| Inicio | ASPA | Día a Día | Novedades | Tribuna | Prensa | Internet | Biblioteca | Afiliación | Servicios |

ASOCIACION SINDICAL DE PILOTOS DE AVIACION

A.S.P.A

AUTOTHROTTLE SPEED CONTROL SYSTEM

The MD-80 flight guidance autothrottle speed control system, commonly referred to as ATS, relieves pilots from the necessity of constant throttle
adjustment to maintain airspeed. The system operates in takeoff, climb, cruise, descent and landing and it takes specific and proper action in almost every
con-ceivable abnormal event - including engine failure and windshear.

An understanding of the ATS mechanical design, primary operational modes and interactions with other systems is of significant benefit to pilots. The
discussions presented here are valid for digital flight guidance computer (DFGC) model -971.

MECHANICAL DESIGN. The ATS provides a full authority autothrottle that controls airspeed, Mach and engine thrust from takeoff through landing. The
ATS processes Mach/airspeed input from the glareshield control panel, engine pressure ratio (EPR) limit from the thrust rating system, angle of attack,
airspeed, Mach and altitude from the air data system, ratio altitude and data from other sources to generate command signals for automatic thrust and
speed control.

The ATS employs a single servo motor to drive the throttles through two separate clutches that can easily be overridden by throttle manual operation. The
ATS also uses overspeed protection logic to prevent exceeding minimum and maximum design limit airspeeds in all slat and flap configurations. EPR limit
data provide protection from engine overboost.

The ATS monitors the EPRs of both engines and controls the throttle servo in reference to the higher EPR. Since both throttles are moved by a single
motor, the ATS uses an additional EPR synchronization system to match the two engines as closely as possible. The ATS EPR synchronizer uses the N1/
N2 synchronizer actuator to accomplish this. A relay transfers control of the actuator from the engine sync system to the ATS, but this occur only when the
ENG SYNC switch is OFF and one engine is above 1.1 EPR.

PRIMARY MODES. The ATS has three primary operating modes that are engaged by pressing their respective buttons on the DFGC control panel. The
modes are speed select (SPD SEL), Mach select (MACH SEL) and EPR limit (EPR LIM). Other, secondary modes engage as a function of DFGC logic.
Examples of the secondary modes are clamp, retard, alpha speed, flap/slat/Vmo/Mmo limit, low limit and speed/Mach autothrottle limit. The following
describes the functions of the primary ATS modes.

SPEED AND MACH SELECT. When the ATS is engaged in the speed or Mach select mode, it seeks and maintains the speed or Mach selected with the
SPD/MACH SEL knob on the DFGC control panel and displayed in the SPD/MACH readout. The speed and Mach select modes can be engaged at any
time during flight, except when the flight director (FD) is in the takeoff, go-around or autothrottle retard modes or if the thrust rating panel (TRP) is in T.O.
mode.

The ATS responds to an error signal derived from the difference between actual airspeed or Mach and the selected speed. When operating in the normal
range of cruise EPR, the throttles are moved by a constant-rate motor in a direction that reduces the error signal to zero. The engines respond to throttle
movements at their own acceleration rates and the fuel control makes its own independent corrections for atmospheric conditions.

Operation of the ATS throughout the performance envelope of the airplane becomes a delicate balance of tight airspeed control and the stable operation of
an ATS that includes many interdependent variables affecting at least two subsystems operating at their own independent rates. This is not an “open”
system nor is it a clean “closed” system. The airspeed change feedback is lagged, has a long time constant and is affected by variables such as drag, lift,
thrust, aircraft gross weight and atmospheric conditions.

At no time does the DFGC or the ATS determine exactly where the throttles are, nor they ever estimate where the throttles should be in order to achieve
the selected speed or Mach. The ATS only moves the throttles forward or backward from their present position, regardless of where that position is. The
only automatic constraints to throttle range of motion occur when one engine reaches its EPR limit, or when both throttles reach low (idle) limits.

Note that the ATS is properly referred to in the singular, because there is only one ATS servo motor. The two throttles never work independently of one
another.

EPR LIMIT. When EPR limit is selected, the throttles advance to the EPR limit selected by the pilot on the TRP. In EPR limit mode, the throttles no longer
modulate in reference to airspeed. The throttles remain at the EPR limit until the DFGS reverts to speed/Mach select. Reversion occurs by capturing an
armed altitude or by an automatic autothrottle disconnect when flap/slat lim or Vmo/Mmo logic commands it.

LAWS OF PHYSICS. The ATS works in concert with the FD and autopilot (AP) to control the three parameters of airspeed, altitude rate of change, and
thrust setting. In fact, these three parameters are unequivocally tied together through the laws of physics. Stated simply, the pilot may choose the values of
two of the three parameters. The laws of physics decide the value of the third parameter as a resultant.

For example, when pilots are flying in SPD SEL and ALT HOLD (vertical speed commanded to zero), the laws of physics (and the ATS) decide how much
thrust is required to hold the prescribed airspeed and vertical speed. When pilots are cleared to climb, they normally dial in a 1.000 foot-per-minute (FPM)
rate of climb. Here pilots are still commanding a selected speed and rate of climb and the laws of physics decide what amount of power is required to
maintain those parameters. The throttles advance accordingly. As the example continues, when pilots then select EPR LIM and punch and dial in a
particular IAS, they have commanded thrust and speed. The laws of physics consequently determine the resultant vertical speed.

Pilots are free to choose values for any two of the three parameters. However, automatic protection comes into effect if the two chosen parameter values
result in an out-of-limit condition. The following five modes of automatic protection are available.

ALPHA SPEED. Activates when a speed or Mach select value is less than the minimum safe airspeed for the existing flap/slat configuration. Note that
alpha speed relates to the selected speed and not the actual indicated airspeed.

FLAP/SLAT/Vmo/Mmo LIMIT. Activates when the actual indicated airspeed approaches the maximum allowable airspeed for the flap and slat configuration.
If speed or Mach select is engaged when flap/slat/Vmo/Mmo logic is activated, the throttles modulate to maintain a speed below the applicable limit.
However, if the throttles are fixed in a particular position with CLAMP or EPR LIM, the flap/slat/Vmo/Mmo logic disconnects the ATS as speed approaches
the appropriate limit.

LOW LIMIT. Activates when a speed or Mach select value requires a throttle setting lower than the minimum authority limit. When the throttle command
advances the throttles beyond their minimum authority stops, the autothrottle system reverts to its original operating mode.

SPEED/MACH AUTOTHROTTLE LIMIT (ATL). Activates when the speed control causes a throttle command that threatens to exceed the thrust rating EPR
limit. When the autothrottle command returns to the normal range, the ATS mode reverts to its previous mode.

RETARD. Activates at approximately 50 feet radio altitude as a function of sink rate when the flaps are selected to 20 degrees or more and the flight
director (not TRP) is not in either takeoff or go-around modes. When activated, the throttles retard to idle at a throttle rate of 8 degrees per second for the
transition to landing.

FLIGHT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (FMS) INTERFACE. The ATS works essentially the same when the vertical navigation (VNAV) mode of the FMS is
engaged. The throttle modes annunciated on the Flight Mode Annunciator (FMA) are similar to those working in the basic DFGC mode.

In summary, the major differences in ATS operation between DFGC and FMS control are:
· The FMS uses a lower throttle angle rate of 2 degrees per second compared to the 8 degrees per second of the DFGC.
· During descents, the FMS may internally calculate and command a specific EPR to make the aircraft follow a straight line path between vertical
waypoints.

WINDSHEAR ALERT AND GUIDANCE SYSTEM (WAGS). If a windshear is detected on takeoff with normal takeoff thrust set, the throttles remain clamped
and the Automatic Reserve Thrust (ART) system activates. If a reduced-thrust FLEX takeoff or thrust cutback is made in either manual or EPR SEL mode,
then the ATS unclamps and moves the throttles to the go-around EPR limit. In the latter case, ART does not activate.

If a windshear is detected during approach, AUTO W/S or F/D W/S displays on the FMA to alert the pilots that a windshear has been detected. However,
pitch guidance and the ATS do not respond until one of the TOGA palm switches on the throttle is pushed or either engine EPR reaches 95 percent of the
go-around EPR limit. In addition, the approach speed reference is also changes to Vref + 20 knots. This enhances the energy level of the airplane during a
windshear. When windshear conditions no longer exist, the speed bias reverts to the previously selected approach speed at a rate of one-half knot per
second. During this reversionary mode, the FMA displays ALPHA.

THRUST AUGMENTATION. Two separate systems, ART and automatic thrust restoration (ATR), attempt to provide maximum available thrust when the
performance of one engine differs significantly from the other during takeoff.
ART. Automatically detects an engine failure and subsequently increases the thrust of the operating engine during takeoff. ART is READY on the ground
when the aircraft has weight on wheels for at least 20 seconds, the ART switch is in the AUTO position, engines are operating near idle, slats are extended
and the ART self-test is completed. The system is subsequently ARMED when both engines are spooled up to at least sixty-four percent N1. ART actuates
when the DFGC detects any one of the following:
· 30.2 percent differential in N1.
· Invalid N1.
· DFGC failure.
· Electrical power loss.
· Manual DFGC switching

Upon actuation, ART increases the EPR of the operating engine(s) from normal takeoff to maximum takeoff by opening the fuel valve in the engine fuel
control. This is an increase of approximately 0,05 EPR. Once ART is actuated, the system fuel valve remains open until the ART switch is placed in OFF.

THE ATR FEATURE. of the DFGC increases thrust under certain conditions during an engine failure on takeoff. If the ATS is engaged, the ATR unclamps
the throttles upon activation and moves both throttles equally until one of the engines reaches the go-around EPR limit.

The ATR is armed if the flight director pitch axis is in takeoff mode, the aircraft is above 350 feet radio altitude and both engine EPRs are below the go-
around EPR limit. After arming, the system activates if the differences between the engines are greater than or equal to 0,25 EPR and 7 percent N1 in the
same direction or, for DFGC models -930 and subsequent, aircraft barometric vertical speed decreases to less than zero for 5 seconds or more. In these
cases the throttles unclamp, if the ATS is engaged and move to the go-around EPR limit.

If ART is armed and the ATR is activated, the EPR limit is the maximum in-flight takeoff rating less the amount that ART is designed to provide. This
reduction prevents overboosting the engine if ART subsequently actuates.

CONCLUSION. As described, the ATS relieves pilots of the time-consuming chore of speed control during normal operation. It also allows pilots to focus
attention on other important details during periods of high work load - such as during approaches. Finally, it responds appropriately to abnormal conditions
such as engine failures and windshears.

| Inicio | ASPA | Día a Día | Novedades | Tribuna | Prensa | Internet | Biblioteca | Afiliación | Servicios |