The prime issues raised in any all-electric airplane discussion are: (1) is the electric power system as reliable and trustworthy as a hydraulic power system; (2) can electromechanical flight control actuators perform satisfactorily, i.e. can the performance match that of hydraulic actuators; (3) can redundant electromechanical actuation systems (EMAS) be designed to equal the flight safety reliability of dual tandem hydraulic actuators; and (4) satisfactory solutions to be found or developed for dissipating the heat generated in actuators and power controllers. The first question should be inconsequential since it is assumed that the all-electric aircraft will be equipped with a fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control system (FCS) which is already dependent upon an uninterrupted supply of electrical power. Design studies and hardware already developed show that the answer to question (2) is that EMAS outperform hydraulic actuators, particularly under load. The answer to question (3) is not clear. The projections regarding usage of EMAS and the future of the all-electric airplane must be based on the type of vehicle (small subsonic transport, large transport, or military fighter) and the economics involved. The economics in turn must be considered in terms of up front aircraft development costs and the long term life cycle costs.
The all-electric fighter airplane flight control issues, capabilities, and projections
Das vollelektrische Kampfflugzeug: Flugsicherheit, Moeglichkeiten und Zukunftssicherheit
IEEE Transactions on Aerospace and Electronic Systems ; AES-20 , 3 ; 234-242
1984
9 Seiten, 8 Quellen
Article (Journal)
English
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