In-flight detection of wing flap free wheeling skew

US7945425B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• The Boeing Company · US

Inventors

• Alan Marx · Shoreline, US
• Gary A. Emch · Arlington, US
• Mark J. Gardner · Snohomish, US
• Richard I. Apfel · Seattle, US
• Michael E. Renzelmann · Woodinville, US
• Christopher D. Feet · Snohomish, US
• Michael R. Finn · Kirkland, US
• Mark S. Good · Seattle, US
• Gregory J. Seehusen · Seattle, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 17, 2008
• Grant date: May 17, 2011
• Expiry date: Dec 4, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B64D2045/001
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A method for detecting freewheeling skew failures in the wing flaps of an aircraft includes measuring the outputs of flap skew sensors when the aircraft is in flight (IF) and the flaps are extended to a selected position, and when the aircraft is next on the ground (OG) and the flaps are extended to the selected position. The respective differences between the IF and OG outputs of symmetrical pairs of the flap skew sensors are computed, and then the respective difference between the computed IF output difference and the computed OG output difference of each symmetrical pair of the sensors is computed. The computed IF and OG difference of each symmetrical pair of the sensors is then compared with each of predetermined maximum and minimum threshold value to determine whether a freewheeling skew failure exists in any of the flaps of the aircraft.