The Art of the Helicopter John Watkinson - Karatunov.net
The Art of the Helicopter John Watkinson - Karatunov.net
The Art of the Helicopter John Watkinson - Karatunov.net
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314 <strong>The</strong> <strong>Art</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Helicopter</strong><br />
Achieving any or all <strong>of</strong> this requires an intelligent combination <strong>of</strong> flight parameter<br />
sensing, error measurement, power-operated controls stabilization and ergonomics. In<br />
addition to <strong>the</strong>se basics <strong>the</strong>re are some additional criteria. In <strong>the</strong> same way that two<br />
pilots cannot simultaneously have control, it is not possible for a human pilot and an<br />
automatic system to have full authority over <strong>the</strong> helicopter at <strong>the</strong> same time.<br />
In stability augmentation systems, also called AFCS (automatic flight control systems),<br />
pilot and AFCS share control so that <strong>the</strong> pilot actually flies <strong>the</strong> helicopter but<br />
<strong>the</strong> added inputs from <strong>the</strong> AFCS make <strong>the</strong> helicopter follow <strong>the</strong> pilot’s wishes more<br />
readily.<br />
In simple autopilots <strong>the</strong>re may be no control sharing at all and some mechanism<br />
needs to be provided so that <strong>the</strong> pilot can engage or disengage <strong>the</strong> autopilot so that one<br />
or o<strong>the</strong>r has full authority. <strong>The</strong>se control reconfigurations must take place smoothly<br />
so that <strong>the</strong>re is no sudden disturbance <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> machine when <strong>the</strong> autopilot engages or<br />
disengages. Clearly safety is paramount and autopilots must use extensive interlocking<br />
so that <strong>the</strong>y will not engage if correct conditions are not present and so that <strong>the</strong>y will<br />
disengage and hand back control to <strong>the</strong> pilot in <strong>the</strong> case <strong>of</strong> a failure. In a simple system<br />
<strong>the</strong> servo output is physically disconnected from <strong>the</strong> controls when <strong>the</strong> pilot has control,<br />
but is connected by a clutch when <strong>the</strong> servo has control. Clearly <strong>the</strong> clutch is ei<strong>the</strong>r<br />
engaged or disengaged and so this is not a control sharing arrangement and would not<br />
be appropriate for an AFCS.<br />
An autopilot that maintains <strong>the</strong> machine on an absolutely stable course is in one sense<br />
ideal, but in practice <strong>the</strong> course or altitude needs to be changed from time to time. If<br />
<strong>the</strong> autopilot had to be disengaged and re-engaged every time a course change was<br />
required its value in reducing pilot workload would be diminished. Thus it is necessary<br />
to provide a means whereby <strong>the</strong> pilot can direct <strong>the</strong> flight through <strong>the</strong> autopilot. In<br />
fixed-wing practice this happens relatively infrequently and it is adequate to give <strong>the</strong><br />
pilot an auxiliary set <strong>of</strong> control wheels or knobs which are used to direct <strong>the</strong> autopilot<br />
to new flight conditions without touching <strong>the</strong> main controls.<br />
Figure 7.2 showed ways <strong>of</strong> dividing control between a servo and a pilot. Ei<strong>the</strong>r a<br />
series or parallel arrangement can be used to share control between a small electric<br />
servo and <strong>the</strong> pilot on <strong>the</strong> mechanical input to a conventional hydraulic actuator. This<br />
approach is appropriate if <strong>the</strong> AFCS or autopilot are optional equipment because <strong>the</strong><br />
same hydraulic actuator can be used with or without <strong>the</strong> servo. Where <strong>the</strong> autopilot<br />
is standard equipment, <strong>the</strong> electric servo can be dispensed with. Figure 7.50 shows<br />
a parallel-connected hydraulic actuator designed to allow full control authority by<br />
<strong>the</strong> pilot with <strong>the</strong> autopilot disengaged and full autopilot authority when engaged.<br />
Fluid flow to <strong>the</strong> main ram is controlled by one <strong>of</strong> two spool valves. One <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se<br />
is mechanically operated by pushrod from, for example, <strong>the</strong> cyclic stick to give pilot<br />
authority. <strong>The</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r is operated by electro-hydraulic valve (EHV) to give autopilot<br />
authority. Note that <strong>the</strong> ram is grounded to <strong>the</strong> airframe and <strong>the</strong> body <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> actuator<br />
moves.<br />
Figure 7.50 shows that with <strong>the</strong> autopilot disengaged <strong>the</strong> EHV and its spool valve<br />
are isolated from <strong>the</strong> main ram by <strong>the</strong> autopilot select valve which is closed by spring<br />
pressure. If <strong>the</strong> pilot moves <strong>the</strong> input pushrod this will displace <strong>the</strong> manual spool valve<br />
and admit fluid to <strong>the</strong> ram so that <strong>the</strong> actuator moves bodily (‘follows up’) until <strong>the</strong><br />
spool valve is in <strong>the</strong> neutral position again. In this mode <strong>the</strong> system is working as a<br />
conventional power-assisted actuator as was described in section 7.21.<br />
Provided all <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> interlock conditions are met, when <strong>the</strong> pilot engages <strong>the</strong> autopilot,<br />
<strong>the</strong> engage interlock output signal operates a solenoid valve admitting hydraulic pressure<br />
to a cylinder. This drives a tapering lock pin that moves <strong>the</strong> manual spool valve<br />
to <strong>the</strong> neutral position, locking it to <strong>the</strong> actuator body so that no relative movement is