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▲ Installation in Pilatus PC-12 legacy and NG.
Existing King Air throttle quadrant with IS&S actuator installed.
“Guard Mode” that lets you manage the power manually, but the system will automatically keep the engine where it needs to be for that phase of f light,” Hedrick added. “If you advance the throttle to a point where it will over-temp or over-torque, the system will automatically push the power to a safe zone.”
“It gives you feedback in the throt- tle’s feel. If you are approaching the engine’s limits, it will actually push back on the power so you don’t over- stress the engines. A lot of pilots are asking for that feature,” he said. “It’s the same if you’re on approach and slow the airplane down too much. It will automatically sense the loss of airspeed and advance the throttles to maintain a safe maneuvering speed.”
While the IS&S ThrustSense Auto- throttle system is extremely ca- pable, as Grunbeck explained, it’s simple to use.
“Once you’re lined-up for takeoff, you just push the go-around (GA) but- ton, and that engages the autothrottle system. In takeoff mode it lets the en- gines spool up and deliver maximum torque and temperature limits for that density altitude. It also automatically corrects for any engine surges that may occur as the power is advanced,” he said. “After takeoff, there are modes to optimize every phase of flight.”
20 • TWIN & TURBINE / February 2021
• Takeoff Mode: ThrustSense com- pensates for environmental condi- tions and mitigates engine surges during power-up. Takeoff Mode is active until the system transitions into Climb Mode.
• Climb Mode: The throttles are au- tomatically reduced to maximum continuous climb or torque sched- ule as a function of the altitude.
• Airspeed Mode: Controls air- speed to a command value through a manually-selected speed change. The autothrottles maintain a constant mach airspeed, as com- manded by the FMS or, pilot’s IS&S Integrated Standby Unit (ISU).
• Protection Modes: Continually monitor the aircraft and engine performance. The engines are kept within safe torque and tempera- ture limits, per the aircraft’s POH.
• VMCa Mitigation: ThrustSense A utothrottle will apply appropriate maximum safe power that pre- cludes any adverse yaw and cata- strophic upset. The autothrottle’s One Engine Inoperative (OEI) mode is active during engine loss when ThrustSense is engaged for takeoff, climb, or go-around.
• Go-Around Mode: ThrustSense automatically sets maximum safe power while providing full engine protection.
No matter what mode you are in, automatic engine management and protection is a key benefit that Thrust- Sense brings to both the Pilatus PC- 12 and King Air series. But, while it provides “automatic” protection, it still permits pilots to hand fly the throttles if they want.
“In some systems, we can also inte- grate our new ThrustSense Autothrottle to have full 4D navigation capabilities,” Hedrick added. “Vertical and lateral navigation, RNP (required navigation performance), LPV (localizer perfor- mance with vertical guidance), as well as the required time-of-arrival. It’s quite a valuable and safety-enhancing upgrade for these aircraft.”
While that’s certainly an impressive array of workload-reducing features, the company recently announced some significant additions, including Torque Matching, Power Lever De- tents and an Electronically Controlled Throttle Handle Brake. As you may guess, the King Air ThrustSense will offer all those with the addi- tion of the new Asymmetrical Beta Mode Protection capability.
Affordability of
Autothrottle Enhancements
“Sure, I want one,” you say. “But what’s it cost?”
As of this writing, Grunbeck said that if you’re flying a Pilatus PC-12