Aircraft instrument for indicating rate of change of pitch

Aircraft instrument for indicating rate of change of pitch

Keywords Aircraft,Patents, Pitch, Smiths Industries

In British Patent 2300 167 Smiths Industries plc describe an aircraft instrument for indicating rate of change of pitch. An aircraft instrument receives an input from a pitch angle sensor and derives a signal indicative of rate of change of pitch angle. The instrument includes a comparator receiving the rate of change of pitch angle signal and signals from reference sources indicative of maximum and minimum rates of change of pitch angle. Landing gear squat switches provide outputs indicative of whether the nose gear or main gear are on the ground. The instrument display is turned on when the aircraft nose gear lifts off the runway and displays a stationary symbol as long as rate of change of pitch angle is within safe limits. When the rate of change of pitch angle falls outside these limits, the display changes so that the symbol moves to warn the pilot. After the aircraft has reached a certain height, the instrument display is turned off. Various forms of indicator display are disclosed.