hydraulic, and mechanical. You will be able to
AUTOMATIC STABILIZATION
EQUIPMENT
understand how the system functions if you can
describe the components and understand how they
Learning Objective: Recognize the operat-
work.
ing principles and triodes of the automatic
stabilization and coupler system, and
Electrical/Electronic Components
identify control panel and channel monitor
panel functions.
The following paragraphs describe the major
electrical/electronic components that make up
Personnel in the AE rating maintain the
an ASE system. These electrical/electronic
automatic stabilization equipment (ASE) dis-
components make the ASE function.
cussed in this chapter. The ASE is used in SH-3
aircraft, and is the system used to illustrate ASE
ASE CONTROL PANEL. --The ASE control
equipment. For detailed information on ASE, you
panel (fig. 8-33) is on the cockpit center console
should refer to the appropriate maintenance
between the pilot and copilot. The panel contains
instruction manual (MIM).
five push-button switches and five control knobs.
The ASE is to helicopters as the AFCS is to
These switches and knobs control the ASE modes
fixed-wing aircraft. ASE is designed to improve
of operation. The control also contains two toggle
the handling characteristics of the helicopter. ASE
switches used with the other controls. When the
lets the pilot fly the helicopter in automatic
pilot presses the ASE button, the pitch, roll, and
cruising flight and in hands-off flight. When
yaw control circuits start operating.
energized, the ASE activates the attitude stabiliza-
When the pilot presses the BAR ALT button,
tion and heading retention systems in the
the barometric altitude controller in the collective
helicopter. Also, ASE places the barometric
channel engages. T h e collective channel
altitude control in a synchronizing condition so
barometric altitude controller disengages when the
it can be engaged when desired.
pilot depresses the BAR OFF button. If the
ASE provides selective attitude retention in all
barometric altitude controller is engaged, the pilot
flight axes, and it also improves handling
can momentarily release it by pressing the BAR
characteristics by introducing stability corrections.
Barometric altitude (BAR ALT) maintains the
aircraft at the desired altitude manually selected
by the pilot. The coupler (CPLR) enables the
helicopter to find and keep pilot-selected speeds,
drifts, and altitudes during automatic cruise flight.
During antisubmarine warfare (ASW) missions,
the ASE enables the helicopter to make a
transition from forward flight to hover. It also
aids in maintaining a hover during sonar search.
An attitude indicating system provides a visual
display of the helicopter's attitude on the pilot's
and copilot's attitude indicators.
ASE, with the coupler system, uses associated
electronic and hydraulic systems to provide
automatic hovering and automatic cruising. The
coupler system consists of a Doppler radar system
(ground speed measurement) and a vertical
velocity system (used with a low-altitude radar
altimeter). Since radar systems are not maintained
by the AE, they are not discussed in detail. Radar
systems are mentioned only because they serve as
signal sources for ASE operation.
ASE COMPONENTS
ASE, like the AFCS, consists of many
Figure 8-33.-ASE control panel.
components, including electrical/electronic,
