GB850249A - Improvements in or relating to aircraft control systems - Google Patents

Abstract

850,249. Automatic steering control systems. WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION. Nov. 11, 1958, No. 36204/58. Class 38(4). In an aircraft automatic control system pitch and yaw error signals are derived from a radar system and separately amplified before application to the pitch and yaw channels of an automatic pilot, the gains of the two amplifiers being automatically increased when the sum of the pitch and yaw signals falls below a predetermined value. In Fig. 4, D.C. signals representative of errors in pitch and yaw of an interceptor aircraft relative to a target aircraft are chopped and respectively applied to electronic A.C. amplifiers 34, 341, the outputs of which control, through electronic demodulators 36, 36<SP>1</SP> and electronic D.C. amplifiers 40, 401 the appropriate channels of an automatic pilot (not shown) for the interceptor aircraft. The chopped pitch and yaw signals are also applied to an electronic adding circuit 46, the output of which operates an electronic relay unit 48 to increase the gain of amplifiers 34, 34<SP>1</SP> if the sum of the pitch and yaw signals falls below a predetermined value, e.g. when the interceptor aircraft is on course towards the target. At the same time relay unit 48 introduces resistancecondenser integrating circuits 38, 38<SP>1</SP> into the pitch and yaw control channels to increase accuracy. When, later, the range of the target aircraft falls below a predetermined value a signal (not shown) from the radar system automatically operates relay unit 48 to short out signals applied to the yaw channel so that the final control of the aircraft is by pitching only to facilitate firing of rockets.