Adaptive energy management for vertical speed control of an aircraft

Claim 1

In combination in an aircraft having an elevator surface and a stabilizer surface: first signal processing means including delta stabilizer position-sensing means responsive to positioning of said stabilizer surface for providing a first signal representative of h VB ; initial vertical speed bias generating means for providing a signal representative of h IB ; second signal processing means responsive to said first signal representative of h VB and said signal representative of h IB for providing a signal representative of h c ; third signal processing means responsive to said signal representative of h c and a signal representative of altitude rate for providing a signal representative of δ ec ; elevator position-sensing means responsive to said elevator surface for providing a signal representative of δ e ; an automatic stabilizer trim unit responsive to said signal representative of δ e , said automatic stabilizer trim unit having an output terminal coupled to said stabilizer surface; a power control unit having an input terminal and an output terminal; fourth signal processing means coupled to said input terminal of said power control unit, said fourth signal processing means responsive to said signal representative of δ e , said representative of δ ec and a minor loop damping signal; and circuit means coupled between said elevator surface and the output terminals respectively of said automatic stabilizer trim unit and said power control unit.