Flight control apparatus for maintaining maximum ground speed while within the jet stream

Claim 5

An aircraft indicator or control system comprising: first and second pressure sensing means positioned respectively above and below the wing of an aircraft structure for generating first and second signal voltages representative of the pressures above and below the wing respectively of said aircraft structure, means for comparing said first and second signals representative of said pressures above and below the wing respectively and providing control signals indicative of the pressures compared, and utilization means responsive to said control signals.

Claim 6

An aircraft indicator or control system comprising: first and second pressure sensing means positioned respectively above and below the wing of an aircraft structure for generating first and second signal voltages representative of the pressures above and below the wing respectively of said aircraft structure, means for comparing said first and second signals representative of said pressures above and below the wing respectively and providing control signals indicative of the pressures compared, and utilization means responsive to said control signals.

Claim 7

The system of claim 2, wherein said utilization means comprises autopilot means.

Claim 8

The system of claim 2, wherein said means for comparing pressures comprises pressure ratio circuit means.

Claim 9

The system of claim 2, wherein said means for comparing pressures comprises pressure difference circuit means.

Claim 10

Method of deriving guidance signal information for control of an aircraft during flight comprising the steps of: sensing dynamic pressures at a plurality of first points along a plane through a first axis passing through the longitudinal axis of the aircraft fuselage and at a plurality of second points along a plane through a second axis passing tHrough the longitudinal axis of the fuselage, said second axis being perpendicular to said first axis; processing signals representative of said sensed dynamic pressures at said first and second points to provide guidance signal information control signals for said aircraft.

Claim 11

Method of deriving guidance signal information for control of an aircraft during flight comprising the steps of: sensing dynamic pressures at a plurality of first points along a plane through a first axis passing through the longitudinal axis of the aircraft fuselage and at a plurality of second points along a plane through a second axis passing tHrough the longitudinal axis of the fuselage, said second axis being perpendicular to said first axis; processing signals representative of said sensed dynamic pressures at said first and second points to provide guidance signal information control signals for said aircraft.

Claim 12

In an aircraft having a fuselage and a tail section, a system for comparing pressures of at least first and second flight paths and comparing said pressures to furnish a control signal representative of the flight path of least resistance of said at least first and second flight paths for coupling to utilization means comprising: first pressure sensing means arranged in said first flight path and responsive to air speed of said first flight path to provide a first output signal voltage representative of said air speed of said first flight path; second pressure sensing means arranged in said second flight path and responsive to air speed of said second flight path to provide a second output signal voltage representative of said air speed of said second flight path; means responsive to said first and second output signal voltages for providing a first control signal voltage which is a function of said first and second output signal voltages; first utilization means responsive to said first control signal voltage; said first pressure sensing means arranged on the nose of the fuselage of said aircraft, said second pressure sensing means arranged at the top of said tail section of said aircraft and further comprising: third pressure sensing means arranged below the nose of the fuselage of said aircraft for providing a third output signal voltage representative of air speed below the nose of the fuselage; means responsive to said first and third output signal voltages for providing a second control signal voltage which is a function of said first and third output signal voltages; and second utilization means responsive to said control signal voltage.

Claim 13

In an aircraft having a fuselage and a tail section, a system for comparing pressures of at least first and second flight paths and comparing said pressures to furnish a control signal representative of the flight path of least resistance of said at least first and second flight paths for coupling to utilization means comprising: first pressure sensing means arranged in said first flight path and responsive to air speed of said first flight path to provide a first output signal voltage representative of said air speed of said first flight path; second pressure sensing means arranged in said second flight path and responsive to air speed of said second flight path to provide a second output signal voltage representative of said air speed of said second flight path; means responsive to said first and second output signal voltages for providing a first control signal voltage which is a function of said first and second output signal voltages; first utilization means responsive to said first control signal voltage; said first pressure sensing means arranged on the nose of the fuselage of said aircraft, said second pressure sensing means arranged at the top of said tail section of said aircraft and further comprising: third pressure sensing means arranged below the nose of the fuselage of said aircraft for providing a third output signal voltage representative of air speed below the nose of the fuselage; means responsive to said first and third output signal voltages for providing a second control signal voltage which is a function of said first and third output signal voltages; and second utilization means responsive to said control signal voltage.

Claim 14

The combination of claim 7 wherein said first and second utilization means comprise first and second voltmeters respectively.

Claim 15

The combination of claim 7 further comprising: fourth pressure sensing means arranged on the left wing tip of said aircraft for providing a fourth output signal voltage representative of air pressure on the left wing tip of said aircraft; means responsive to said first and fourth output signal voltages for providing a third control signal voltage which is a function of said first and fourth output signal voltages; third utilization means responsive to said third control voltage; fifth pressure sensing means arranged on the right wing tip of said aircraft for providing a fifth output signal voltage representative of air pressure on the right wing tip of said aircraft; means responsive to said first and fifth output signal voltages for providing a fourth control signal voltage which is a function of said first and fifth output signal voltages; and fourth utilization means responsive to said fourth control signal voltage.