Systems and methods for providing throttle guidance as a function of flight path acceleration

1. A processor-implemented method for providing throttle rate control, comprising:

receiving aircraft constraints;

receiving a potential flight path angle command, PFPA cmd , which is a function of a flight path acceleration;

receiving a throttle level angle (TLA), which is a real time (RT) throttle setting;

receiving a RT thrust (T) setting;

using the potential flight path angle command, PFPA cmd to generate an error on a potential flight path angle;

converting the error on the potential flight path angle into an equivalent flight path acceleration;

generating a throttle rate command TLA_rate cmd by converting the equivalent flight path acceleration into the throttle rate command TLA_rate cmd ;

detecting a change in real time settings for one or more of flaps, gear handles, bank angle, and flight director commands;

estimating a delta drag as a function of the change;

determining a first adjustment to acceleration required to compensate for the delta drag, responsive to estimating the delta drag; and

generating the throttle rate command TLA_rate cmd by further adding the first adjustment to the equivalent flight path acceleration.

2. The processor-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring a difference between RT thrust (T actual ) and a target thrust (T target );

determining a second adjustment to acceleration that is a function of the difference between T actual and T target ; and

generating the throttle rate command TLA_rate cmd by further adding the second adjustment to the equivalent flight path acceleration.

3. The processor-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising:

employing a spool function that modifies a magnitude of the difference between T actual and T target, ; and

wherein the second adjustment is a function of the magnitude of the difference between T actual and T target , modified by the spool function.

4. The processor-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising:

employing a spool threshold; and

wherein, when a magnitude of the difference between T actual and T target exceeds the spool threshold, the second adjustment is a threshold compensation term.

5. The processor-implemented method of claim 3 , further comprising:

generating the throttle rate command TLA_rate cmd by referencing engine-specific TLA versus T data to normalize the equivalent flight path acceleration command.

6. The processor-implemented method of claim 4 , further comprising:

generating the throttle rate command TLA_rate cmd by referencing engine-specific TLA versus T data to normalize the equivalent flight path acceleration command.

7. A system for providing throttle rate control, comprising:

a source of aircraft state data;

a source of aircraft constraints;

a source of a potential flight path angle command, PFPA cmd , which is a function of a flight path acceleration;

a source of a real time (RT) throttle level angle (TLA) that is a throttle setting;

a source of a RT thrust (T) setting;

a processor operationally coupled to the source of aircraft constraints, the source of a thrust acceleration command, the source of a RT TLA, and the source of a RT T, the processor programmed to:

use the potential flight path angle command, PFPA cmd to generate an error on a potential flight path angle;

convert the error on the potential flight path angle into an equivalent flight path acceleration;

generate a throttle rate command TLA_rate cmd by converting the equivalent flight path acceleration into the throttle rate command TLA_rate cmd ;

detect a change in real time settings for one or more of flaps, gear handles, and flight director commands

estimate a delta drag as a function of the detected change;

determine a first adjustment to acceleration required to compensate for the delta drag, responsive to estimating the delta drag; and

generate the throttle rate command TLA_rate cmd by further adding the first adjustment to the equivalent flight path acceleration.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:

monitor a difference between RT thrust (T actual ) and target thrust (T target );

determine a second adjustment to acceleration that is a function of the difference between T actual and T target ; and

generate the throttle rate command TLA_rate cmd by further adding the second adjustment to the equivalent flight path acceleration.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:

employ a spool function that modifies a magnitude of the difference between T actual and T target, ; and

wherein the second adjustment is a function of the magnitude of the difference between T actual and T target , modified by the spool function.

10. The system of claim 8 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:

employ a spool threshold; and

wherein, when a magnitude of the difference between T actual and T target exceeds the spool threshold, the second adjustment is a threshold compensation term.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:

reference engine-specific TLA versus T data to normalize the equivalent flight path acceleration command.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:

referencing engine-specific TLA versus T data to normalize the equivalent flight path acceleration command.

13. An aircraft, comprising:

a source of aircraft state data;

a source of aircraft constraints;

a source of a potential flight path angle command, PFPA cmd , which is a function of a flight path acceleration;

a source of a real time (RT) throttle level angle (TLA);

a source of a RT thrust (T) setting;

a processor operationally coupled to the source of aircraft constraints, the source of a thrust acceleration command, the source of a RT TLA, and the source of a RT T, the processor programmed to:

use the potential flight path angle command, PFPA cmd to generate an error on a potential flight path angle;

convert the error on the potential flight path angle into an equivalent flight path acceleration;

generate a throttle rate command TLA_rate cmd by converting the equivalent flight path acceleration into the throttle rate command TLA_rate cmd ;

detect a change in real time settings for one or more of flaps, gear handles, and flight director commands;

estimate a delta drag as a function of the detected change;

determine a first adjustment to acceleration required to compensate for the delta drag, responsive to estimating the delta drag; and

generate the throttle rate command TLA_rate cmd by further adding the first adjustment to the equivalent flight path acceleration.

14. The aircraft of claim 13 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:

monitor a difference between RT thrust (T actual ) and target thrust (T target );

determine a second adjustment to acceleration that is a function of the difference between T actual and T target ; and

generate the throttle rate command TLA_rate cmd by further adding the second adjustment to the equivalent flight path acceleration.

15. The aircraft of claim 14 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:

employ a spool function that modifies a magnitude of the difference between T actual and T target, ; and

wherein the second adjustment is a function compensation term.

16. The aircraft of claim 15 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:

employ a spool threshold; and

wherein, when a magnitude of the difference between T actual and T target exceeds the spool threshold, the second adjustment is a threshold compensation term.

17. The aircraft of claim 16 , wherein the processor is further programmed to:

reference engine-specific TLA versus T data to normalize the equivalent flight path acceleration command.