Patent ID: 6289289
Filing Date: 2001-09-11
Classification: B64F,G01M,G07C

Abstract:
A system for monitoring, storing, and reporting the accumulation of fatigue occurrences experienced by an aircraft comprising:a. collecting magnitude and number of cycles of turbulence encounters,b. collecting magnitude and number of g-loading accrued by aircraft maneuvering,c. counting pressurization cycles that the aircraft has experienced,d. counting the number of flap cycles that have occurred, ande. storing the data obtained in steps a-d in an electronic memory,wherein said step of collecting magnitude and number of cycles of turbulence encounters further comprises;f. comparing a pitch attitude parameter .theta. (10) and an angle of attack parameter .alpha. (12) to obtain the algebraic difference of said pitch attitude parameter .theta. (10) and said angle of attack parameter .alpha.' (12),g. differentiating said pitch attitude parameter .theta. (10) to obtain a pitch attitude time derivative parameter .theta.' (10'),h. differentiating said angle of attack parameter .alpha. (12) to obtain a time derivative angle of attack parameter .alpha.' (12'),i. differentiating a true airspeed parameter V.sub.t (16) to obtain a time derivative true airspeed parameter V.sub.t ' (16'),j. multiplying said algebraic difference of said pitch attitude time derivative parameter .theta.' (10'), and said time derivative angle of attack parameter .alpha.' (12'), by said true airspeed parameter V.sub.t (16), to obtain the product(.theta.'-.alpha.').multidot.V.sub.t (18),k. multiplying said algebraic difference of said pitch attitude parameter .theta. (10) and said angle of attack parameter .alpha. (12), by said time derivative time airspeed parameter V.sub.t.multidot.(16'), to obtain the product(.theta.-.alpha.).multidot.V.sub.t ' (17), andl. summing said product,(.theta.'-.alpha.').multidot.V.sub.t (18),of said first multiplier operator (64) with said product,(.theta.-.alpha.).multidot.V.sub.t ' (17),of said second multiplier operator (66) to obtain a sum of products,(.theta.'-.alpha.').multidot.V.sub.t (18)+(.theta.-.alpha.).multidot.V.sub.t ' (17),with a vertical acceleration parameter, a.sub.v (13).