Technology Behind the Panic Button

When I penned an article about the Panic Button the Rockwell Collins folks announced at Paris a few weeks ago, I was upset … not with the Rockwell folks, but with the plummeting airmanship skills that the development of a device designed to save a big airplane if the pilots lost control seemed to imply. My angst was tied to the AF 447 crash over the South Atlantic and the Colgan accident in Buffalo.

I had to admit, of course, that if I were in the back of the airplane, I wouldn’t be worrying much about what a potential accident might say about the skill level of the aviators. My guess is I’d be a bit more focused on saving my tail, as well as everyone else’s.

The Rockwell Collins folks seemed to understand the pilot proficiency quandary in my head when they followed up the day the story ran. After a brief chat about how the system worked, I realized there was more behind the development of a device I found somewhat repulsive as an aviator, yet a godsend as a passenger.

First came a real definition of what many have been calling the panic button. Adam Evanschwartz, Rockwell Collins principal marketing manager for commercial systems in beautiful, downtown Cedar Rapids, said it’s really called the Autonomous Backup Capability (ABC — my acronym actually) and it’s built into existing flight deck avionics systems like Rockwell Collins ProLine Fusion. If the crew can’t control the aircraft for some reason, such as what happened to the Colgan crew, the ABC system could right the aircraft.

“Humans are tasked with using their brains to stay ahead of the airplane above and beyond what is demanded of other vehicle operators,” Evanschwartz said. “And sometimes, crews simply lose situational awareness.” He added an important element to the discussion when he explained that, “There is a trend in aviation toward smaller crew numbers on the flight deck. We expect that single pilot aircraft will become more familiar at some point, such as more business aircraft owners flying their own aircraft.”

Raising the Bar on Safety

Despite how it might appear, Rockwell Collins was working on this system long before Air France 447 crashed in the summer of 2009. The company acquired similar technology initially used to right unmanned drones when Athena Technologies was folded into the Rockwell Collins manufacturer (see video below).

Evanschwartz said that’s when Rockwell Collins began to consider the possibilities within their own product line. “In business aviation, we looked at the spectrum of solutions we supply. One of our market drivers is safely flying business aircraft and eliminating risks, one of course being human risk. We knew we needed to look at new ways to mitigate those risks.

How Autonomous Backup Capability Works

Should the pilot or pilots lose situational awareness of their aircraft — something the Rockwell Collins people expect will be more prevalent at lower altitudes than up high — the pilot would flip a guarded switch. The Pro Line Fusion system will sense the problem and engage the autopilot (assuming it was NOT engaged) and roll the aircraft’s wings level and get the aircraft flying straight and level for 15-30 seconds. The ABC system is designed to work with auto-throttles which would then bring the power up and initiate a climb until the aircraft reaches threat-free airspace before it will enter what Evanschwartz called a “loiter mode.” At this point, everyone hopes the pilot will have figured out what’s happening and be able to again take control.

A damaged drone lands using Autonomous Backup Capability

I wondered how many other aviators reacted to the Panic Button technology — Evanschwarts said Rockwell Collins really doesn’t mind the name — as I had. “When we went through the initial design, many pilots mentioned the likelihood others would would react with skepticism, but actually, many instantly recognized the value. We didn’t get any pushback from our Industry Advisory Group either. They thought is was a pretty good idea for a pretty bad situation. There is no substitute for pilots, airmanship and the ability to manage distractions. This is a backup idea we hope no one will ever need.”

Many readers wondered after the AF 447 crash and the Panic Button story whether or not the ABC could have saved that airplane. Evanschwartz explained that even ABC “pulls information from altitude, air data and inertial sensors to understand how to control the aircraft.” Without airspeed or angle of attack information, as was missing in the Air France accident, Evanschwartz said even the Autonomous Backup Capability would not have functioned to save the crew or passengers.

Watch this YouTube video for a close-up look at how the system lands a damaged scale model drone.

Rob Mark, publisher