Airfoil Performance Monitor (APM)

John Maris, Puthy Soupin, Ludovic Laberge, and Marie-Hélène Larose
Marinvent Corporation
Saint-bruno, Quebec, Canada

The patented Airfoil Performance Monitor (APM) provides real-time information to pilots regarding the state of the airflow over the aircraft's wings and tail. This information is critical for the prevention of stalls and Loss of Control (LOC), particularly during airborne icing encounters.

According to a 10-year National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) study, LOC was the leading cause of fatalities in large commercial jet and business jet aircraft, accounting for 4,717 lives lost and 44% of all U.S. business aircraft accidents during a ten-year period. Many LOC events are caused by airfoil stalls that result when the airflow becomes turbulent and separates from the airfoil. This can result in severe aircraft controllability and performance difficulties. Traditional angle-of-attack (AOA) stall-protection systems use horizontally mounted weather vanes that are fuselage-mounted and cannot detect the state of the airflow over the wing. In contrast, APM detects the flow separation caused by an impending stall at its source.

“Marinvent Corporation is tremendously honored that its patented Airfoil Performance Monitor (APM) was recognized as the winner of the Aerospace & Defense Category. We are certain that this special recognition will significantly increase public awareness of the problem areas identified by the NTSB, while highlighting the role that APM can play in drastically reducing future accidents and fatalities.”

APM uses miniature pressure transducers to measure air turbulence that has been shown to correlate closely to stall proximity, regardless of icing. APM has the demonstrated capability to drastically reduce stall-related LOC accidents, with significant lifesaving potential.

APM has equal application to manned and unmanned vehicles of all sizes. APM can be used to directly monitor and optimize aircraft cruise performance, resulting in significant gain in fuel efficiency and reduction in greenhouse gases. The design is mature and production-ready, based on flight-quality, commercially available sensors and electronic components.

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