WILJAM FLIGHT TRAINING

Chapter 4.2
Inertial Reference System
Introduction
Gyro-stabilised platforms are generally costly, heavy and require a lengthy alignment
procedure. With the introduction of relatively low cost, high performance digital computers,
these systems have been steadily replaced by mathematical computer software models, which
modify the output signals from accelerometers that are strapped directly to the airframe. This is
referred to as an Inertial Reference System (IRS), which works on the same fundamental
principles as the INS, and has the following functions:

It measures vector accelerations.

it determines the horizontal components of these accelerations.

it integrates the above to obtain vector velocities and distances.

it adds the above results to a start position, to obtain the present position.

The fundamental difference between the INS and the IRS is that the latter is a Strap-down
System. The IRS senses the aeroplanes displacement about 3 axes to provide:

primary attitude.

true and magnetic headings.

vertical speed.

aeroplane position relative to the earth.

accelerations and angular rates.

wind velocity and direction.

ground speed.

Each IRS consists of three laser gyros, three accelerometers, power supplies, a
microprocessor, built in test equipment (BITE), and output circuitry. Three totally independent
IRSs are normally installed on an aeroplane, and each receives barometric altitude, altitude
rate, and TAS data from the Central Air Data Computer (CADC). Coupled with the gyro and
accelerometer data the aeroplanes vertical speed can be determined, and the wind parameters
calculated.
Description of the Strap-Down System
The strap-down system dispenses with the gimbal mounted stable element and instead uses
solid-state ring laser gyros (RLG). These gyros are not required to stabilise the accelerometers,
as in the case of an INS, but provide aeroplane orientation, by determining the rate of rotation
around each of the aeroplane axes. The orientation data is used to process (modify) the
accelerometer outputs to represent those, which, under the same conditions, would be the
expected outputs from the accelerometers, if they were positioned along the North, East and
vertical axes. The transform matrix (a Quaternion) is generated by digital computation, and
gives the analytical equivalent of a gimballed system.

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The sensitive axes of both the accelerometers and the RLGs are strapped or fixed at 90 to
each other on the airframe, along the aeroplanes principle axes. There is thus no isolation from
the aeroplanes movements, and the outputs represent linear accelerations (accelerometers)
and angular rates (RLGs), with respect to the aeroplanes axes.
Solid State Gyros
Solid-state gyros have no moving parts, but can achieve a significantly higher level of accuracy
and serviceability than a conventional gyro. Two types of solid state gyro are currently being
used in commercial aviation applications; the Ring Laser Gyro (RLG), and the Fibre Optic Gyro
(FOG), which both operate on similar principles.
Ring Laser Gyro. Unlike conventional gyros that are maintained in a level attitude by a
series of gimbals, the RLG is fixed in orientation to the aeroplane axes. Any change in
orientation, as a result of an aeroplane manoeuvre, is sensed by measuring the
frequencies of two contra-rotating beams of light within the gyro.

In the IRS a triad of RLGs (orthogonal axes), with their sensitive axes positioned
mutually perpendicular is utilised. A block diagram of one of these is shown above. The
example shown has a triangular path of laser light, whose path length is normally 24, 32
or 45 cm. Other models alternatively use a square path, ie. one more mirror. The RLG
is produced from a block of a very stable glass ceramic compound, which has an
extremely low coefficient of expansion. The triangular cavity contains a mixture of
helium and neon gases at low pressure through which a current is passed. The gas (or
plasma) is ionised by the voltage, which causes helium atoms to collide with, and
transfer energy to, the neon atoms. This raises the neon to an inversion state, and the
spontaneous return of neon to a lower energy level produces photons, which then react
with other excited neon atoms. This action is repeated at speed and creates a cascade

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of photons, throughout the cavity, ie. a sustained oscillation, and the laser beam is
pulsed around the cavity by the mirrors at each corner.
The laser beam is forced to travel in both directions around the cavity. Thus, for a
stationary block, the travelled paths will be identical, and the frequencies of the two
beams will be the same at any sampling point. If the block is however rotated, the
effective path lengths will differ; one will increase, and the other will decrease. Sampling
at any point will thus give different frequencies, and if the frequency change is
processed, it will give both an angular change, and a rate of angular change.
By processing the difference in frequency between the two-pulsed light paths, the RLG
can be used as both a displacement, and as a rate gyro. There is however a limit of
rotation rate below which the RLG will not function: because of minute imperfections
(instrument error) in the mirrors. Consequently one laser beam can Lock-in to the
other, and therefore no frequency change will be detected. If this occurs the RLG will
cease to be a gyro, which is equivalent to gimbal-lock in a conventional gyro system.
Using an AC piezo-electric motor, which operates at a frequency of approximately
350Hz, and gently vibrates or dithers the complete block, prevents Lock-in of the two
laser beams. The outputs of the RLG are digital, not mechanical, and the reliability and
accuracy should exceed those of a conventional gyro by a factor of several times.
Fibre Optic Gyros. Like the RLG, the FOG comprises of a triad of gyros, which are
positioned mutually perpendicular to each other, and similarly three accelerometers.
The FOG senses the phase shift proportional to angular rate in counter-directional light
beams travelling through an optical fibre. FOGs are dimensionally similar to RLGs,
although the FOG benefits from less weight and is overall cheaper. The FOG is
however not quite as rugged, nor as efficient as the RLG.
Advantages and Disadvantages of RLGs
RLGs suffer from the following advantages and disadvantages:The advantages of RLGs are:

High reliability.

Very low g' sensitivity.

No run-up (warm-up) time.

Digital output.

High accuracy.

Low power requirement.

Low life-cycle cost.

The disadvantage of RLGs is that they are initially expensive to buy.

Alignment of the Inertial Reference System
Although the assembly is bolted to the aeroplane frame, a Inertial Reference System (IRS) or
RLG INS, still needs to be aligned to an earth reference. Instead of levelling and aligning as in
the case of a stable platform, the speed and flexibility of a digital computer allows a transform to

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be calculated and compiled. 'The transform is a mathematical solution as to where the
horizontal and True North lie with respect to the triad of RLGs and accelerometers. Full
alignment takes less than 10 minutes, at the end of which an offset to each output of the RLGs,
and accelerometers is established. This consequently allows the local horizontal and True North
references to be determined. The initial calculated values are applicable at that place, on that
heading, at that time. The earth will certainly move on, and if the aeroplane moves as well, the
vital references must be safeguarded. This is achieved by making sure that the NAV mode is
engaged. The complexities of 3-D motion, ie. the interactions of pitch, roll and yaw, require an
extensive mathematical and trigonometrical juggle to be quickly conducted.
This process is the reverse of the techniques used in a conventional INS, where instead of
creating a reference from a gimballed system, a reference is created from data taken from a
completely different set of values. If the aeroplane heading has not been altered since the IRS
was last used, then a rapid alignment taking approximately 30 seconds is possible.
Performance
The performance of an IRS (RLG INS) is generally slightly better than that of a conventional
INS, the principal advantage being reliability. The system has the following performance
criteria:
a. Position accuracy

- 2nm/hr *

b. Pitch/roll

- 0.050

c.

- 0.40

Heading (T)

d. Groundspeed

- 8 kts

e. Vertical velocity

- 30'/second

f.

- 0.1/second

Angular rates

g. Acceleration

- O.0lg

h. 95% probability, assuming no update with other navigation sources

The Control, Display and Output from an IRS
Control and Display of an IRS is very similar to that of the conventional INS, and a typical
master switch unit (MSU) is shown below.

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The outputs are displayed on a display panel and give the information selected by the crew,
with any changes being made using a menu driven keypad, as shown below.

Description of a Typical IRS

In a typical system magnetic variation between latitudes 73N and 60S is stored in the IRS
memory, and data corresponding to the present position is combined with the aeroplanes true
heading to determine its magnetic heading. The IRS is the aeroplanes normal sole source of
attitude and heading information, although a standby attitude indicator and standby magnetic
compass are still fitted.
The IRS outputs are independent of any external navigation aids, and in the normal NAV mode
provides the following data to the various aeroplane systems:

Attitude.

True and magnetic headings.

Acceleration.

Vertical speed.

Ground speed track.

Present position.

Wind data.

A block schematic of the overall input/output functions for a typical IRS is shown below.

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The IRS also integrates with navigation aids and other equipment on the aeroplane. A
multitude of data is additionally passed to the Horizontal Situation Indicator (HSI), which may be
either an electro-mechanical instrument on its own, or alternatively may form part of an
Electronic Flight Information System (EFIS) display.
The system normally consists of two independent IRSs, which can operate on either AC or DC
power. If AC is not normal the systems will automatically switch to backup DC power from the
battery busbar. Backup power to the right IRS is also automatically terminated if AC power is
not restored within 5 minutes.

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IRS Transfer Switch
If either IRS fails, the IRS transfer switch is used to switch all associated systems to the
functioning IRS.
IRS Alignment
The alignment of the IRS is carried out on the ground as follows:Normal Alignment. Like the gyro stabilised INS the alignment of the IRS must be done
on the ground and the system initialised with the current aeroplane position, before it
can enter the NAV mode. The position is normally entered on the POS INIT page of the
FMC CDU during the alignment period, which like the INS must be carried out whilst the
aeroplane is stationary. The IRS display unit may be alternatively used to enter the
necessary data.
Alignment between latitudes 7012N and 7012S is normally initiated by rotating the
IRS mode selector switch from the OFF position, directly to the NAV position. The
IRS performs a short DC power test, during which the ON DC light will illuminate, and
when it extinguishes the ALIGN light will illuminate, indicating that the alignment
process has begun. The aeroplanes present position should be entered at this time via
the FMC CDU, and after approximately 10 minutes the IRS will automatically enter the
NAV mode, at which time the ALIGN light will go out.
At latitudes between 7012 and 7815 the mode selector switch must be left in the
ALIGN position for 12 minutes, and then be manually rotated to the NAV position, at
which time the IRS will immediately enter the NAV mode.
Fast Alignment. During transit or through flight stop-overs, with only short ground hold
over times, a 30 second realignment and zeroing of the ground speed error may be
selected by selecting ALIGN from NAV, whilst the aeroplane is parked. The present
position should then be simultaneously updated by manually entering the current
latitude and longitude prior to reselecting the NAV mode.
Loss of Alignment in Flight
If the alignment of the IRS is lost in flight due to the loss of DC or AC, or the mode selector
switch is moved out of the NAV mode detent, the position and ground speed outputs will be
inoperative for the remainder of the flight. If the selector switch is however rotated to the ATT
position it will allow the attitude mode to be used to relevel the system, and provide attitude
indications on the Attitude Director Indicator (ADI). In steady level flight (SLF) the levelling
process will take approximately 30 seconds to complete. The attitude mode may also provide
heading information, but in order to establish compass synchronisation the crew must firstly
manually enter the initial magnetic heading. All heading information will be invalid, and heading
flags will come into view until the actual magnetic heading is entered into the system.
Thereafter the IRS will be subject to drift (15.04 sin latitude), so when operating in this mode it
is important to periodically cross check and update the magnetic heading in the IRS against the
operating compass system as required.

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