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WARNING SYSTEMS
INTRODUCTION
Pilots of today's complex aircraft can no longer fly by the seats of their pants. The pilot receives indications of
what the aircraft is doing through instruments and warning systems. These include airspeed indicators, unsafe
system warnings, and remote position indicators. Some systems, such as antiskid brake systems, allow the pilot
to obtain maximum performance, which may be impossible without mechanical assistance. This section covers
some of these systems and the hardware necessary to operate them.
ANTISKID BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEMS
SYSTEM COMPONENTS
An antiskid system consists of three basic compo- Figure 10-3. The AC wheel-speed sensor creates a variable
nents: wheel-speed sensors, an antiskid computer, frequency AC current. The control unit converts the varying
frequency AC into a DC signal voltage that is proportional
and control valves. [Figure 10-2] to the frequency of the AC current.
70-4 Position and Warning Systems
CONTROL VALVES
A three-port antiskid control valve is located in the
pressure line between the brake valve and the brake
cylinder, with the third line connecting the control
valve to the system-return manifold. During normal
operation of the brakes, with no indication of a skid,
the valve serves only as a passage and allows the
brake fluid to flow into and out of the brake. When
a wheel begins to decelerate fast enough to cause a
skid, the control unit detects the changing output Figure 10-6. A direct-current signal from the control unit
voltage of the wheel-speed sensor. The control unit energizes the coil on the armature of the flapper valve, and
sends a DC signal to the control valve, which closes the movement of the flapper changes the pressure drop
off the pressure port and opens the passage between across the fixed orifices.
the brake and the system return. This rapidly oper-
ating valve maintains an output pressure that is Fluid from the brake valve flows through the filter
directly proportional to the amount of signal current and discharges equally from each nozzle. Since the
from the control unit. [Figure 10-5] amount of flow is the same through each orifice, the
pressure drop across the orifices will be the same,
The DC signal from the control unit flows through a and the second-stage spool valve will assume a
coil around the armature of the flapper valve. This position that allows free passage between the brake
armature is free to pivot and is centered between valve and the brake.
two permanent magnets. [Figure 10-6]
When the control unit receives a signal from the
When the signal from the control unit indicates that wheel-speed sensor indicating an impending skid,
no skid is impending, and the braking action should it sends current through the coil of the armature to
be normal, the magnetic field of the coil reacts with polarize it. This causes the flapper to pivot and
the fields of the permanent magnets and holds the unbalance the flow from the nozzles. In figure 10-8,
flapper centered between the nozzles. [Figure 10-7] the flapper has moved over, restricting the flow
Position and Warning Systems 10-5
Figure 10-7. When the flapper is centered between the noz- Figure 10-8. When the armature of the flapper valve is ener-
zles, the pressure-drops across orifices O, and O 2 are gized, the flapper moves over and restricts the flow through
equal, resulting in output pressure P 1 equaling P 2. orifice O 1 while increasing it through O 2 . The increased
pressure drop across O2 causes P 1 to be greater than P2 .
from the left nozzle and opening the flow from the vents the pilot from landing with
one on the right. There is now more flow through the brakes applied. [Figure 10-9]
orifice O 2 and therefore a greater pressure drop
across it, leaving P a greater than P 2 . This imbalance
of pressures moves the second-stage spool over,
shutting off the flow of fluid from the brake valve to
the brake, and opening a passage from the brake to
the return manifold.
CONTROL UNIT
Figure 10-9. The locked-wheel detector receives a signal
The control unit has three main functions: to gener- from the squat switch, which indicates whether the aircraft
ate electrical signals usable by the control valve; to is airborne or on the ground. If airborne, the circuitry pre-
regulate brake pressure to prevent a skid during vents the brakes from being applied before touchdown.
landing deceleration; and to prevent application of
brake pressure prior to touchdown. Before the air- As soon as the airplane touches down, the squat
plane touches down, the locked-wheel detector switch registers that weight is on the wheels. The
sends a signal into the amplifier, which causes the wheels start to spin up, and at approximately 20
control valve to open the passage between the m.p.h., generates enough voltage in the wheel-speed
brakes and the system-return manifold. This pre- sensor to signal the locked-wheel detector.
The
70-6 Position and Warning Systems
detector then removes the touchdown control signal this pressure to increase slowly until another skid
from the amplifier. This allows the control valve to starts to occur, repeating the cycle.
apply full pressure to the brakes. [Figure 10-10]
When the aircraft is on a wet or icy runway, the anti-
skid system holds the wheels in the slip region.
However, the locked-wheel detector activates when-
ever one wheel hydroplanes or hits ice and slows
down to less than ten m.p.h. while its mated refer-
ence wheel still rotates faster than 20 m.p.h. A timer
measures the duration of the skid detector signal. If
it is more than one-tenth of a second, it sends a "full
dump" signal that holds the valve in the full-dump
position until the wheel spins back up above
ten m.p.h.
Figure 10-10. On touchdown, the squat switch removes the
ground from the locked-wheel arming circuit, and the When all of the wheels are turning at less than 20
wheel-speed sensor generates a signal which allows the
control valve to send full pressure to the brakes. m.p.h., the locked-wheel arming circuit disarms,
giving the pilot full braking action for low-speed
When the airplane is on the ground and the wheels taxiing and parking. [Figure 10-12]
are rotating at more than 20 m.p.h., the skid detec-
tor and modulator provide almost all of the antiskid
control. [Figure 10-11]
IN-FLIGHT TEST
The antiskid system is included in the pilot's
pre-landing checklist. With the airplane configured
for landing, the pilot depresses the brake pedals.
The brake lights should remain off, which indicates
the control valves are holding the brakes in the fully
released position.
SYSTEM MAINTENANCE
Figure 10-14. When the blade of the wheel-speed sensor is
If a flight crew reports an antiskid or brake mal- flipped, it should cause the brakes to release and then
function, verify that there is no air in the brake sys- reapply.
10-14]
70-8 Position and Warning Systems
ANGLE-OF-ATTACK INDICATORS
All stall warning systems provide an indication of
an impending stall that is related to the
angle-of-attack. For precision flying, the pilot needs
to know the actual angle-of-attack during various
stages of the flight. One system for measuring and
displaying the angle-of-attack uses a slotted probe
sticking out of the side of the aircraft fuselage. The
slots carry impact air into the housing of the probe
where it moves a set of paddles connected to a
variable resistor. The change in resistance moves
a pointer around the indicator dial, which is
calibrated in percent of the stall-speed
angle-of-attack, or color-coded with a qualitative
indication of angle-of-attack. [Figure 10-17]
When the landing gear is in disagreement with the Excessive descent rate.
landing gear lever position, a red light illuminates,
meaning that the gear is in transit or in an unsafe Excessive terrain closure rate.
condition. When the landing gear is in the proper Altitude loss after takeoff or go-around.
up position and the gear lever is also in the "UP"
Unsafe terrain clearance when not in the landing
position, the gear position lights go out signifying configuration.
an "up and locked" condition. A technician nor-
mally checks the gear warning system during land- Excessive deviation below an ILS
ing gear retraction tests. Problems with the warning (Instrument
system are often caused by the gear position Landing System) glide slope.
switches. Always consult the manufacturer's service Descent below the selected minimum radio alti
manual for the proper procedures for adjusting the tude.
landing gear position switches in addition to any
other maintenance performed. Windshear condition encountered.
On some aircraft, a steady warning horn is provided When one of these conditions is encountered, the
to alert the pilot that the airplane is in a landing computer flashes warning lights and sounds an
configuration and the gear is not down and locked. alarm or warning. Some warnings are computer-gen-
The landing gear warning horn is usually depen- erated directions such as "Pull up" or "Windshear."
dent on flap and thrust lever position.
ENGINE INDICATION AND
Generally, when a thrust lever is retarded and any CREW ALERTING SYSTEM (EICAS)
landing gear is not down and locked, the landing Older commercial airplanes utilize electromechani-
gear warning horn will sound, but can be silenced cal system indicators that employ multiple visual
using the warning horn cutout switch. Under cer- and aural cautions and warnings to alert of haz-
tain conditions, the landing gear warning horn can- ardous conditions such as engine problems or open
not be silenced. Although the actual flap settings cabin doors. Most of these systems use an annunci-
and thrust lever positions will vary from one aircraft ator that provides a master warning light along with
type to another, generally some provision is made to an aural indication to alert the crew that a malfunc-
remove the pilot's ability to silence the gear warning tion has occurred and that corrective action may be
when specific conditions occur. For example, the required. These indicators do not offer the versatil-
warning horn cutout might be disabled if the radar ity and redundancy available with modern digital
altimeter indicates less than 1,000 feet above technology.
ground with the aircraft in a landing configuration
and with an unsafe gear. New generation aircraft use electronic displays and
a full-time monitoring system known as EICAS,
MACH/AIRSPEED WARNING SYSTEM Engine Indication and Crew Alerting. The use of
Some aircraft are equipped with Mach/airspeed EICAS requires very little monitoring by the crew
warning systems that provide a distinct aural warn- and promotes quick, accurate identification and
ing any time the maximum operating airspeed is recording of problems.
exceeded. Reducing speed below the limiting value
is usually the only way to silence the warning. EICAS reduces flight crew workload by automati-
cally monitoring and recording engine parameters
The system operates from an internal mechanism for later review. EICAS also alerts the aircrew of
inside the Mach/airspeed indicator. Test switches problems when necessary. It is operative through all
allow an operational check of the system at any phases of flight, from power-up through post-flight
time. Maximum operating airspeeds exist primarily maintenance. Parameters used to set and monitor
due to airplane structural limitations at lower alti- engine thrust are displayed full time. The system
tudes and airplane handling characteristics at automatically displays any out-of-tolerance values
higher altitudes. on a cathode-ray-tube (CRT) or liquid-crystal dis-
play (LCD) in an appropriate color. The colored
GROUND PROXIMITY WARNING messages are designed to alert the aircrew to any
SYSTEM (GPWS) failure and convey the urgency in which to respond.
The ground proximity warning system (GPWS) pro- By utilizing electronic displays, EICAS provides
vides warnings and/or alerts to the flight crew when accurate, timely information on a single screen
any of the following conditions exist: rather than multiple engine instruments scattered
throughout the panel.
70-74 Position and Warning Systems
Figure 10-23. A simplified system diagram of the EICAS installed in the Boeing 757 shows its typically required components.
EICAS provides an improved level of mainte- upper display unit shows primary engine parame-
nance data for the ground crew without causing ters and crew alerting messages, and the lower dis-
the flight crew any extra workload. This has been play unit shows secondary engine parameters.
achieved by designing a system that will automat- [Figure 10-24]
ically record subsystem parameters when mal-
functions are detected. The system also provides EICAS monitors inputs from airplane subsystems
the flight crew with the capability for manual data and sensors. When an abnormal condition is
recording with the push of a single button. This detected, EICAS will generate and display an alert,
eliminates the need for extensive hand recording status, or maintenance message.
of systems and performance data. These features
increase the accuracy of maintenance data record-
ings and improve the communication between the
aircrew and ground maintenance crews.