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System Overview
ENVELOPE PROTECTION (EP
™)
The DFC90 system provides speed-based Envelope Protection
(EP
™) (underspeed and overspeed warnings and protection)
when in any coupled autopilot mode.
NOTE
No Envelope Protection in Flight Director Mode
Envelope Protection (EP
™) is not provided during
flight director-only (non-coupled) operations.
NOTE
Aircraft Stall Possible with Envelope Protection
Conditions can exist where an aircraft can be placed
in an attitude and/or configuration that would exceed
the capability of the Envelope Protection (EP
™)
system to prevent a stall.
When the servos are engaged (AP mode), the likelihood that a
command can be made which results in an autopilot induced stall
is significantly reduced over conventional autopilots. If for
example, a positive rate of climb was commanded and a low
power setting is being held, the autopilot will attempt to achieve
the commanded state but as the energy of the airplane decays to
approximately 1.2 V
s
, the autopilot will adjust bank angle and then
pitch angle as required to maintain no lower than 1.2 V
s
. Bank
angle may be reduced before pitch is adjusted in an effort to
avoid even entering Envelope Protection
(EP
™)
. As soon as
bank angle is adjusted by the autopilot, the pilot is alerted through
visual means on the PFD (“
UNDERSPEED
” text alert and any
engaged (green) autopilot mode annunciator will flash) and as
soon as pitch is adjusted, the pilot is alerted through the same
visual means on the PFD, and aural alerting in the headsets
(“SPEED PROTECTION ACTIVE”). In all cases, when
underspeed protection is active, maximum bank angle will be
reduced, typically to 5 degrees.
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