Patent ID: 8118263

Claim:
A method of controlling an aircraft in flight, comprising: determining a control parameter of the aircraft by: a) flying a test aircraft along a flight path while said test aircraft generates a wake vortex that trails behind said test aircraft; b) extending an aerodynamic control element of said test aircraft whereby said aerodynamic control element is producing an aerodynamic control effect by which said test aircraft follows a desired trajectory or flight path, and said aerodynamic control element is also reducing a vortex strength of said wake vortex relative to a condition without said aerodynamic control element extended; c) continuing said extending of said aerodynamic control element to increasing extension settings of said aerodynamic control element while said reducing of said vortex strength thereby continues; d) stopping said extending of said aerodynamic control element and maintaining said aerodynamic control element at a particular extension setting of said aerodynamic control element when a rate of reduction of said vortex strength relative to an increase of said increasing extension settings diminishes or no later than when said rate of reduction reaches zero; e) recording said extension of said aerodynamic control element; and f) basing said control parameter on said recorded extension data; storing said control parameter in a control computer on the aircraft; and using said control parameter to control the extension setting of an aerodynamic control element of the aircraft to reduce a wake vortex of the aircraft.