Abstract: In an embodiment, a rotorcraft includes a control element; a first detent sensor connected to the control element, the first detent sensor being operable to generate detent slip rate data indicating movement of the control element and detent state data indicating pilot control of the control element; a first trim motor connected to the control element and operable to generate trim rate data; and an FCC in signal communication with the first detent sensor and the first trim motor, the FCC including an error monitor operable to compare the detent slip rate data with the trim rate data and determine whether the first detent sensor is functional or defective, operable to provide a first flight management function when the first detent sensor is determined to be functional, and operable to provide a second flight management function when the first detent sensor is determined to be defective.

Abstract: A flight control computer (FCC) for a rotorcraft includes a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program to be executed by the processor, with the program including instructions for providing main rotor overspeed protection. The instructions for providing the main rotor overspeed protection include instructions for monitoring sensor signals indicating a main rotor RPM, determining a target operating parameter, determining one or more flight parameters in response to a relationship between the main rotor RPM and the target operating parameter indicating a main rotor overspeed condition. Determining the one or more flight parameters includes determining a setting for a flight control device of the rotorcraft that changes the main rotor RPM, controlling positioning of a pilot control according to the flight parameters, and controlling the flight control device of the rotorcraft according to positioning of the pilot control.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a rotorcraft includes: a plurality of engines; a flight control computer connected to the plurality of engines, the flight control computer being configured to: receive an operating parameter of a first engine of the plurality of engines; determine an engine output ramping rate for the first engine according to a difference between the operating parameter of the first engine and a nominal limit of the first engine; and increase the output of the first engine in response to detecting an outage of another engine of the plurality of engines, the output of the first engine being increased according to the engine output ramping rate.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes: obtaining a first signal from a first sensor of a rotorcraft, the first signal indicating measured angular velocity around a first axis of the rotorcraft; filtering the first signal with a lag compensator to estimate angular position around the first axis of the rotorcraft; and adjusting flight control devices of the rotorcraft according to the estimated angular position and the measured angular velocity around the first axis of the rotorcraft, thereby changing flight characteristics of the rotorcraft around the first axis of the rotorcraft.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method of indicating flight modes of a rotorcraft includes: detecting a change in flight mode of the rotorcraft from a previous flight mode to an active flight mode, the active flight mode and the previous flight mode each being from one of a first subset or a second subset of a plurality of flight modes; determining whether the active flight mode and the previous flight mode are from different subsets of the plurality of flight modes; and updating one or more flight mode indicators on an instrument panel of the rotorcraft in response to the active flight mode and the previous flight mode being from different subsets of the plurality of flight modes.

Abstract: An rotorcraft including a pilot control, a pilot control position sensor connected to the pilot control and operable to generate a position signal indicating a position of the pilot control, a flight control computer (FCC) in signal communication with the pilot control position sensor and operable to provide a tactile cue in the pilot control in response to the position signal indicating the position of the pilot control exceeds a threshold associated with an operating limit, and further operable to determine a tactile cueing value for the tactile cue according to a relationship between the position of the pilot control and the threshold, and generate a cue control signal according to the tactile cueing value, and a tactile cue element connected to the pilot control and in signal communication with the FCC and operable to control action of the pilot control in response to the cue control signal.

Abstract: A rotorcraft including a control element, a control sensor connected to the control element, where the control sensor is operable to generate trim data indicating a displacement of the control element in relation to a trim position of the control element, and a flight control computer (FCC) operable to monitor the trim data and determine an active detent state of the control element. The active detent state is one of an in-detent state, an out-of-detent state, and an in-transition state. The FCC is operable to buffer a transition of the active detent state from the in-detent state to the out-of-detent state using the in-transition state. The FCC provides a first flight management function when the active detent state is the in-detent state or the in-transition state, and provides a second flight management function when the active detent state is the out-of-detent state.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a rotorcraft includes: a rotor system; a sensor; a flight control device; and a flight control computer (FCC) coupled to the rotor system, the sensor, and the flight control device, the FCC configured to: determine a rotation speed of the rotor system; select a first aeroservoelasticity filter configuration from a plurality of aeroservoelasticity filter configurations according to the rotation speed of the rotor system, the aeroservoelasticity filter configurations being predetermined configurations corresponding to different rotation speeds of the rotor system; receive a signal from the sensor; filter the signal according to the first aeroservoelasticity filter configuration; and adjust the flight control device according to the filtered signal.

Abstract: A flight control computer (FCC) for a rotorcraft includes a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program to be executed by the processor, with the program including instructions for providing main rotor overspeed protection. The instructions for providing the main rotor overspeed protection include instructions for monitoring sensor signals indicating a main rotor RPM, determining a target operating parameter, determining one or more flight parameters in response to a relationship between the main rotor RPM and the target operating parameter indicating a main rotor overspeed condition. Determining the one or more flight parameters includes determining a setting for a flight control device of the rotorcraft that changes the main rotor RPM, controlling positioning of a pilot control according to the flight parameters, and controlling the flight control device of the rotorcraft according to positioning of the pilot control.

Abstract: A flight control computer (FCC) for a rotorcraft includes a processor and a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program to be executed by the processor, with the program including instructions for providing main rotor overspeed protection. The instructions for providing the main rotor overspeed protection include instructions for monitoring sensor signals indicating a main rotor RPM, determining a target operating parameter, determining one or more flight parameters in response to a relationship between the main rotor RPM and the target operating parameter indicating a main rotor overspeed condition. Determining the one or more flight parameters includes determining a setting for a flight control device of the rotorcraft that changes the main rotor RPM, controlling positioning of a pilot control according to the flight parameters, and controlling the flight control device of the rotorcraft according to positioning of the pilot control.

Abstract: A rotorcraft having a plurality of wheels, each wheel configured to receive weight of the rotorcraft when in contact with a landing surface, a plurality of wheel sensors, each wheel sensor associated with a respective wheel and having circuitry configured to generate a wheel on ground (WOG) signal indicating that the respective wheel is in contact with the landing surface, and a flight control computer (FCC) in signal communication with the plurality of wheel sensors, the FCC operable to execute a first hold loop having a first integrator and providing first control augmentation of a rotorcraft flight system, the FCC further operable to freeze the first integrator according to a number of WOG signals received from the plurality of wheel sensors, the FCC further operable to generate a first control signal according to a first value provided by the first integrator while the first integrator is frozen.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a method includes: obtaining a first signal from a first sensor of a rotorcraft, the first signal indicating measured angular velocity around a first axis of the rotorcraft; filtering the first signal with a lag compensator to estimate angular position around the first axis of the rotorcraft; and adjusting flight control devices of the rotorcraft according to the estimated angular position and the measured angular velocity around the first axis of the rotorcraft, thereby changing flight characteristics of the rotorcraft around the first axis of the rotorcraft.

Abstract: A fly-by-wire system for a rotorcraft includes a computing device having control laws. The control laws are operable to engage a roll command or a yaw command in response to deflection of a beep switch of a pilot control assembly, wherein a roll angle for the roll command or a yaw rate for the yaw command is determined based on forward airspeed of the rotorcraft. The beep switch may be disposed on a collective control of the pilot control assembly. The control laws are further operable to disengage the roll command or the yaw command in response to the beep switch being returned from a deflected position to a neutral position. In representative aspects, the roll angle or the yaw rate may correspond to a standard rate turn (e.g., 3° per second).

Abstract: In an embodiment, a rotorcraft includes: a plurality of engines; a flight control computer connected to the plurality of engines, the flight control computer being configured to: receive an operating parameter of a first engine of the plurality of engines; determine an engine output ramping rate for the first engine according to a difference between the operating parameter of the first engine and a nominal limit of the first engine; and increase the output of the first engine in response to detecting an outage of another engine of the plurality of engines, the output of the first engine being increased according to the engine output ramping rate.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a rotorcraft includes a control element; a first control sensor connected to the control element, the first control sensor operable to generate position data indicating an actual position of the control element; and a flight control computer (FCC) in signal communication with the first control sensor, the FCC being operable to determine a suggested position for the control element, the FCC including an error monitor, the error monitor being operable to compare the suggested position of the control element with the actual position of the control element and determine whether the second control sensor is functional or defective, the FCC being further operable to provide a first flight management function when the second control sensor is determined to be functional, and the FCC being further operable to provide a second flight management function when the second control sensor is determined to be defective.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a rotorcraft includes: a rotor system; a sensor; a flight control device; and a flight control computer (FCC) coupled to the rotor system, the sensor, and the flight control device, the FCC configured to: determine a rotation speed of the rotor system; select a first aeroservoelasticity filter configuration from a plurality of aeroservoelasticity filter configurations according to the rotation speed of the rotor system, the aeroservoelasticity filter configurations being predetermined configurations corresponding to different rotation speeds of the rotor system; receive a signal from the sensor; filter the signal according to the first aeroservoelasticity filter configuration; and adjust the flight control device according to the filtered signal.

Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, a method of operating a rotorcraft includes receiving a measured yaw rate from a yaw rate sensor or a measured lateral acceleration from a lateral acceleration sensor of the rotorcraft, filtering the measured yaw rate or the measured lateral acceleration using a filter to form a filtered measured yaw rate or a filtered measured lateral acceleration, and regulating a yaw rate or a lateral acceleration of the rotorcraft based on the measured yaw rate or the measured lateral acceleration. The filter includes a bandpass characteristic or a notch characteristic, and the filtering is configured to reduce lateral vibrations caused by airflow in a tail section of the rotorcraft.

Abstract: A system and method for providing state comparison of redundant processors used, e.g. to control a rotor craft. A primary microprocessor is configured to receive input data from a position sensor and a flight condition sensor and determine therefrom a first desired control law state, and a secondary microprocessor is configured to receive input data from the position sensor and the flight condition sensor and determine therefrom a second desired control law state. The first desired control law state from the primary microprocessor and the second desired control law state from the secondary microprocessor are compared, and (a) the first desired control law state is entered when the first desired control law state and the second desired control law state match, and (b) a last known control law state is maintained when the first desired control law state and the second desired control law state do not match.

Abstract: A rotorcraft including a control element, a control sensor connected to the control element, where the control sensor is operable to generate trim data indicating a displacement of the control element in relation to a trim position of the control element, and a flight control computer (FCC) operable to monitor the trim data and determine an active detent state of the control element. The active detent state is one of an in-detent state, an out-of-detent state, and an in-transition state. The FCC is operable to buffer a transition of the active detent state from the in-detent state to the out-of-detent state using the in-transition state. The FCC provides a first flight management function when the active detent state is the in-detent state or the in-transition state, and provides a second flight management function when the active detent state is the out-of-detent state.

Abstract: An rotorcraft including a pilot control, a pilot control position sensor connected to the pilot control and operable to generate a position signal indicating a position of the pilot control, a flight control computer (FCC) in signal communication with the pilot control position sensor and operable to provide a tactile cue in the pilot control in response to the position signal indicating the position of the pilot control exceeds a threshold associated with an operating limit, and further operable to determine a tactile cueing value for the tactile cue according to a relationship between the position of the pilot control and the threshold, and generate a cue control signal according to the tactile cueing value, and a tactile cue element connected to the pilot control and in signal communication with the FCC and operable to control action of the pilot control in response to the cue control signal.