UNITV-AIR DATA SYSTEMS AND AUTO PILOT

Air data quantities–Altitude, Air speed, Vertical speed, Mach Number, Total air
temperature, Mach warning, Altitude warning–Auto pilot–Basic principles, Longitudinal
and lateral auto pilot.
INTRODUCTION
In connection with in-flight operation of aircraft, it is necessary to impose limitations in
respect ofcertain operating parameters compatible with standards, with respect to different
types of aircrafts
It is also necessary for the systems to be provided which will, both visually and aurally,
alert andwarn a flight crew whenever the imposed operational limitations are being
exceeded.
Some of the warning systems used in aircraft are Mach warning system, airspeed and
altitude alertingsystems
Mach number is defined as the ratio of speed of aircraft (V) to speed of sound at flight
altitude (c)i.e., M=V/c and its significance is that airspeed can be represented in terms of
Mach number.
A Mach warning system provides an aural warning when an aircraft’s speed reaches
themaximum operating speed value in terms of Mach number i.e.,
The warning is in addition to any limiting speed reference pointers or ‘bugs’ that are
providedin Mach/airspeed indicators.
The system consists of a switch unit which comprises of airspeed and altitude sensing
unitsconnected to an aircraft’s pitot probe and static vent system.
The switch contacts are actuated by the airspeed and altitude capsule assemblies, and
remainclosed as long as the speed is below the limiting value.
The 28 V dc supply passing through the contacts energizes the control relay which
interruptsthe ground connection of the aural warning device, or 'clacker' because of the
sound it emitswhen in operation.
When the limiting speed is exceeded, the switch contacts open thereby de-energizing the
controlrelay to allow dc to pass through its contacts to activate the 'clacker' via the
completed groundconnection. The sound is emitted at a frequency of 7 Hz.
 For functional checking of the system, a spring-loaded toggle switch is provided. When
placedin the 'Test' position it allows dc to flow to the ground side of the control relay,
therebyproviding a bias
sufficient to de-energize the control relay and so cause the 'clacker' to beactivated.
In some aircraft systems, Mach/airspeed indicators with built in warning switch units may
be usedand so arranges that they operate two different clackers.The figure shows the
Mach/airspeed indicator combined with switch unit
The indicator in the captain’s group of flight instruments is servo operated by signals from
anADC. The other indicator which is in first officer’s group is also servo operated type,
butcontains switch unit that is directly connected to the pitot probe and static vent system.
The captain’s indicator contains an over speed circuit module that is supplied by the ADC
withprevailing speed data and also limiting the Vmo and Mmo values appropriate to the
type of aircraft.
The contacts of the switch unit in the first officer’s indicator are connected to a relay, at
speedsbelow maximum values contacts remains closed and relay is de-energized.
When the maximum speed is reached, the relay coil circuit is interrupted and its contacts
thenchange over to provide a ground connection for the dc supply which activates aural
warning2clacker unit.
Test switches are provided for checking the operation of each clacker by simulation of
overspeed conditions.
The operation of the switch2 applies dc to the relay coil such that it is shorted out against
thestanding supply from the closed airspeed switch; the relay is therefore de-energized to
providea ground connection for aural warning2 clacker unit.

ALTITUDE ALERTING SYSTEM

This system is designed to alert a flight crew to give audio and visual warnings when an
aircraftapproaches or deviates from a pre-selected altitude by more than a pre-determined
amount.
An aircraft’s pressure altitude is provided as a signal input to the alert controller unit from
analtimeter via a coarse/fine synchro system.
The selected altitude is set by means of a knob on the controller, and is indicated by a
digitalcounter which is geared to the rotors of the control and resolver synchros, so that
they produce acorresponding signal.
The signal is compared with the pressure altitude signal and the resulting difference is
suppliedto level detection circuits within the controller.
At pre-determined values of both synchro rotor voltages, two signals are produced and
aresupplied as inputs to a logic circuit.
The logic circuit comprises a timing network which controls a remote audio warning
device andthe operation of the warning lights in the servo altimeter and altitude alerting
unit.
AIRSPEED WARNING SYSTEM
There are two air data parameters, which should be monitored and corrective actions taken
bypilots to avoid aircraft damage or catastrophic failures.
Longitudinal and lateral auto pilot.

Longitudinal Autopilot Block Diagram altitude (h) and air speed (V a ) control which is
related to guidance and navigation control (outer loops). SUAV altitude hold controller is
designed at this assumption the speed is constant (cruise speed) [18]. The performance of
the longitudinal motion controller is checked in the scenario of straight and leveling flight,
and level climbing flight. The block diagram of longitudinal autopilot
autopilot control system is composed of a longitudinal control for controlling the
altitude, forward speed, vertical speed and pitch attitude and a lateral control for
controlling the direction of the airplane along with a bank angle control.
The main objectives of a lateral autopilot are as listed below: -
(a) Maintenance of near-constant steady state aerodynamic gain.
(b) Increase weathercock frequency.
(c) Increase weathercock damping.
(d) Reduce cross-coupling between pitch and yaw motion and
(e) Assistance in gathering.
The longitudinal controllers are responsible for regulating the aircraft’s forward speed,
climb rate and altitude. The autopilot makes changes in vertical speed and altitude by
changing the pitch angle after control the engine thrust (Nelson, 1998). Thus, we have
at the heart of the longitudinal control the pitch controller. It controls the elevator angle to
achieve a desired reference pitch angle. However, the user/pilot doesn’t have the ability
to command pitch directly using the pitch controller. It is merely used as an inner loop
for the vertical speed and altitude controllers. Also, the user can not command roll directly
using the roll controller, it’s only possible by the use of the direction controller. During a
climb or descent, the vertical speed controller will switch over to the altitude
controller when the actual altitude gets close to the target altitude. The forward speed
loop control uses the current airspeed, in feet/s, from the sensor and a PID controller
to generate the control command which is sent to the throttle servo. In addition, the
vertical speed and altitude hold outer control loops use the pitch attitude and pitch rate
feedback, in degree and radian/sec, respectively, and two gains as inner loop control to
generate the control command which is sent to the elevator servo from UAV target.