RADIO FREQUENCY EMITTING HOOK SYSTEM FOR A ROTARY-WING AIRCRAFT EXTERNAL LOAD HANDLING

Abstract

An aircraft load management system that determines the position of an aircraft cargo hook for display to an aircrew. The cargo hook positional information may alternatively or additionally be communicated directly to a flight control system and a winch control system to automate and coordinate flight control inputs with winch operation to actively position the cargo hook. Data transfer from the cargo through a data link system also provides the load management system with exact position of the cargo load connection points even prior to attachment of the cargo hook to the load. The load management system also includes anti-sway algorithms for active load stability inputs to the flight control system and to alter flight control laws and automatically compensate for C.G. excursions.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the currently preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows:

FIG. 1A is a general perspective view of an exemplary rotary-wing aircraft embodiment with an external load for use with the present invention utilizing a 4 point sling system to retain a slung load close to the aircraft underside;

FIG. 1B is a general perspective view of another exemplary rotary-wing aircraft embodiment with an external load for use with the present invention utilizing a conventional slung load system;

FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of a an external cargo hook load management system;

FIG. 3A is a representation of an external cargo hook position page of the present invention; and

FIG. 3B is a representation of an external cargo hook position page of the present invention after load attachment.

Claims

1. An aircraft cargo hook system, comprising: a cargo hook; anda wireless system in communication with said cargo hook to determine a position of said cargo hook.

2. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said wireless system includes one of an emitter system and a sensor system mounted to said cargo hook and the other of said emitter system and said sensor system mounted to the aircraft to determine a position of said cargo hook.

3. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said emitter system includes a Radio Frequency emitter system.

4. The system as recited in claim 2, wherein said sensor system includes a multiple of sensors to triangulate said position of said cargo hook.

5. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a wireless actuator to selectively actuate a load beam of said cargo hook through said wireless system.

6. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a wireless load sensor to sense an actual weight on said cargo hook, said wireless load sensor in communication through said wireless system.

7. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising a wireless data link to communicate load data from a load through said wireless system.

8. The system as recited in claim 1, further comprising an aircraft load management system in communication with said wireless system.

9. The system as recited in claim 8, further comprising a display in communication with said aircraft load management system.

10. The system as recited in claim 9, further comprising a flight control system in communication with said aircraft load management system.

11. The system as recited in claim 10, wherein said aircraft load management system includes an anti-sway algorithm.

12. The system as recited in claim 11, further comprising a winch control system in communication with said aircraft load management system to control a winch connected to said cargo hook in response to said anti-sway algorithm and said flight control system.

13. The system as recited in claim 1, wherein said wireless system includes a laser emitter.

14. A rotary wing-aircraft cargo hook system, comprising: a winch operable to deploy and retract a cable;a cargo hook attached to said cable;a wireless system in communication with said cargo hook;an aircraft load management system in communication with said wireless system to determine a position of said cargo hook; anda display in communication with said aircraft load management system to display the position of said cargo hook.

15. The system as recited in claim 14, wherein said aircraft load management system includes an anti-sway algorithm in communication with a flight control system.

16. The system as recited in claim 15, further comprising a winch control system in communication with said aircraft load management system to control said winch during flight in response to said cargo hook.

17. The system as recited in claim 15, further comprising a winch control system in communication with said aircraft load management system to control said winch in response to said anti-sway algorithm and said flight control system relative to a load prior to connection of said cargo hook with the load.

18. A method of controlling a rotary wing-aircraft cargo hook system comprising the steps of: (A) wirelessly communicating with a cargo hook;(B) determining a position of the cargo hook with an aircraft load management system; and(C) displaying the position of the cargo hook.

19. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising the step of: (D) controlling a winch to adjust a cable length attached to said cargo hook in response to an anti-sway algorithm in response to said step (A).

20. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising the step of: (D) wirelessly communicating load data from a load to the aircraft load management system.

21. The method as recited in claim 18, further comprising the steps of: (D) wirelessly communicating with a load; and(E) determining a position of the cargo hook relative the load.

22. The method as recited in claim 21, further comprising the steps of: (F) controlling a position of the cargo hook.

23. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein said step (F) further comprises the steps of: (a) controlling a winch control system to reel-in and pay-out a cable attached to the cargo hook.

24. The method as recited in claim 22, wherein said step (F) further comprises the steps of: (a) communicating the position of the cargo hook from the aircraft load management system to a flight control system;(b) controlling the position of the cargo hook by positing the aircraft.