摘要 |
Apparatus for the automatically controlling aircraft descent to a computed descent flight path. At any point in the descent portion of flight, a path error signal is used to compute an incremental speed command that is algebraically summed with a nominal descent speed command to cause the aircraft to converge to or maintain the computed descent path. Means are provided to rate limit the algebraic addition of the incremental speed command so that the convergence rate to the path is virtually constant for a given path error and so that the relatively short term dynamics of accelerating and decelerating the aircraft which may cause oscillatory behavior are avoided. The use of an incremental speed command permits a simplified control law over the prior art and permits the direct control of the minimum and maximum allowable speeds of the aircraft without the necessity of switching control laws or additional monitoring.
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