Autorotation initiation and flare cues system and related method

摘要

Embodiments of the inventive concepts disclosed herein may provide visual and audible flight direction cues to the pilot of a helicopter to maintain an optimum energy sustaining profile to successfully perform an autorotation maneuver. From the moment the engine fails or fails to provide adequate power to the main rotor system, systems described herein provide airspeed, attitude, and altitude guidance to the pilot to intercept and fly the correct path for a successful autorotation entry and autorotation descent. The system displays specific cues as the helicopter approaches the determined flare altitude and guides the pilot through the autorotation flare and minimum rate of descent touchdown.

主权项

1. A system for displaying autorotation cues to a helicopter pilot, comprising:
a storage device configured for storing at least static information, the static information including:
terrain data associated with a geographic area; andhelicopter specific data associated with a helicopter; a controller operatively coupled with the storage device, the controller having an autorotation cue processor and an autorotation cue generator; the storage device having non-transitory computer readable program code embodied therein for determining autorotation cues, the computer readable program code comprising instructions which, when executed by the autorotation cue processor, cause the autorotation processor to perform and direct the steps of:
monitoring a plurality of ambient parameters including an above ground level altitude of the helicopter;monitoring a plurality of helicopter parameters including at least an engine speed;comparing at least one of the plurality of helicopter parameters to at least one desired helicopter parameter;determining a loss of power based on the comparing;determining a target autorotation airspeed based on the static information and the plurality of ambient parameters;determining an autorotation attitude based on the target autorotation airspeed and the helicopter parameters; anddetermining an autorotation flare altitude based on the target autorotation airspeed, the plurality of ambient parameters, and the plurality of helicopter parameters; the non-transitory computer readable program code further including instructions which, when executed by the autorotation cue generator, cause the autorotation cue generator perform and direct the steps of:
generating an autorotation attitude cue based on the autorotation attitude;generating an autorotation airspeed cue based on the target autorotation airspeed; andgenerating an autorotation flare cue based on the autorotation altitude, the autorotation flare cue including at least one of: a visual cue and an audible cue;generating an autorotation flare altitude display based on the autorotation altitude; a flight display operatively coupled with the controller, the flight display device configured for:
in response to the autorotation cue processor determining a loss of power, displaying, to the helicopter pilot, the autorotation airspeed cue, the autorotation attitude cue, and the autorotation altitude display;presenting the autorotation flare cue on the flight display an on an audible warning device when the monitoring indicates an above ground level altitude within a predetermined range of the autorotation altitude.