AKD20503

AUTOFLIGHT SYSTEM

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AUTOTROTTLE
SYSTEM

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TABLE OF CONTENT
• Introduction
• Automatic Throttle System
• Authrottle Mode of operation

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Upon completion of this subject, students should be able to:
• Describe the principle operation of automatic throttle
system.

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Introduction
• An Autothrottle System can maintain constant airspeed during automatic approach
and landing by adjusting the engine power, and closing the throttles at a constant rate
during an autoflare phase.
• It will automatically set the thrust levers in the flight deck to the correct setting and
adjust the fuel flow to the engines accordingly.
• It is simply an extension of the autopilot to allow the flight crew to maintain the
aircraft's speed or engine power settings automatically during all phases of flight.
• In some aircraft, the engines fan speed (N1) is used as the thrust reference instead of
EPR, but the overall effect is same it maintains a set thrust level.
• When selected, the auto-throttle automatically arms and immediately moves the
throttle levers to increase or decrease the aircraft’s speed or power rating towards
the selected reference.
• As it reaches this reference, it goes into a hold mode and will maintain the aircraft at
the selected speed or EPR reference regardless of pitch and roll maneuvers, wind
shears or gusts.
• It will also compensate for the addition or reduction in drag caused by landing gear or
flap operation.

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Autothrottle System
• Main Component consist of:-
– AFCS Control Panel - A/T Arm switch and mode select switches
– Thrust lever Takeoff/Go-around (TO/GA) and A/T disconnect switches.
– Autothrottle Computer and autothrottle servomotor.
• The throttle position is controlled to maintain a specific value of thrust in term of:-
– N1 - Engine rotation speed
– EPR - Engine Pressure Ratio
– Target Airspeed
• When the AFCS mode is controlling airspeed, the A/T system controls engine thrust
to a specific value.
• When the AFCS mode is controlling vertical path, the A/T system maintain airspeed
through thrust controls.
• The A/T will disconnect when thrust reversers are applied or at the selection of the
pilot.

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Operating Mode
• Two mode of operation selected from AFCS control panel are:-
– Take-off
– Speed control
Take-off mode
• Initiated before take-off by engaging the FMS which provided:-
– Engine rotational speed (N1) limit for each flight profile.
– N1 target speed.
• This will be displayed by cursor or bug in the N1 speed indicator.
• The autothrottle system is arm by a switch on the AFCS mode control panel and at
the same time the 'ARM' legend is displayed on the annunciator.
• System is engage by pressing the 'take-off/go-around (TOGA)' switch on the
throttle lever.
• The takeoff mode is engaged with these conditions:-
– Autothrottle armed
– Airplane on the ground
– Flap position not zero
– Thrust limit mode is TO (default on ground)
– Switch TO/GA is push
– Speed higher than 50 Knot ground speed

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• When autothrottle is engage the servo actuator will received input from autothrottle
computer to advance the throttle lever at a particular rate to the predicted position to
obtain the correct N1 value before take-off speed is attained.
• The advance rate of the thrust lever is 15 deg/sec and N1 value are obtain before 60
knots.
• When the speed exceed 64 knots an independent speed detector circuit interrupt the
operation of thrust lever servo amplifier and actuators.
• 'THR HOLD' annunciator illuminated which shows that the autothrottle is in holding
state.
• A main landing gear micro switch which is interlock with speed detector circuit will
also cause the autothrottle to be in the hold if the speed detector fail and aircraft has
lift off.
• Landing gear circuit also activate timer which will reinstate power to the servo
actuator systems after 17.5 sec if the aircraft has reach 400 ft.
• If not another interlock will prevent it from happened until aircraft reach 400 ft.
System are armed to control N1 speed during the remainder of the climb to the
selected cruise altitude.

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Speed Control Mode
• Selected through Autopilot Control Panel or automatically by the AFCS when it is
not on the speed mode.
• The speed target set and displayed on AFCS control panel is referred to the 'MCP
SPD'.
• If VNAV is selected the speed target is provided by FMC and are called 'FMC SPD'.
• Autothrottle is switch to this mode when aircraft approach a selected altitude
under VNAV and remain in this mode during altitude hold.
• Autothrottle will limit the airspeed to min or max safe value independent of the
target speed value and angle of attack which is computed from flap position and
AOA signal.
• If aircraft start to descend under VNAV, autothrottle will retard the thrust lever to
idle and legend 'RETARD' is annunciated.
• Retard rate is at 2 deg/sec and may be terminated by stopping the thrust lever
physically or allow it to move until it reach idle stop position and then it goes into
the 'ARM' mode.

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• When AFCS capture Glideslope, the VNAV mode is disengage and autothrottle
switch to 'MCP SPD' mode.
• The speed displayed correspond to the last value computed by the FMC.
• Selection of desired speed is made on the AFCS control panel and 'MCP SPD' will
be displayed and if the switch is pressed the autothrottle will revert to 'ARM' mode.
• If an engine failure during speed mode, the throttle will be advance together to
maintain airspeed and N1 speed equalization is replace by thrust lever equalization.
• Autothrottle approach gain is determine by glideslope capture or radio altitude
and flap position.
• During turbulence approach the speed will increase and this overspeed will
depend on the magnitude and frequency of turbulence.

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• During flare the throttle will be retarded to idle in 6 sec and occur at 27 feet RA
during auto or manual land.
• If RA does not initiate throttle retard, it will occur 1.5 sec after auto flare.
• When aircraft land it landing gear microswitch will cause the autothrottle move the
thrust lever at 8 deg/sec to remove any residual displacement above the idle
position.
• Then autothrottle will disengage after 2 sec.

Go-around Mode
• Can be engage if autothrottle is engage and RA at 2000 ft.
• Initial operation of 'TOGA' switch cause the throttle to advance to an angle
predicted for a reduce go-around and 'GA' is annunciated on the ADI.
• The reduced go-around thrust set the required throttle angle and full go-around
thrust rating depend on aircraft weight and density altitude.
• Second operation of TOGA switch cause engine to spool up to the full thrust rating
and AFCS pitch channel generate pitch up command for climb attitude

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AUTOTHROTTLE SYSTEM

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Autothrottle Interface
• The A/T computer receives data from other system.
• It uses this data to activate A/T modes and to calculate thrust lever command.

Air Data Computer

• Computed airspeed - used in the speed mode control logic.
• VMO/MMO - used in the speed mode control logic.
• Uncorrected altitude - used for autothrottle gain scheduling and in the maximum
allowed N1 calculation.
• Mach number - used for speed mode Mach control, weight and drag calculations.
• Static air temperature - used to calculate a backup thrust lever resolver angle limit
value.
• Altitude rate - used in wind detection calculations.
• Static pressure - used for normalizing thrust effects with altitude.
• True airspeed - used for calculating the TAS/CAS conversion.

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Inertial Reference Unit
• Pitch attitude is used for compensating the longitudinal acceleration signal for
wind detection.
• Roll attitude is used for thrust compensation during airplane turns.
• Body longitudinal acceleration is used for control law damping and wind detection.
• Body normal acceleration is used to derive a vertical speed signal for wind
detection.
• Groundspeed is used for cruise speed control to indicate when minimal winds are
present to allow track mode corrections.
• Vertical speed is used in determining windshear.

Angle of Attack (AoA) Input

• Usually used during an approach profile.
• It is usually incorporated into the computations at a fixed radio altitude or when
the flaps are first lowered.
• Provide protection during an approach so that the auto-throttles maintain a safe
minimum speed above stall. This speed varies with aircraft’s weight and
configuration, typically 130% of stall speed

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EPR Limit or N1 Input
• EPR or N1 limits are set by an FMS or TMS as part of the pre-flight checks.
• Once set, this limits the maximum power available from the engines.
• The settings will depend on several factors including temperature, airfield altitude,
length of available runway, etc.

Flap Position Input

• Usually only used in Go-Around (GA) mode to give it an indication of aircraft
configuration as the aircraft climbs back up to altitude.
• It also used on descent, i.e. when flaps are selected, to initiate the systems stall
margin protection.

Radio Altimeter Input

• Only used during final approach to provide an accurate reference of the aircraft’s
altitude above the ground.
• RA sends radio altitude data to the A/T to arm the go-around mode below 2000
feet, and during Flare RETARD mode, to retard T/L to idle for landing.

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FMC
• Calculates gross weight and sends it to the A/T to use in calculation of thrust and
T/L rate commands.
• Calculates thrust N1 limits and N1 targets for each flight phase.
• Data goes to the DEUs which show the N1 limits on the engine display and send
the N1 targets to the EECs for calculating equivalent TRA targets to send to the A/T
to set thrust.
• FMC also sends N1 targets directly to the A/T.
• During takeoff and max thrust go-around, the A/T uses EEC TRA targets and FMC
N1 targets to set thrust.
• During takeoff, climb, and max thrust go-around, the FMC N1 targets are the same
as the N1 limits.
• During reduced thrust climb and cruise operations, the FMC N1 targets are less
than the N1 limits.

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AFCS MCP
• Switches for the A/T system on this control panel are A/T ARM switch, N1 mode
selector and Speed mode selector.
• A/T ARM switch is used to turn on the A/T.
• A/T N1 and speed modes may be selected manually from the MCP when AFCS is
engaged, the FCC selects the A/T modes with a mode request through the MCP to
the A/T.
• In AFCS VNAV mode, the FCC uses FMC flight plan data to select the A/T modes.
• MCP sends discrete for the selected A/T mode, N1 or speed, to the A/T and also
selected speed or FMC target speed to the A/T to use during the speed mode.

Autoflight Status Annunciator

• When A/T disengages, it sends a signal to the ASAs to show a red flashing visual
alert.
• You push the flashing red ASA A/T light or one of the A/T disconnect switches on
the thrust levers to cancel the warning.
• This sends an analog signal to the A/T to reset the warning.

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EEC
• EECs use the data from DEU to calculate equivalent TRA targets.
• The A/T uses the EEC TRA targets to set thrust during takeoff, climb, and max
thrust go-around.
• For takeoff and max thrust go-around, the A/T initially uses EEC TRA targets to
advance the T/Ls. As the T/Ls get to within 4 to 6 degrees of the FMC N1 limit, the
A/T then uses FMC N1 targets to make final T/L adjustments to the FMC N1 limit.

TO/GA Switch
• TO/GA switches send discretes to the A/T to select the takeoff or go-around mode.
• On the ground, the TO/GA switches select the takeoff mode.
• In the air, the TO/GA switches select the go-around mode if this mode is armed.

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Autothrottle Servo Motor
• Receive digital thrust rate commands from the A/T and change the data to electrical
pulses to drive the servo motors.
• The motors drive the thrust resolver (TR) packs through a gearbox and slip clutch to
move the thrust levers (T/L) to a desired thrust resolver angle (TRA).
• TRA is sent digitally from the TR pack to the EECs to set thrust.

Display Electronic Unit

• A/T sends mode data to the DEU to show A/T modes of operation.
• DEU received data from FMC on engine N1 limits and N1 targets during each flight
phase and show N1 limits on the engine display.
• The DEUs send N1 targets to the EECs.

Flight Control Computer

• Send mode request discretes to the A/T to select A/T modes consistent with the
active AFCS mode.
• The A/T sends mode status to the FCC.

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B737-300 Autothrottle System
• It a computer-controlled electro-mechanical system which controls engine thrust
within engine design parameters.
• Throttle position for each engine is controlled to maintain a specific engine thrust
(N1), or a target airspeed, from takeoff to touchdown.
• Operate primarily in conjunction with the Digital Flight Control System (DFCS) and
the Flight Management Computer (FMC).
• Desired mode of operation is selected on the DFCS mode control panel, and the
engine thrust limit is selected through the FMS control display unit.
• It consists of a digital computer, two A/T servomechanisms, an A/T engage (ARM)
switch, A/T disengage and takeoff/go-around switches, limit annunciation on the
A/T limit annunciator, one A/T warning light on each Autoflight Status Annunciator,
A/T mode annunciation on each EADI, and two Power Lever Angle (PLA) synchros.
• A/T limit annunciation is displayed on the A/T limit annunciator

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