Rotor torque anticipator

1. A method of feed-forward anticipation of rotor torque demand on a helicopter engine comprising the steps of:

a) predicting the total torque required at the main and tail rotors of a helicopter, wherein the total torque includes the aerodynamic torque and the static torque at the main and tail rotors;

b) computing the rate of change of the total torque required at the main and tail rotors of the helicopter;

c) establishing a rate of change of gas generator speed corresponding to the rate of change of total torque at the main and tail rotors of the helicopter; and

d) obtaining a demanded rate of change of gas generator speed needed to deliver the required total torque to the main and tail rotors of the helicopter.

2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of predicting total torque required at the main and tail rotors of the helicopter is handled by the helicopter flight control computer.

3. A method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of transmitting the predicted total torque at the main and tail rotors of the helicopter from the helicopter flight control computer to an engine fuel control system in real time.

4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of predicting the total torque required at the main and tail rotors of the helicopter includes the step of summing the aerodynamic torque at the main and tail rotors with the helicopter in motion, the torque at the main rotor with the helicopter stationary, and the torque at the tail rotor with the helicopter stationary.

5. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of establishing a rate of change of gas generator speed corresponding to the rate of change of total torque at the main and tail rotors of the helicopter includes the step of applying a conversion factor to the rate of change of total torque based upon gas generator speed.

6. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the step of obtaining a demanded rate of change of gas generator speed needed to deliver the required total torque to the main and tail rotors of the helicopter includes the step of passing the rate of change of gas generator speed through a deadband to de-couple the feed-forward anticipation from normal engine control logic.

7. A system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising the step of summing the demanded rate of change of engine speed with the output from a power turbine governor to provide an input to an engine speed controller to manage fuel flow to the helicopter engine.

8. A method of feed-forward anticipation of rotor torque demand on a helicopter engine comprising the steps of:

a) predicting the total torque required at the main and tail rotors of the helicopter in the helicopter flight control computer, wherein the total torque includes the aerodynamic torque and the static torque at the main and tail rotors;

b) transmitting the predicted total torque at the main and tail rotors of the helicopter from the helicopter flight control computer to an engine fuel control system;

c) computing the rate of change of the total torque required at the main and tail rotors of the helicopter;

d) converting the rate of change of the total torque required at the main and tail rotors of the helicopter to engine acceleration/deceleration rate; and

e) passing the engine acceleration/deceleration rate through a deadband to obtain a demanded engine acceleration/deceleration rate.

9. A method according to claim 8 , wherein the step of predicting the total torque required at the main and tail rotors of the helicopter includes the step of summing the aerodynamic torque at the main and tail rotors with the helicopter in motion, the torque at the main rotor with the helicopter stationary, and the torque at the tail rotor with the helicopter stationary.

10. A method according to claim 8 , wherein the step of converting the rate of change of the total torque required at the main and tail rotors of the helicopter to engine acceleration/deceleration rate includes the step of applying a conversion factor to the rate of change of total torque based upon gas generator speed.

11. A method according to claim 8 , further comprising the step of summing the demanded engine acceleration/deceleration rate with the output from a power turbine governor to provide an input to an engine speed controller to manage fuel flow to the helicopter engine.

12. A system for performing feed-forward anticipation of rotor torque demand on a helicopter engine comprising:

a) a flight control computer adapted and configured to predict the total torque required at the main and tail rotors of the helicopter, wherein the total torque includes the aerodynamic torque and the static torque at the main and tail rotors; and

b) an engine fuel control system adapted and configured to compute the rate of change of the total torque, convert the rate of change of the total torque to an engine acceleration/deceleration rate, and obtain a demanded engine acceleration/deceleration rate therefrom.

13. A system as recited in claim 12 , further comprising means for transmitting the predicted total torque at the main and tail rotors of the helicopter from the helicopter flight control computer to the engine fuel control system in real time.

14. A system as recited in claim 12 , wherein the engine control system converts the rate of change of the total torque to an engine acceleration/deceleration rate by applying a conversion factor to thereto based upon gas generator speed.

15. A system as recited in claim 12 , wherein the engine control system is adapted and configured to obtain the demanded engine acceleration/deceleration rate using a deadband to de-couple the feed-forward anticipation from normal engine control laws.