The Boeing Company
Method and apparatus for latent fault detection and management for fly-by-wire flight control systems

Abstract:

An aircraft control system includes pilot and co-pilot flight control systems that each include a first shaft mechanically coupled to and displaced apart from a second shaft, the shafts defining and being rotatable about independent longitudinal axes. A connecting link enables rotation of one of the first shafts to rotate a corresponding one of the second shafts. A position transducer is mechanically coupled to each shaft and configured to communicate an electrical signal corresponding to the rotation of the respective shaft. A flight control unit electrically communicates with the position transducers and is configured to (a) receive the electrical signal from each position transducer, (b) detect a failure of the flight control system by detecting differences in the position transducers' electrical signals, and (c) communicate the electrical signal from the position transducer to a flight control surface actuation system to compensate for the detected failure.