier circuit means; said amplifier circuit means coupled between said second adder circuit means and said output terminal.

Claim 12

The invention according to claim 9 further comprising lag circuit means coupled between said first series switching means and said second adder circuit.

Claim 13

In combination in a pitch axis control system for an aircraft; glide slope detector means; glide slope gain programmer means; first switching means; first adder circuit means; said glide slope gain programmer means and said first switching means coupled in series circuit between said glide slope detector means and said first adder circuit means, whereby said first switching means is responsive to initiation of go-around of said aircraFt thereby decoupling said glide slope detector means from said first adder circuit means; integrator circuit means; second adder circuit means; said integrator circuit means coupled between said first adder circuit and said second adder circuit means; third adder circuit means; second series switching means; said third adder circuit means and said second series switching means coupled between the output of said integrator circuit means and said first adder circuit means wherein said second series switching means is responsive to initiation of go-around of said aircraft, thereby coupling said third adder circuit means to said first adder circuit means; go-around altitude rate command circuit means; said go-around altitude rate command circuit means coupled to said third adder means; altitude rate detector means; said altitude rate detector means coupled to said second adder means; amplifier circuit means; longitudinal control actuator means; said amplifier circuit means coupled between said second adder circuit and said longitudinal control actuator means; longitudinal control actuator feedback measuring means; and said longitudinal control actuator feedback measuring means coupled between the output of said longitudinal control actuators and said second adder circuit means.

Claim 14

In combination in a pitch axis control system for an aircraft; glide slope detector means; glide slope gain programmer means; first switching means; first adder circuit means; said glide slope gain programmer means and said first switching means coupled in series circuit between said glide slope detector means and said first adder circuit means, whereby said first switching means is responsive to initiation of go-around of said aircraFt thereby decoupling said glide slope detector means from said first adder circuit means; integrator circuit means; second adder circuit means; said integrator circuit means coupled between said first adder circuit and said second adder circuit means; third adder circuit means; second series switching means; said third adder circuit means and said second series switching means coupled between the output of said integrator circuit means and said first adder circuit means wherein said second series switching means is responsive to initiation of go-around of said aircraft, thereby coupling said third adder circuit means to said first adder circuit means; go-around altitude rate command circuit means; said go-around altitude rate command circuit means coupled to said third adder means; altitude rate detector means; said altitude rate detector means coupled to said second adder means; amplifier circuit means; longitudinal control actuator means; said amplifier circuit means coupled between said second adder circuit and said longitudinal control actuator means; longitudinal control actuator feedback measuring means; and said longitudinal control actuator feedback measuring means coupled between the output of said longitudinal control actuators and said second adder circuit means.

Claim 15

The invention according to claim 11 further comprising; acceleration normal to flight path detector means; first band pass filter circuit means; said first band pass filter circuit means coupled between said acceleration normal to flight path detector means and said second adder circuit means; pitch rate detector means; second band pass filter circuit means; said second band pass filter circuit means coupled between said pitch rate detector means and said second adder circuit means.

Claim 16

In combination in a pitch axis control system for an aircraft: first means for providing a first signal representative of the altitude rate of said aircraft; second means for generating a second signal representative of the desired change in said aircraft altitude rate during a go-around maneuver; third means including series switching means for coupling said second signal to lag circuit means for producing a third signal representative of commanded change in altitude rate during said go-around; fourth means for generating a fourth signal representative of the altitude rate of said aircraft at the initiation of said go-around maneuver; fifth means for combining said first signal, said third signal, and said fourth signal, and wherein said first signal nulls or cancels said third signal and said fourth signal thereby providing a fifth signal representative of the altitude rate error of said aircraft during a go-around maneuver; said second means comprising: a signal source representative of desired altitude rate during go-around; a signal source representative of altitude rate existing at the initiation of go-around; means for combining the outputs of said signal sources to provide said second signal; and, said second means further including a signal source representative of an additional desired change in altitude rate below a predetermined altitude of an approach to minimize the altitude loss of said aircraft during the go-around maneuver.

Claim 17

In combination in a pitch axis control system for an aircraft: first means for providing a first signal representative of the altitude rate of said aircraft; second means for generating a second signal representative of the desired change in said aircraft altitude rate during a go-around maneuver; third means including series switching means for coupling said second signal to lag circuit means for producing a third signal representative of commanded change in altitude rate during said go-around; fourth means for generating a fourth signal representative of the altitude rate of said aircraft at the initiation of said go-around maneuver; fifth means for combining said first signal, said third signal, and said fourth signal, and wherein said first signal nulls or cancels said third signal and said fourth signal thereby providing a fifth signal representative of the altitude rate error of said aircraft during a go-around maneuver; said second means comprising: a signal source representative of desired altitude rate during go-around; a signal source representative of altitude rate existing at the initiation of go-around; means for combining the outputs of said signal sources to provide said second signal; and, said second means further including a signal source representative of an additional desired change in altitude rate below a predetermined altitude of an approach to minimize the altitude loss of said aircraft during the go-around maneuver.