Gyrocopter - Gyro Warning System [GWS] - pilot error accident prevention black box
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- Опубліковано 9 січ 2021
- For sales enquiries contact mikegoodrich1948@gmail.com
Description of the testing film:-
The warning system has 2 levels of alarm. The first is a pre-alert that is warning the pilot that the prediction is that, based on the current rate of progression of different parameters, he is likely to get the second alarm. It’s really to prepare him mentally to be ready to carry out the appropriate corrective action if the second alarm is activated.
For the flapping warning alarm the graph shows the first TO in the video. The flapping “angle” and “state” (these are the different alarms) are on the secondary Y axis. There are 2 pre alarms that give the same message; these are alarms 1 & 3. Number 3 alarm is a predictive alarm using a logic/algorithm by Jean Claude Debreyer. Number 1 alarm uses real-time data in case there is a sudden change in one parameter that would be missed by the predictive logic such as a sudden gust of wind increasing the airspeed nearly instantaneously and flapping the rotor.
The second alarm is the Number 2 alarm it uses real-time data and the rate of change of different parameters to tell the pilot that if he continues at the current rate of progress he is very likely to flap the rotors within about 2 seconds and it’s time to carry out the appropriate corrective action that, thanks to the pre alarm, he should be mentally prepared to do.
You can see from the graph that the number 3 predictive alarm goes off first giving a “flapping risk” warning. This is followed by a number 1 alarm giving the same message, followed by a number 2 alarm “flapping, flapping, flapping”. This N°2 alarm starts at about 17.2 secs and you can see that the flapping angle is increasing at such a rate that it would hit the 8° flapping angle at about 19.5 secs. 8° is when the rotor hits the flapping stops.
You can also see that from releasing the pre rotator to 8° flapping angle is about 6.5 seconds, things happen very fast.
This graph shows the data that would be available for any post crash investigation (assuming the SD card wasn’t destroyed in the crash). At a production stage they are looking at some sort of fire protection. The only data that would not be recorded would be the flapping angle that is recorded on a separate device for testing. They are considering adding engine rpm and there is an external switch for something like the canopy lock.
You can see the flapping angle on the telephone on the instrument panel. Knowing the flapping angle is important for testing because that is what allows the pilot to approach flapping with some degree of confidence. In my opinion it would be of little or no value to most pilots because it happens so quickly that by the time you saw it, it would be too late. That is why we use Jean Claude’s predictive logic/algorithm.
The voice on this prototype GWS is that of Mark Burton. For the production model (if we ever get there) the owner/pilot can record whatever message he thinks will generate the appropriate corrective action in whatever language he needs. If he thinks his wife’s voice saying “shut the f..ing throttle” will do the trick that’s fine.
The “inevitable” “behind the curve” warning as you flare is no different to the stall warning on most aircraft. In testing they found it a good indicator of not landing too fast. If a flare is started and don’t get that message, something’s wrong. Also the GWS includes a volume controller (you can’t turn it down below a certain level) and a push button to stop the message for a set time period (actually at 20 seconds but adjustable).
For training there is an instructor push button to allow him to simulate the different alarms.
At the moment the thinking is that this would only be sold to manufacturers because it requires some serious flight testing to establish the different parameters for each gyro/rotor combination. Each manufacturer would have to decide where he wanted to put the limits for his machine. For example the bunting alarm at the moment is set with my personal G limits but a manufacturer may decide that they are too risky or too conservative, that must be his call.
Once they have established their parameters and created an installation kit they could offer it as a retro fit for existing customers if they wanted to. - Авто та транспорт
Mike Goodrich is the consultant engineer/test pilot for Smart Avionics UK and
developed their Gyro Rotor Track & Balance procedure for the PB3&4
dynamic balancers. He has trained the staff at the factories of AutoGyro,
Magni, ELA, Silverlight, Brako, Gyro Tech, some of their dealers and many
private individuals to dynamically track and balance their rotors.
He had the idea to develop this warning system using the Smart Avionics
SmartAss-3 stall margin preserver system (smartavionics.co.uk/prod-
smartass.html). He asked Mark Burton of Smart Avionics to make a
prototype modified version for gyros and specified the different alarm
scenarios. Mike has been testing this device during 2020 and they are now
at prototype Mk3.
Jean Claude Debreyer has contributed his knowledge of rotor aerodynamics
and use of his performance software that has been a major help in defining
the limits.
The system consists of a box with connections to be T’d into the aircraft pitot
and static systems and cabling to the existing Rotor Tacho, intercom,
door/canopy microswitch & 12V supply plus perhaps the engine tacho.
There is an external air temperature sensor, a push button to temporarily
mute the warning, a volume potentiometer and a flashing light that have to
be installed by the manufacturer.
There will need to be some sort of fire protection of the SD card supplied by either Smart
Avionics or the manufacturer, to be decided.
I think any additional aid to safety can only be good.
Autogyro introduced on Rotor System III a blade flap warning light function if you start the take-off run with too low rotor rpm but an extension to other outside the envelope situations and addition of an aural warning can only be good.
Of course there may be some with the view that anybody who flies should not need gadgets to help them, but most of us will likely be happy to take all the help we can get.
The only thing that has to be remembered is that any system can fail and the PIC has to be able to fly safely and recognise things if they are not warned - but that is the same as for using any aid e.g. electronic conspicuity aids.
Hi Phil, I have dug out some old reference material which has a good section on "behind the power curve" and "back side of the power curve" it is "The Gyrocopter Flight Manual" by Paul Bergen Abbott with an intro by Dr Igor Benson. Amazon have a later edition available but mine was printed in 1983.
@@ianmorcombe thanks for that - I just took a look and sadly £40 & £50! They don't mind!
@@tomgalloway4891
Do I understand right?: Some gyros do not have pre-rotator? So the issue is not the initial low rpm for the run rather not allowing the rpm to build up and forcing to get airborne which will put you suddenly into the behind power curve-low lift-high disc angle regime/envelope where take off will be impossible (due to limited thrust)...???
This should be a mandatory training tool to understand the flight critical modes...
Besides it looks like providing an effective critical envelope warning aid...
Even on fixed wing aircraft many pilots do not get the high AOA/behind the curve situations...on military jets (3. gen) we used to have stick-shakers...and later the fly-by wire (4+ gen.) solved some of the issue especially when it was coupled with auto-throttle...
Good thing he has a mute button wouldn't want this on when playing with vertical desents.
Very good prototype. GA have been using the stall warning system for years. This system does so much more.
I ride a recumbent cycle. The gentleman I purchased from lives and breathes and sells recumbents. One of his personal missions is to understand deaths that occur while cycling, studying them to a fault, with the goal of learning ways to prevent.
I mention him because he is adamant about a specific term he uses, always writing 'CRASH' rather than accident. The reason is that accident implies wheel of chance in which we have no control, and believe ourselves to be as victims. I don't know exactly what he believes, but I know he is driven towards prevention.
I admire his drive, and commitment to safe cycling. He is a low key man. Cycling is better for having his decades of participation within the community.
It is not always possible to have complete control of a situation. You might choose to look both ways at an intersection even when you have a green light but sometimes placement of signs or other large vehicles might block the view of a vehicle about to run a red light. One can actively take actions to reduce the chance of an accident but not completely eliminate all risk. With so many random events happening around you, that you have no control over, the wheel of chance is constantly in motion.
@@ulbuilder Agreed, nothing is 100%.
remaining on the cycling example, I take a risk of a car sideswiping me as that driver's divided attention goes toward texting simultaneously while driving. I have limited control of that situation when I choose to share the road with motorists.
On the other hand, the effectiveness of making eye contact at an intersection can be GREATLY ENHANCED if I follow the advise of wearing a spot headlamp on my helmet to bring additional attention to my smaller footprint on the road. Day OR Night that little bit of extra attention just reduced the odds of blending into the background and being hit by a car.
That is just a simple example to demonstrate diligence on the study of the weak spots can lead to specific tools that may at times become lifesavers.
BTW, The device in this video is amazing. An early alert that draws attention: CIRCUMSTANCES ARE ABOUT TO LEAD ASTRAY! take corrective actions immediately!
I applaud this type of effort.
Excellent system.
Looks and sounds like a good idea. Interestingly, none of the choppers I've flown had aural warnings. The stiff-wings had loads of aural warnings but always using high pitched voices!
An excellent development. Kudos to Mike Goodrich, Msr Debreyer.
To get around the 'black box' limitations (bulk and weight) the data could be continuously uploaded over available mobile networks. Gyros are somewhat limited in range so this is practical. Perhaps reporting every 10-30 seconds or 'live' when the alarms are/have been activated. I can envision either a programmable device/USB connection similar to a smart phone/pad or perhaps as an App on existing mobile platforms.
Definitely the wife or mother's voice - anything that sends us into stress mode the quickest. 👁🗨👁🗨
Hello Mike.
This sounds to me that it could be a good tool for the inexperienced pilot and student/instructor and maybe not so much from the experienced pilot and the examiners point of view. There are pros and cons.
I see one alarm that should be found a solution so it doesn’t go off, and it is the one in the last phase of the flare.
Having an alarm going off in this critical phase of flight should be avoided.
@students/instructors:
The video you made would be excellent to show the student before every different lesson. I could imagine a student (if instructed correctly in the instrument function by the instructor) would be able to correct his/hers mistakes before the instructor intervenes, verbally or physically.
Though from the instructor’s point of view having an alarm going off while he/her is trying to instruct the student may cause the student to freeze up, mute button or not. I have seen this countless of times just by speaking to a student in different levels of flight. If instructed correctly the student shouldn’t get near any warning level during the training, only if on purpose to learn the student about the physical warnings signs and then the instrument could be helpful. That said I know this happens and that’s why the instructor is in place to instruct the student before the different warning signs appear and ultimately take over before things gets dangerous.
From an examiner point of view I would say that if any alarm is going off during any level of the exam the student has failed the exam. Unless it is on purpose.
Is this good or not? Maybe. The con here is there are different gyroplane models with different limits and a discussion with the student/instructor may be the result. On the other hand this could also be used by the examiner as proof of fail so the same discussion is avoided. Contradictory? I know. It all depends from the examiners objective point of view I guess.
For the inexperienced pilot/solo pilot it would be an excellent tool and may greatly reduce the number of accidents made by this group of pilots. That is, if the pilot fully understands the instrument, the warnings given and understands what’s going on and know how to correct it.
Well, I for one could be interested in testing this instrument with pilots with different experience levels.
Good job Mike
Can we get a different tone frequency for each of the different warnings? This way we can get a chord of notes when we are doing more than one thing wrong and eventually spot and correct ourselves on the sound of the first note.
Gregory, I can't imagine which two things could happen at the same time, do you have a scenario in mind? The idea of different tones for the different alarms might be interesting, thanks.
@@mikegoodrich1948 No, as I've only just started my Gyroplane lessons. It seems to me that being able to recognize the danger by warning tone may enable the pilot to correct themselves before the spoken warning gets a chance to air may save lives.
What a great device! As you said it was done during the development phase, the voice prompts are brilliant and concise but I didn’t see a visual warning. Is there a plan to add a red warning light or stick shaker as it get closer to the edge of the envelope?
Warning light likely, stick shaker not.
@@gyrocopterflyingclub6148 Gyro sticks shake so much already you probably wouldn't notice the difference ;-)
Mike Goodrich Hahhaa yes of course! More stick smasher!
The is dope
Interesting comment, could you elaborate please.
Excellent idea. A few thoughts though.
Are we building a system to replace instructors or competent instructors?
My argument would be that if you don't know how to wind up rotors you should not be taking off. But clearly many don't hence the accident rate. Like the ballistic chute this shouldn't be necessary.
However in an emergency a voice giving calm reading of the situation might be useful.
1 question how is he determining risk of PPO. You can get cheap accelerometers I play them with my ICT classes and I plan on fitting them to my gyro to collect data. However I believe it is possible to unload the rotor at high speed without any neg g until too late. I was thinking of a system that had a wind vane attached to torque tube to measure relative airflow relative to the disk. This would warn you in high speed flight that you are approaching VNE and about to push the disk over. A g meter wouldn't help in this case as you'd be at positive g until it was too late. Is he using some method of reading disk angle compared to relative airflow?
We are working on a "hi speed flapping/VNE alarm" that are alarms 7 & 8 on the graph. It requires a different rotor that I am preparing at the moment but being held up by Covid. I think it will answer your question.
@@mikegoodrich1948 excellent.
Sorry for being pedantic here but there are 2 terms being confused here. "Behind the curve" is when there is too much drag for the gyroplane to climb (or take off) the other term which should be used here is the "back side of the curve" which is any slower than the minimum drag speed of that gyroplane until it is too slow to be able to climb (i.e. behind the power curve)
When a gyroplane is "behind the curve" it cannot take off as there is too much drag from the rotor to climb, and when in flight the aircraft will be descending even with full power.
When a gyroplane is flying on the "back side of the power curve" it will be using more power for "straight and level" than at the minimum drag speed. If the aircraft is flown (S & L) at ever slower speeds, the nose will be getting higher and higher as power is increased while the aircraft will be flying at slower speed until it reaches full power and cannot maintain level flight (i.e. behind the power curve.
Hey Ian - yes I agree with you and that is a very good explanation which I think should be adopted but very sadly the current pilot training is super confused about this / these terms.
@@gyrocopterflyingclub6148 Ah, we are working on clarifying the confusion in Australia but good luck elsewhere! :-)
@@ianmorcombe the issue [i think] is that very few relate the issue to drag - they try and explain it with an engine power curve and it all falls apart IMO. In the UK we are doomed in this regard!
Ian I actually spent some time trying to find an official term for these conditions, even asking on the RWF. As Phil says there seems to be considerable confusion. If you have some official text or reference work to quote from I'd be grateful if you'd let me know and I'll use it.
As it happens I don't think it matters for this device, what's important is that the pilot understands what's wrong and what he has to do about it, and if he wants to be pedantic and record the "correct" expression he can. This recording is on my gyro and I understand perfectly what it means.
Mike G
@@mikegoodrich1948 Hi Mike, I'm not sure what you consider is "official text". I have been involved with Gyroplanes for 40 years and in the early '90s I compiled the first training manual, "BAK for Gyroplanes" for the Australian Sport Rotorcraft Association (ASRA) from all the gyroplane information I had accumulated over the previous 10 years or so. This manual was used in Australia for over 20 years . I'm sorry but I don't remember where I got the information from regarding "back side" and "behind the power curve" but there was a graph I used in the manual which I would have found in documentation from that time. It shows clearly the "Back Side of the Power Curve". in the graph and that would have been an American publication as that was where most Gyroplane information came from at that time.
Regards,
Ian
Would it be possible to modify the alerts to first give the warning, then provide an instruction of what the pilot should do to correct the problem? After all, stupid pilot's lives matter also. 😏
Gilbert see reply to Ram Jet
"Behind the curve" = rotor blade stall ?
Hi no for better understanding look here:- ua-cam.com/video/VuKdLtLIKI0/v-deo.html
I like you and I like what you're about. I'm a subscriber. But dammit. Why is the volume of your voice so low on most of your videos? I've complained about this before and my comment got some likes so it's not just me. Isn't there ANYTHING you can do to increase the volume of your voice on your videos?
Hi - yeah totally my own mess and poor production. I will get this sorted. I basically need an external mic -which I've said I'd get and didn't. leave with me and will be sorted this time I promise! Thanks for the feedback.
Rode NT-USB MINI on the way...