Patent ID: 8504222

Claim:
An emergency descent intervention system, comprising: an aircraft having a piston engine with an exhaust gas driven turbocharger having a turbocharger inlet, the piston engine having an exhaust gas manifold, and an exhaust bypass outlet, said exhaust gas manifold (a) fluidly connected to said turbocharger inlet and to said exhaust gas bypass outlet, and (b) having an exhaust gas bypass valve, said exhaust bypass valve configured to regulate the flow of exhaust gas to said exhaust gas bypass outlet and to said turbocharger inlet; a flight management system, said flight management system having a visual display and providing aircraft directional control signals in accordance with programmed directional instructions, and aircraft altitude control signals in accordance with programmed altitude instructions; a pilot challenge system and an alarm system, said pilot challenge system and said alarm system both integrated with said flight management system, said emergency descent intervention system configured to determine (1) a first latency period for pilot interrogation, and (2) a second latency period for alarm activation; a reset system to reset the pilot challenge system when a response is received during the first latency period or during the second latency period; a descent activation system that determines a target altitude and overrides said flight management system programmed altitude instructions, controls descent to said target altitude, and when said aircraft reaches said target altitude, maintains said target altitude; an actuator for said exhaust gas bypass valve, said actuator controllable via said flight management system to regulate inlet air to, and power output from said piston engine, to enable said aircraft to descent to, and maintain, said target altitude.