US 12,077,308 B2
Supplemental engine transition control
Charles Eric Covington, Colleyville, TX (US); Chia-Wei Su, Lewisville, TX (US); and Darren Gregory Lang, Dallas, TX (US)
Assigned to Textron Innovations Inc., Providence, RI (US)
Filed by Textron Innovations Inc., Providence, RI (US)
Filed on Apr. 14, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/721,015.
Prior Publication US 2023/0331392 A1, Oct. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. B64D 35/08 (2006.01); B64D 31/12 (2006.01)
CPC B64D 31/12 (2013.01) [B64D 35/08 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of operating a multi-engine drive system of an aircraft, the method comprising:
driving a main rotor of the aircraft by a main engine of the multi-engine drive system at an operating speed of the main engine;
operating a supplemental engine of the multi-engine drive system at approximately 80% of an operating speed of the supplemental engine, wherein, during the operating step, a clutch interoperably coupled to the supplemental engine is interoperably decoupled from the main rotor; and
responsive to a command to interoperably engage the clutch, if the clutch successfully engages such that the clutch is interoperably coupled to the main rotor, providing, by the supplemental engine, power to the main rotor.