Entries |
Document | Title | Date |
20080249675 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR OPTIMIZED RUNWAY EXITING - Methods and apparatus are provided for optimizing runway exiting. Prior to landing, the pilot may choose to input one or more new landing parameters. Then, based on current landing parameters (e.g., any new landing parameter(s) and remaining default landing parameters) and the aircraft performance parameters, predicted landing performance can be updated and indicia of the updated predicted landing performance can be displayed to the pilot on an updated airport map and display. The updated predicted landing performance can include, among other things, a display of AUTOBRAKE landing performance. When no further changes to the current landing parameters are desired, the automatic braking system can be set to provide dynamic braking to slow the aircraft to a selected velocity at a selected position on a particular runway. | 10-09-2008 |
20080255715 | Navigation Guidance for Aircraft Approach and Landing - A system and method is described for providing pilots with navigational guidance when landing in low visibility conditions and/or at airports that do not contain a ground infrastructure in place to support precision approach. The navigational guidance is obtained by fusing one or more navigational algorithms and/or error models to improve navigation performance to near Instrument Landing System (ILS) performance levels. The navigational algorithms and error models include a gravity error model, a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver measurement model, a Wide Area Augmentation System (WAAS) troposphere model, encrypted corrections, and a dynamic range error model. | 10-16-2008 |
20080262665 | METHOD OF CALCULATING APPROACH TRAJECTORY FOR AIRCRAFT - The general field of the invention relates to a method of calculating a so-called continuous descent approach procedure for aircraft. The method comprises calculation steps making it possible to determine a minimum distance making it possible to attain the runway by using the highest possible descent angles allowed by the performance of the aircraft, a maximum distance making it possible to attain the runway by using the lowest possible descent angles allowed by the performance of the aircraft, a step of comparing the minimum and maximum distances with a reference distance, the continuous descent approach procedure being possible if this reference distance is less than the maximum distance and greater than the minimum distance. The method also envisages replacing certain indeterminate points of the flight plan by points arising from the minimum and maximum distance calculations. | 10-23-2008 |
20080269966 | Method and Device For Assisting the Flying of an Aircraft During an Autonomous Approach - The invention relates to a method and a device for assisting the flying of an aircraft, said method and device being used to determine an approach path and comprising a guidance system for helping to guide the aircraft along this approach path. The inventive method and device define a main approach path (AI) and a corrected approach path that has an extra vertical margin (ΔH) related to the ground over which the craft is flying as compared with a main approach path representing a category 1 precision approach. Said guiding system guides the aircraft following the corrected approach path. | 10-30-2008 |
20080275599 | System and Method for Aircraft Braking System Usage Monitoring - The system and method for monitoring wear of one or more aircraft parts, such as an aircraft brake, an aircraft tire, a standby system, and landing gear. One or more sensors are provided for sensing a parameter of usage, and an estimate of usage of the part can be determined based upon the signal indicating the sensed value of the parameter of usage of the aircraft part. A plurality of sensors can be provided for sensing usage of a plurality of parts of the aircraft, and the estimate of usage of the part can be stored for access of the estimate by ground personnel. As applied to monitoring wear of an aircraft brake, a linear brake wear indicator attached to the brake moves a discrete distance when the brake is actuated, and a linear position encoder measures the distance travelled by the linear brake wear indicator as an indication of brake usage. A wheel speed monitor may also be provided for measuring the aircraft wheel speed, for distinguishing between static brake applications and moving brake applications, based upon the wheel speed signal. | 11-06-2008 |
20080300741 | Method and Device for Determining an Aircraft Landing Delay Margin - The invention relates to a method to assist in the landing of an airplane ( | 12-04-2008 |
20080319592 | SYNTHETIC INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM - Systems and methods for generating approach information for a first vehicle approaching a second dynamic vehicle. An example method determines motion information of the second vehicle and generates approach information based on the determined motion information and the approach centerline. The method generates at least one of an approach path or a plurality of approach path reference points based on at least one of a center of motion of the second vehicle or a touchdown point on the second vehicle and generates at least one of a synthetic path or a plurality of synthetic path reference points by filtering the generated at least one approach path or plurality of approach path reference points. | 12-25-2008 |
20090024261 | DEVICE FOR AIDING THE PILOTING OF AN AIRCRAFT DURING AN APPROACH PHASE FOR THE PURPOSE OF LANDING - Device for aiding the piloting of an aircraft during an approach phase for the purpose of landing. The device ( | 01-22-2009 |
20090043434 | METHOD FOR CALCULATING AN APPROACH TRAJECTORY OF AN AIRCRAFT TO AN AIRPORT - The invention relates to a method for calculating an approach trajectory of an aircraft ( | 02-12-2009 |
20090048724 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR PREDICTING THE POSSIBILITY OF COMPLETE STOPPAGE OF AN AIRCRAFT ON A LANDING RUNWAY - Method and system for predicting the possibility of complete stoppage of an aircraft on a landing runway. According to the invention: a) the altitude (H) of the aircraft ( | 02-19-2009 |
20090069960 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING ANOMALIES IN LANDING SYSTEMS UTILIZING A GLOBAL NAVIGATION SATELLITE SYSTEM - A method, apparatus, and computer program product for detecting anomalies in a landing system. In one embodiment, a magnitude difference between a blended inertial deviation magnitude and a raw deviation magnitude is identified to form a magnitude difference. The magnitude difference is compared to a magnitude threshold. If the magnitude difference exceeds the magnitude threshold, an anomaly in the data is detected. | 03-12-2009 |
20090125169 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF IMPROVING OR INCREASING INFORMATION CONCERNING, PARTICULARLY, RUNWAY CONDITIONS AVAILABLE TO PILOTS OF LANDING AIRCRAFT - Addressed are systems and methods for providing to pilots of landing aircraft real-time (or near real-time) information concerning runway conditions and aircraft-stopping performance to be encountered upon landing. The systems and methods contemplate using more objective data than utilized at present and providing the information in automated manner. Information may be obtained by using conventional ground-based runway friction testers or, advantageously, by using air-based equipment such as (but not limited to) unmanned aerospace vehicles (UAVs). | 05-14-2009 |
20090171519 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY GUIDING AN AIRCRAFT DURING A SPACING FLIGHT WITH A LANDING - The device ( | 07-02-2009 |
20090187293 | Electrically Activated Aircraft Landing Gear Control System and Method - An electrically activated landing gear control system is provided. A processing module of landing gear control system is provided with landing gear control system software that receives data relating to the position of a landing gear lever. Proximity sensors positioned at landing gear and wheel well areas of the aircraft are coupled for communication with the processing module. The proximity sensors provide the landing gear control system software with position data relating to the landing gear. The landing gear control software converts the data received from the landing gear lever and the data received from the proximity sensors to command signals to control electrically activated valves associated with landing gear components. The command signals may be sent simultaneously to remote power distribution units and remote data concentrator units to energize or de-energize solenoid coils of the electrically activated valves. | 07-23-2009 |
20090216394 | TURRET ASSEMBLIES FOR SMALL AERIAL PLATFORMS, INCLUDING UNMANNED AIRCRAFT, AND ASSOCIATED METHODS - Turret assemblies for small aerial platforms, including unmanned aircraft, and associated methods are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an aircraft system can include a turret assembly having a payload with a line of sight to a target and a gimbal system carrying the payload. The gimbal system can include (a) a first support coupled to a first actuator to rotate about a first axis, and (b) a second support carried by the first support and coupled to a second actuator to rotate about a second axis generally transverse to the first axis. The payload can be carried by the second support. A housing at least partially surrounds the payload and the gimbal system. The turret assembly can also include a controller configured to direct movement of at least one of the first actuator and the second actuator such that the line of sight is pointed away from a point of impact before the turret assembly contacts the ground or another external structure during landing or capture operations. | 08-27-2009 |
20090265050 | AIRCRAFT PILOT KNEEBOARD WITH MILITARY MOVING MAP AND BROWNOUT/OBSCURED LANDING SYSTEM - An aircraft pilot kneeboard is provided including a bottom member having an inner compartment. A top member is connected to the bottom member by a first axle. Flanges extend outwardly from the bottom member. Straps are attached to the flanges. Springs are located in the flanges for holding writing instruments. The springs have turns distanced less than a diameter of the writing instruments. Clamps are located at lower and upper edges of the top member. A tiltable surface is connected to an upper surface of the second clamp by a second axle. The second axle extends widthwise across the kneeboard. The kneeboard further includes a light emitting diode for lighting a top surface of the top member. The kneeboard further includes an interactive screen attached to the tiltable surface for providing a military moving map and a brownout/obscured landing system. | 10-22-2009 |
20090306840 | VISION-BASED AUTOMATED LANDING SYSTEM FOR UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES - The invention relates generally to the control and landing of unmanned aerial vehicles. More specifically, the invention relates to systems, methods, devices, and computer readable media for landing unmanned aerial vehicles using sensor input and image processing techniques. | 12-10-2009 |
20090319104 | SYSTEM FOR GUIDING AND PILOTING AN AIRCRAFT IN CASE OF INABILITY OF THE PILOTS - The system ( | 12-24-2009 |
20090319105 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR IMPROVING PILOT SITUATIONAL AWARENESS DURING FLARE TO TOUCHDOWN - A system and method for selectively alerting a pilot of an aircraft about distance remaining to the end of a runway. A position of the aircraft is received. A position of a runway is retrieved from a runway database. The retrieved position of the runway is compared to the received position of the aircraft to determine if the aircraft is within an alert envelope relative to the retrieved position of the runway. The position of the runway is subtracted from the position of the aircraft to determine a distance to the distal end of the runway. An alert to the pilot is generated based upon the distance to the distal end of the runway. | 12-24-2009 |
20100017050 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING AND INDICATING DISTANCE BETWEEN FLARING AIRPLANE & LANDING SURFACE - An apparatus and method for determining and indicating a distance between a landing small airplane and a landing surface, wherein the distance is no more than approximately twenty-five feet. The apparatus emits signals from opposite sides of the airplane toward the landing surface, receives the signals reflected by the landing surface, and, based on the differences in time between emitting and receiving the signals, determines the distances from the opposite sides of the airplane to the landing surface. The apparatus is further operable to communicate the shorter distance to the pilot so that he can decide when to perform a flare maneuver. | 01-21-2010 |
20100017051 | Method of Automatically Determining a Landing Runway - A method of automatically determining a landing runway for an aircraft includes the steps of i) determining control points assigned to a landing runway along a landing approach of an airplane; ii) determining the spatial deviation of the airplane from the determined control points; and iii) determining an appropriate landing runway while taking into account the determined spatial deviation. | 01-21-2010 |
20100017052 | AIRCRAFT SHOCK STRUT HAVING A FLUID LEVEL MONITOR - A system for monitoring a liquid level in an aircraft shock strut includes a cylinder having an internal chamber sealed by a piston telescopically movable within the cylinder. The chamber contains a gas and a liquid, and a sensor assembly is provided for monitoring a condition of a level of the liquid in the chamber. The sensor assembly includes at least one probe within the chamber, and a fitting assembly allows one or more leads from the probe to pass through the wall of the strut while maintaining pressure in the chamber. The fitting assembly includes a plug molded to the one or more leads extending from the probe. The fitting assembly also includes a retainer for holding the plug in sealed relationship with a through passage in the strut. | 01-21-2010 |
20100023189 | AIRCRAFT DISPLAY SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ENHANCED DISPLAY OF LANDING INFORMATION - A display system is provided for a vehicle. The system includes a processor configured to receive data representative of landing information and navigation and control information and to supply display commands associated with the landing information and navigation and control information; and a display device coupled the processor for receiving the display commands and operable to render a three-dimensional view, including first symbology representing the landing information and second symbology representing the navigation and control information. The second symbology is superimposed on the first symbology. | 01-28-2010 |
20100057278 | SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY LANDING AIRCRAFT USING IMAGE SIGNALS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING THE SAME - Disclosed herein are a system for automatically landing an aircraft using image signals and a method of controlling the system. The system includes an altimeter installed on the aircraft; a landing mark placed at a landing location on a landing runway; a camera installed on the aircraft, oriented toward the front of the aircraft, and configured to detect the shape of the landing mark in image information form; and a FCC configured to calculate the angle between the aircraft and the ground, the ground range and the slant range between the aircraft and the landing location using the altitude information measured by the altimeter, the image information of the landing mark captured by the camera, angle information composed of the pitch, roll and yaw angles of the aircraft, and the angle of entry into the landing runway, and configured to control the automatic landing of the aircraft. | 03-04-2010 |
20100063655 | VIEWING DEVICE FOR AIRCRAFT COMPRISING MEANS OF DISPLAYING THE FINAL DESTINATION AND ASSOCIATED DISPLAY METHOD - The general field of the invention is that of synthetic vision system SVS type viewing systems, for aircraft, said system comprising at least one navigation database, a cartographic database of a terrain, position sensors, anemometric sensors, sensors for measuring the gradient of said terrain, an electronic computer, a man-machine interface means and a display screen, the computer comprising means of processing the various information obtained from the databases, from the sensors and from the interface means, said processing means arranged so as to provide on the display screen a synthetic image of the terrain comprising a representation of the final destination in the form of an air sock of aeronautical type. | 03-11-2010 |
20100082187 | AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DISPLAYING A TOUCHDOWN POINT - A display system for an aircraft includes a processing unit configured to determine a touchdown point for the aircraft and to supply display commands associated with the touchdown point; and a display device coupled the processing unit and configured to receive the display commands and operable to render symbology representing the touchdown point. | 04-01-2010 |
20100114411 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETERMINING AIRCRAFT HARD LANDING EVENTS FROM INERTIAL AND AIRCRAFT REFERENCE FRAME DATA - This invention allows for the precise determination of an aircraft's landing conditions and whether an aircraft has experienced a hard landing that exceeds the allowable design loads of the aircraft's landing gear. The system comprises a computer that measures signals from an inertial measurement unit (IMU) at high data rates (e.g. 100 Hz) and also records signals from the aircraft avionics data bus. The computer compares the output from the inertial measurement unit's accelerometers against at least one predetermined threshold parameter to determine whether the aircraft's three dimensional landing deceleration is safely within the design allowances or other regulatory limitations, or whether the landing event needs further investigation. | 05-06-2010 |
20100121504 | AIRCRAFT LANDING GEAR MONITORING APPARATUS - An apparatus is disclosed for monitoring the load on at least one part of an aircraft landing gear during landing of the aircraft. The apparatus comprises a housing containing a sensor which senses a parameter indicative of the load in the part of the landing gear, a processor which receives signals from the sensor and processes the signals to produce data representative of the parameter measured by the sensor, a battery which provides electrical power to the processor, a memory for storing measurement data from the processor, and a wireless transmitter which is controlled by the processor. The wireless transmitter is arranged to transmit at least some of the measurement data from the processor to a remote device located outside of the housing. | 05-13-2010 |
20100152933 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE GROUND PROXIMITY DETECTION, LANDING AND DESCENT - A proximity detector, unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), and method for outputting a displacement are provided. The proximity detector includes a velocity sensor, a displacement sensor, and integration logic. The integration login is configured to receive displacement values from the displacement sensor and integrate velocity values received from the velocity sensor. Based on the integrated velocity value and a first displacement value, the integration logic determines an estimated displacement value. A difference is determined between the estimated displacement value and a second displacement value. If the difference is less than a difference threshold, the second displacement value is output. The UAV and/or other vehicles may utilize the proximity sensor to provide data for vehicle control and operation, including maneuvering and landing the vehicle. | 06-17-2010 |
20100168939 | MODULE FOR INTEGRATED APPROACH TO AN OFFSHORE FACILITY - A system and method to facilitate approach of a VTOL aircraft to an offshore facility includes inputting a waypoint for a landing platform of an offshore facility into an aircraft module, inputting an offset distance from the landing platform into the aircraft module, inputting a minimum descent height into an aircraft module, and inputting a final approach inbound course toward the landing platform into the aircraft module. | 07-01-2010 |
20100191394 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR ASSISTING IN THE PILOTING OF AN AIRCRAFT DURING A LANDING - Method and device for assisting in the piloting of an aircraft during a landing. | 07-29-2010 |
20100228408 | Helicopter ship board landing system - A system for maneuvering an aircraft for operations in connection with a sea-going vessel, the vessel having a designated area for landings and sling-load operations. Each of the aircraft has a navigation unit (INU) comprising a GPS receiver and an inertial navigation unit. The INU's are updated by data from the GPS receivers and the data from the shipboard unit's GPS receiver and INU are transmitted to the aircraft. The aircraft performs RTK calculations to determine a vector to the shipboard GPS antennas and modifies the vector with data from the INU's. | 09-09-2010 |
20100228409 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR POWERED DESCENT GUIDANCE - A method and apparatus for landing a spacecraft having thrusters with non-convex constraints is described. The method first computes a solution to a minimum error landing problem for a convexified constraints, then applies that solution to a minimum fuel landing problem for convexified constraints. The result is a solution that is a minimum error and minimum fuel solution that is also a feasible solution to the analogous system with non-convex thruster constraints. | 09-09-2010 |
20100299004 | SYSTEM AND METHOD TO ASSIST IN THE BRAKING OF AN AIRCRAFT ON A LANDING RUNWAY - A system includes a means of acquiring the position of the aircraft on the runway and its speed in the taxiing phase, a means of storing data concerning the runway and a predefined deceleration law, a function for calculating the distance that the aircraft will have traveled on the runway when it has reached a certain speed and/or the speed that it will have reached when it has traveled a certain distance: the calculated distance makes it possible to adapt the braking by comparison with the distance remaining to reach the end of the runway; the calculated distance makes it possible to adapt the braking by comparison with the distance remaining to reach the end of the runway; the calculated speed makes it possible to adapt the braking by comparison with the maximum speed to take the exit. | 11-25-2010 |
20100299005 | SYSTEM AND METHOD TO ASSIST IN THE BRAKING OF AN AIRCRAFT ON A LANDING RUNWAY - A system includes a means of acquiring the position of the aircraft on the runway and its speed in the taxiing phase, a means of storing data concerning the runway and a predefined deceleration law, a function for calculating the distance that the aircraft will have traveled on the runway when it has reached a certain speed and/or the speed that it will have reached when it has traveled a certain distance: the calculated distance makes it possible to adapt the braking by comparison with the distance remaining to reach the end of the runway; the calculated distance makes it possible to adapt the braking by comparison with the distance remaining to reach the end of the runway; the calculated speed makes it possible to adapt the braking by comparison with the maximum speed to take the exit. | 11-25-2010 |
20100305786 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR APPROACH DECISION DISPLAY - Approach Decision Display and associated methods and systems are disclosed. A method and system in accordance to one embodiment of the disclosure includes a display of operationally-relevant information for final approach and landing on a cockpit graphical display. Approach Decision Display System (ADDS) provides, in a graphical display, dynamic decision parameters as a function of the health of required equipment for the selected approach and the aircraft's ability to execute the approach and landing. | 12-02-2010 |
20110015810 | System for automatically landing aircraft using image signals and method of controlling the same - Disclosed herein are a system for automatically landing an aircraft using image signals and a method of controlling the system. The system includes an altimeter installed on the aircraft; a landing mark placed at a landing location on a landing runway; a camera installed on the aircraft, oriented toward the front of the aircraft, and configured to detect the shape of the landing mark in image information form; and a FCC configured to calculate the angle between the aircraft and the ground, the ground range and the slant range between the aircraft and the landing location using the altitude information measured by the altimeter, the image information of the landing mark captured by the camera, angle information composed of the pitch, roll and yaw angles of the aircraft, and the angle of entry into the landing runway, and configured to control the automatic landing of the aircraft. | 01-20-2011 |
20110022251 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR AIDING THE LATERAL CONTROL OF AN AIRCRAFT DURING AN APPROACH PHASE - An assistance method and device for lateral control of an aircraft upon an approach phase is disclosed. The device ( | 01-27-2011 |
20110035082 | FLIGHT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM, PROCESS, AND PROGRAM PRODUCT ENABLING DYNAMIC SWITCHING BETWEEN NON-PRECISION APPROACH MODES - Embodiments of a process and a program product are provided suitable for implantation by a flight management system (FMS), which is deployed onboard an aircraft and including a display device and a user interface. The FMS operable in a plurality of non-precision approach modes. In one embodiment, the process includes the steps of: (i) receiving data via the user interface designating an approach in a flight plan; (ii) enabling the pilot to utilize the user interface to select a non-precision approach mode from the plurality of non-precision approach modes if the designated approach is a non-precision approach; and (iii) placing the FMS in the selected non-precision approach mode during the designated approach. | 02-10-2011 |
20110046825 | ESTIMATION OF A CRITERION OF LOAD TO WHICH A STRUCTURAL COMPONENT OF AN AIRCRAFT IS SUBJECTED, AND ASSISTANCE FOR THE DETECTION OF A SO-CALLED "HARD" LANDING BY VIRTUE OF SUCH A CRITERION - The present invention relates to methods and systems for estimating a loading criterion relating to the load (C) experienced by a structural component ( | 02-24-2011 |
20110066307 | Procedure for Automatically Landing an Aircraft - A procedure and system are provided for automatically landing an aircraft, particularly an unmanned aircraft on a moving, particularly floating landing platform, for example, on an aircraft carrier, the aircraft being equipped with an automatic navigation device and an automatic landing control device. The procedure includes detecting the position of an intended landing spot, detecting motion data of the landing platform, determining at least one imminent point in time at which the landing spot takes up a reference position, transmitting the point in time and the reference position of the landing spot to the landing control device of the aircraft, and controlling the aircraft such that it reaches the landing spot at the point in time. | 03-17-2011 |
20110087387 | Platform Health Monitoring System - A method and apparatus are present for monitoring a platform. Information from monitoring the platform is received from a sensor network and a number of systems associated with the platform. A plurality of observations is formed from the information. A profile is created from the plurality of observations in which the profile is used to monitor the platform. | 04-14-2011 |
20110087388 | AUTOMATIC DISPLAY OF APPROACH MINIMUMS - A system installed in an aircraft automatically retrieves and displays approach minimum data to the pilot, thereby relieving him or her of the burden of searching for the desired information. The display of the data may take the form of a complete or partial image of a published approach chart. In a variation, the system may both automatically retrieve and automatically enter the desired data into the flight plan, thereby relieving the pilot of both the searching and data-entry tasks. The system may include a database, a screen, a control, and a controller. | 04-14-2011 |
20110098872 | Method and Apparatus for Providing a Runway Landing System - One non-limiting but advantageous aspect of the present invention relates to improved airport efficiency and capacity through higher utilization of a primary runway. The improvements derive from the use of one or more high-speed exit ramps that interconnect the primary runway to a high-speed landing way running parallel to the primary runway. The high-speed exit ramp(s) enable a landing aircraft to negotiate a high-speed transition from the primary runway to the high-speed landing way, so that the aircraft completes its landing roll out and transition to taxiing speeds on the high-speed landing way rather than the primary runway. In at least one embodiment, a computerized landing controller indicates to pilots of landing aircraft whether their aircraft are permitted to take a high-speed exit ramp via control of an associated high-speed exit lighting system. | 04-28-2011 |
20110106343 | AIRPORT LIGHTING AID SIMULATION SYSTEM - An airport lighting aid simulation system comprises a data storage unit configured to store lighting aid data relating to a plurality of airports. The lighting aid data indicates a type and a location of an airport lighting aid at a runway at each airport. The system also includes a display unit and a processing unit operatively connected to both the data storage device and the display unit. The processing unit is configured to receive an input signal indicative of a target runway, to retrieve a sub-set of the lighting aid data from the data storage unit, the sub-set being indicative of a target runway lighting aid, and to control the display unit to display a target runway description. The system enables a pilot to determine whether a visible runway is the target runway by comparing a view from an aircraft as the aircraft approaches the visible runway with the target runway description. | 05-05-2011 |
20110106344 | Relative Speed Gauge Intended for the Monitoring of a Pilotless Aircraft - The device for checking speed intended for an aircraft ready to land on deck on a moving vehicle, the aircraft having a current vertical speed, called the first speed, and a threshold value of vertical downward speed relating to the vertical speed of the moving vehicle, called the “low threshold”, the ship having an absolute vertical speed, called the second speed, comprises a display and means for receiving data originating from the aircraft, notably its vertical absolute speed. The device includes a calculator making it possible to generate on the display a graduated speed gauge including a fixed cursor indicating the first vertical speed and a second moving cursor indicating the speed of the ship, a third moving cursor indicating the low threshold, the graduation being centred around the value of the first vertical speed. | 05-05-2011 |
20110118910 | Decision Aid Device for Assisting the Landing of an Aircraft on the Deck of a Ship - A device for aiding the deck-landing of an aircraft, the aircraft being controlled remotely from a mobile station, such as a ship, includes means for receiving data from the aircraft, notably attitudes of the aircraft, the aircraft hovering ready to land on deck, the deck-landing decision having to be taken under certain conditions that must all be met, the device including a computer making it possible to deliver temporal indicators indicating that all the conditions are met. The device includes a temporal gauge including a temporal graduation indicating mobile graphical zones representing the periods during which all the conditions are met for authorizing a deck-landing. | 05-19-2011 |
20110130898 | Method and System for Assisting in the Landing or the Decking of a Light Aircraft - The present invention relates to a method and a system for assisting in the landing or the decking of a light aircraft, the method being implemented by a system comprising a device on the ground for locating the aircraft, the aircraft having an onboard signal sender, the method comprising at least the following steps: the locating device on the ground uses signals sent by the sender to determine the position and/or movement of the aircraft; said device transmits the previously determined aircraft position and/or movement data to the aircraft; display means show at least some of said data made accessible to the pilot of the aircraft. The invention applies in particular to the field of civil light aeronautics, notably for facilitating the landing of pleasure aeroplanes, small transport aeroplanes and helicopters. | 06-02-2011 |
20110166723 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR AIDING THE PILOTING OF AN AIRCRAFT DURING A LANDING - Method and device for aiding the piloting of an aircraft during a landing phase. The device ( | 07-07-2011 |
20110184595 | Method And Device For Aiding The Piloting Of An Aircraft During A Final Approach Phase - Method and device for aiding the piloting of an aircraft during a final approach phase. | 07-28-2011 |
20110231037 | HARD-LANDING OCCURRENCE DETERMINATION SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AIRCRAFT - A method for determining a hard-landing occurrence for an aircraft has sensors at selected positions of the aircraft. A model defining critical points throughout the aircraft is obtained. Data is received from the sensors when the aircraft lands. Diagnosis values for all critical points of the aircraft are calculated by applying the model to the data from the sensors. The diagnosis values are compared to threshold values for the critical points of the aircraft. A hard-landing occurrence is determined from the comparison between the diagnosis value and the threshold value. A hard-landing occurrence determination system for an aircraft is also provided. Sensors at selected positions of the aircraft provide data related to accelerations at landing of the aircraft. A diagnosis processor unit determines the hard-landing occurrence, and comprises a model database, a threshold database and a threshold comparator. A hard-landing occurrence interface signals a hard-landing occurrence. | 09-22-2011 |
20110246003 | Approach Phase Monitoring System for an Aircraft - The invention relates to a monitoring system dedicated to the landing of an aircraft including means of receiving navigation data, means of receiving a plurality of landing area monitoring information, and display means representing, by various symbols, the landing area and the monitoring information, including means of determining a plurality of successive approach phases constituting the landing procedure and of signalling the current approach phase, means of calculating a plurality of cartographic scale factors of the landing area, and means of selecting monitoring information to be displayed for each approach phase. The display means represent the landing area according to a changing cartographic scale factor and the selected monitoring information by symbols that also change, the cartographic scale factor and the symbols changing automatically according to the current approach phase. | 10-06-2011 |
20110264312 | Determining Landing Sites for Aircraft - A routing tool is disclosed. The routing tool is configured to determine a landing site for an aircraft by receiving flight data. The routing tool identifies at least one landing site proximate to a flight path and generates a spanning tree between the landing site and the flight path. According to some embodiments, the landing sites are determined in real-time during flight. Additionally, the landing sites may be determined at the aircraft or at a remote system or device in communication with the aircraft. In some embodiments, the routing tool generates one or more spanning trees before flight. The spanning trees may be based upon a flight plan, and may be stored in a data storage device. Methods and computer readable media are also disclosed. | 10-27-2011 |
20110264313 | FLIGHT PLANNING WITH DIGITAL NOTAM - Provided are methods and systems for the automatic assessment and presentation of data on a display device that describes the operational impact on mission critical parameters resulting from a change in a vehicle's mission plan. The change in mission plan may be inputted manually by the vehicle operator but may also be received electronically and automatically over a data up link from an outside authority. | 10-27-2011 |
20110264314 | GROUND PROXIMITY SENSOR - An unmanned aerial vehicle comprises a housing, a rotor that is rotated to propel the housing, a pressure sensor that generates a signal indicative of an air pressure proximate a bottom surface of the housing, and a processor configured to determine, based on the signal, when an increase in air pressure proximate the bottom surface is greater than or equal to a threshold value associated with the ground effect of the rotor, wherein the processor controls the rotor to cease rotating or decrease rotational speed to land the unmanned aerial vehicle upon determining that the increase in pressure is greater than or equal to the threshold value. | 10-27-2011 |
20110295450 | APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR DISPLAYING AND RECEIVING TACTICAL AND STRATEGIC FLIGHT GUIDANCE INFORMATION - Methods and apparatuses for displaying and receiving tactical and strategic flight guidance information are disclosed. A method in accordance with one aspect of the invention includes displaying at least one first indicator to an operator of the aircraft, with a first indicator corresponding to a first instruction input by the operator for directing a first aircraft behavior and implemented upon receiving an activation instruction from the operator. At least one second indicator corresponding to a second instruction for directing a second aircraft behavior at least proximately the same as the first aircraft behavior is displayed, with the at least one second instruction to be automatically implemented at a future time. The at least one second indicator is at least approximately the same as the at least one first indicator. Indicators can be hierarchically organized to simplify presentation and reduce pilot training time. | 12-01-2011 |
20110307126 | MEASURING OF A LANDING PLATFORM OF A SHIP - A system for predicting the movement of a surface for autonomous landing of unmanned aerial vehicles thereon. At least two beam emitters are each movable to measure along at least one line on the surface. The lines measured by the two beam emitters are crossed so that they have at least one point of intersection in common. A control module. A detector is configured to detect reflected beams. A processor is configured to process measurements including estimating continuously a plane to the surface by measurements during a time interval. A storage module is configured to store the processed measurements. | 12-15-2011 |
20110313600 | INTEGRATED APPROACH NAVIGATION SYSTEM, METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT - Systems, computer program products, and methods for displaying navigation performance based flight path deviation information during the final approach segment to a runway and during landing of non-precision flight modes are provided. Improved graphical depictions of navigation performance based flight path deviation information provide pilots and flight crew members with clear, concise displays of the dynamic relationship between ANP and RNP, mode and aspect of flight and related procedures, intersecting flight paths, and current actual flight path deviation from a predefined flight path during the final approach segment to a runway and during landing. For example, an enhanced IAN display may include NPS-type deviation scales to show RNP/ANP relationships and predetermined RNP markers to alert the pilots and flight crew members that the FMC has transitioned from an NPS display for RNAV (LNAV/VNAV) flight procedures to an enhanced IAN display for a non-precision (non-xLS) approach and/or landing. | 12-22-2011 |
20110320070 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ADJUSTING TARGET APPROACH SPEED - Systems and methods for adjusting target approach speed for use in a “Too Fast” approach to landing condition. An exemplary system stores predefined maximum wind setting and a predefined reference speed and a pilot set bug speed value. A processing device sets a target speed equal to the bug speed, if the bug speed is less than the reference speed plus a value associated with a predefined maximum wind setting, and sets the target speed equal to the reference speed plus the max wind added value, if the manual bug speed is not less than the reference speed plus the max wind added value. An output device outputs an alert if the received aircraft speed is greater than the set target speed plus a predefined error value when the received aircraft location is within a threshold value of a touchdown point. | 12-29-2011 |
20120022727 | SYSTEM AND METHOD OF ASSISTED AERIAL NAVIGATION - A system and method of providing aerial navigation for an aircraft comprises presenting an enlarged virtual runway for an identified runway on a display, where the virtual area of the virtual runway remains substantially constant as the aircraft approaches the runway. | 01-26-2012 |
20120035789 | ENHANCED FLIGHT VISION SYSTEM FOR ENHANCING APPROACH RUNWAY SIGNATURES - Methods and apparatus are provided for visually enhancing approach runway signatures on en Enhanced Flight Vision System (EFVS). The EFVS may retrieve a location and an approach course for a runway, display, on the EFVS, a representation of the runway and the approach course for the runway relative to a position of the aircraft, define an area, along the approach course and before a first end of the runway, where the approach runway signature should be located, and visually enhance, on the EFVS, the defined area. | 02-09-2012 |
20120095625 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ALERTING POTENTIAL TAILSTRIKE DURING LANDING - Systems and methods for alerting for potential tailstrike during landing. A processing device located onboard an aircraft determines whether the aircraft is in a landing operational mode. If the aircraft is determined within the landing operational mode, the processing device determines whether aircraft speed is less than a previously defined threshold speed and generates an alert signal if it is determined that the aircraft's speed is less than the previously defined threshold speed. An output device located onboard the aircraft, outputs an alert based on the generated alert signal. | 04-19-2012 |
20120109428 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR COMPUTING FLIGHT TIME FROM AN EQUI-DISTANCE POINT TO A REFERENCE POINT - A system and method for computing flight time from an equi-distance point (EDP) to a reference point is disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of a flight management system (FMS) of an aircraft for computing flight time from an EDP to a reference point for an emergency landing of the aircraft includes receiving at least two reference points for landing the aircraft upon an occurrence of an emergency and determining a remaining flight path for the aircraft based on a current location of the aircraft and a flight plan serviced by the FMS. Further, the method includes generating the EDP for the aircraft by locating a point in the remaining flight path, and calculating an expected flight time of the aircraft from the EDP to each of the at least two reference points based on a plurality of factors affecting the flight time of the aircraft. | 05-03-2012 |
20120130566 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR FACILITATING AUTONOMOUS LANDING OF AERIAL VEHICLES ON A SURFACE - A system for facilitating autonomous landing of aerial vehicles on a surface. A beam emitter is directed downwards. A control module is configured to govern the vehicle. A processor processes image data. The beam emitter is arranged to emit simultaneously at least four beams directed towards the surface in order to project a pattern thereon. One beam emitter of the at least four beam emitters is placed in the center. An image capturing module captures subsequent images of the pattern. | 05-24-2012 |
20120158221 | EMERGENCY AIRCRAFT LANDING SYSTEMS AND METHODS - Emergency aircraft landing systems and methods are described. In one aspect, an emergency landing apparatus includes a support structure for a fuselage and wings of an aircraft and a control system. The control system includes a processor and a memory containing computer program instructions executable by the processor. Execution of the computer program instructions causes an interface on the aircraft to exchange information between an aircraft guidance and control system on the aircraft and the control system. The computer program instructions further synchronize the speed and position of the emergency aircraft landing apparatus on a runway with the speed and flight path of the aircraft. | 06-21-2012 |
20120158222 | CENTERING ABOVE A PREDETERMINED AREA OF A LANDING PLATFORM - A system arranged in an aerial vehicle for determining the position of the aerial vehicle relative to a center of a remote predetermined landing area arranged on a surface. A beam emitter is configured to emit beams towards the surface. A detector is configured to detect the beams reflected from the surface. A control is configured to control the beam emitter to emit beams onto the surface to form a plurality of lines thereon. A processor is configured to detect at least one edge providing a difference in height relative to the surface based on the detected reflected line forming beams. The edge substantially surrounds the predetermined landing area. The processor is further configured to determine the position of the aerial vehicle relative to the center of the remote predetermined landing area based on the detected at least one edge. | 06-21-2012 |
20120265375 | IDENTIFICATION OF SHIP STATE TONAL PARAMETERS FOR USE IN RELATIVE GPS SHIPBOARD LANDING SYSTEMS - A method and system for identification of ship state tonal parameters during an approach and landing of an aircraft on a ship is provided. The method comprises determining whether ship state data is available to the aircraft prior to landing of the aircraft, and when the ship state data is available to the aircraft, receiving the ship state data at the aircraft and estimating tonal parameters of the ship state data. When the ship state data is not available to the aircraft, a determination is made whether a ship tonal parameter estimation is complete. When the ship tonal parameter estimation is complete, ship state data is estimated using any last received ship state data and estimates of the ship tonal parameters. One or more relative navigation algorithms are then run using the received ship state data or the estimated ship state data to safely land the aircraft on the ship. | 10-18-2012 |
20120265376 | Airplane Position Assurance Monitor - An onboard monitor that ensures the accuracy of data representing the calculated position of an airplane during final approach to a runway. This airplane position assurance monitor is a software function that uses dissimilar sources of airplane position and runway data to ensure the accuracy of the respective data from those dissimilar sources. ILS data and GPS or GPS/Baro data are the dissimilar sources of airplane position data used by this function. This function will calculate the airplane's angular deviations from the runway centerline and from the glide slope with onboard equipment and then compares those angular deviations to the ILS angular deviation information. | 10-18-2012 |
20120277936 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE PREDICTIONS FOR DESCENT AND APPROACH PHASES - A system and method for aircraft performance predictions for descent and approach phases are disclosed. In one embodiment, cruise computation is stopped substantially around a default distance from a destination. Further, current predicted aircraft state is determined using a total energy of the aircraft starting from the default distance. Furthermore, descent and approach phase profiles are computed using the determined current predicted aircraft state. In addition, the aircraft performance predictions are obtained using the computed descent and approach phase profiles. | 11-01-2012 |
20120277937 | Method and device of calculating aircraft braking friction and other relating landing performance parameters based on the data received from aircraft's on board flight data management system - This invention relates to a method and apparatus for the calculation of aircraft braking friction and other relating landing parameters, including but not limited to aircraft braking action, aircraft takeoff distance, aircraft landing distance, runway surface conditions and runway surface friction based on the data collected by and available in the aircraft Flight Data Recorder (FDR) or other flight data management system, for example, the Quick Access Recorder (QAR), to provide all involved personnel in the ground operations of an airport and airline operations, including but not limited to aircraft pilots, airline operation officers and airline managers as well as airport operators, managers and maintenance crews, with the most accurate and most recent information on the true aircraft landing performance parameters to help better and more accurate safety and economical decision making. | 11-01-2012 |
20120310452 | DEVICE FOR STABILISING THE GUIDANCE OF A VEHICLE - The invention relates to a device ( | 12-06-2012 |
20130030613 | EVALUATING AIRPORT RUNWAY CONDITIONS IN REAL TIME - A computer-implemented method, system, and/or computer program product evaluates a real-time condition of a construct of an airport runway. A processor receives a set of temporally-spaced runway vibrations. This set of temporally-spaced runway vibrations is measured by a set of smart sensors on an airport runway after a landing aircraft touches down on the airport runway. Using data that describes the set of temporally-spaced runway vibrations as inputs to an analysis algorithm, a real-time physical condition of a construct of the airport runway is determined. | 01-31-2013 |
20130030614 | METHOD FOR DETECTING THE LANDING QUALITY OF AN AIRCRAFT - The present invention relates to a method for detecting landing quality of an aircraft, comprising: determining whether a vertical speed rate is greater than a first preset value or a vertical acceleration is greater than a second value when the aircraft landing; collecting landing data; generating a landing message based on collected landing data in response to that the vertical speed rate is greater than the first preset value or the vertical acceleration is greater than the second value when the aircraft landing; storing or transmitting the landing message; and determining the landing quality of the aircraft based on the landing data in the landing message. | 01-31-2013 |
20130079958 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DETERMINING THE POSITION OF AN AIRCRAFT DURING ITS APPROACH TO A LANDING RUNWAY - A method for guiding an aircraft during its final approach to a landing runway, whereby the aircraft is guided during its approach by aircraft position information obtained from an GNSS satellite navigation system, wherein: prior to the start of the final approach a first time t | 03-28-2013 |
20130138274 | Flight Control System Mode And Method Providing Aircraft Speed Control Through The Usage Of Momentary On-Off Control - A longitudinal control law is designed to optimize the flying qualities when aircraft is set to approach configuration, i.e. when the flap lever is set to the landing position and landing gears are locked down. Under such circumstances, the effort of trimming the aircraft speed can be extremely reduced by the usage of a momentary on-off switch or other control in the sidestick, instead of or in addition to a conventional trim up-down switch, making easier the task of airspeed selection by the pilot. This control law provides excellent handling qualities during approach and landing, with the benefit of not needing or using radio altimeter information in safety-critical applications. | 05-30-2013 |
20130138275 | SYSTEM FOR GUIDING AN AIRCRAFT TO A REFERENCE POINT IN LOW VISIBILITY CONDITIONS - A method of visually guiding a pilot flying an aircraft using one or more conformal symbols whose position is dynamically updated throughout the guidance is provided herein. The method includes the following stages: determining a desired flight route of an aircraft, based on a user-selected maneuver; presenting to a pilot, on a display, at least one 3D visual symbol that is: (i) earth-space stabilized, and (ii) positioned along a future location along the desired route; computing an updated desired route based on repeatedly updated aircraft flight data that include at least one of: location, speed, and spatial angle, of the aircraft; and repeating the presenting of the at least one 3D visual symbol with its updated location along the updated desired route. | 05-30-2013 |
20130173092 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR ISSUING A HARD LANDING WARNING AND PROVIDING MAINTENANCE ADVISORIES FOR HARD LANDING INCIDENTS - An aircraft is provided. The aircraft may include, but is not limited to, an accelerometer configured to measure a deceleration experienced by the aircraft and a processor coupled to the accelerometer. The processor may be configured to determine if the aircraft experienced a hard landing if the deceleration experienced by the aircraft was greater than a predetermined threshold, and generate a maintenance advisory if the aircraft experienced a hard landing. | 07-04-2013 |
20130179011 | EMERGENCY LANDING ZONE RECOGNITION - Systems and methods for automatically identifying one or more candidate emergency landing sites to a pilot of an aircraft are described. The candidate emergency landing sites lie within a current flight-capable range of an aircraft, and may include non-airfield landing sites. The candidate sites may be calculated by an on-board processing system. Various types of data, such as digital terrain elevation data, ground-cover data, hostile-threat data, surface-water data, aircraft parameter data, and flight-obstacle data may be used by an on-board processing system to calculate one or more candidate emergency landing sites suitable for landing the aircraft. A pilot may initiate an emergency landing site identification process during in-flight distress via a button, touch-sensitive screen, or voice-recognition input. The systems and methods may be useful in combat scenarios. | 07-11-2013 |
20130184904 | VEHICLE OPERATOR DISPLAY AND ASSISTIVE MECHANISMS - Detailed are assistive mechanisms for vehicle operators designed to reduce risks associated with degraded landing and other situations. Some mechanisms may include a display with a visual indicator located within the peripheral field of view of an operator. Aural alerts may also be employed. Information suggesting degradation of, for example, ground deceleration performance may alert the operator to perform unusual or abnormal actions to mitigate hazards produced by the performance degradation. | 07-18-2013 |
20130197727 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR AIDING THE PILOTING OF AN AIRCRAFT DURING A LANDING PHASE - Method and device for aiding the piloting of an airplane during a landing phase for ensuring, during rollout on a landing runway, that in the nominal case the airplane will stop level with a selected exit, while guaranteeing that in the case of a fault the airplane will stop before the end of the runway. | 08-01-2013 |
20130218374 | DISPLAY SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING A DISPLAY - A flight display system and method for generating a flight display. A method for generating a flight display includes determining a position of an aircraft with reference to an airport, calculating a distance required for the aircraft to decelerate and descend for entering a final approach gate of the airport in a stabilized configuration, comparing the position of the aircraft with the distance required for the aircraft to decelerate and descend, and generating a flight display comprising an advisory based on a result of the comparing. A flight display system includes a database, an electronic display device, and a computer processor. The database and the electronic display device are in operable communication with the computer processor for displaying the flight display on the electronic display device. | 08-22-2013 |
20130238174 | METHOD OF CORRECTING A LATERAL TRAJECTORY ON APPROACH AS A FUNCTION OF THE ENERGY TO BE REABSORBED - In the field of the calculation of the approach trajectory of an aircraft, and relating to a method for determining a corrected lateral approach trajectory as a function of the energy to be reabsorbed before the landing, and also to a flight management system making it possible to determine the corrected lateral trajectory, a method comprises: determining an energy of the aircraft E | 09-12-2013 |
20130261854 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPLAYING REMAINING RUNWAY DISTANCE DURING A LANDING-AND-HOLD-SHORT PROCEDURE - A system and method for enhancing situational awareness onboard an aircraft comprises displaying a marker on a cockpit display visually and textually representing the distance remaining to a LAHSO line on an airport runway. The system comprises a flight deck display and a processor operatively coupled to the flight deck display and configured to (1) render a display of the runway on the flight deck display, and (2) render markers on the display visually and textually representing distance remaining on the runway to a LAHSO line. | 10-03-2013 |
20130261855 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DYNAMICALLY DETERMINING RUNWAY STOPPING DISTANCE - A system for providing a visual indication of a predicted stopping point to an aircraft crew during landing or an aborted take-off attempt includes a ground based transceiver to determine aircraft position along a runway, a processor to determine deceleration of aircraft, and a ground based visual display. The transceiver is located adjacent to the runway to capture the location of an aircraft along the runway and to convey that information to the processor. The processor continually compares the location of the aircraft on the runway to project a stopping point for the aircraft based on current conditions. The stopping point is conveyed to the crew by the ground based visual display. | 10-03-2013 |
20130282208 | POINT CLOUD VISUALIZATION OF ACCEPTABLE HELICOPTER LANDING ZONES BASED ON 4D LIDAR - A processor calculates a safe landing zone for an aircraft. The processor executes the following steps: (a) converting 4D point cloud data into Cartesian coordinates to form a height map of a region; (b) segmenting the height map to form boundaries of an object in the region; and (c) determining maximum height within the boundaries of the object. Also included are (d) determining if the maximum height is greater than a predetermined height to form a vertical obstruction (VO) in the region; and (e) determining if the VO is in the line of sight (LOS) of the aircraft to classify the landing zone as safe or unsafe. The processor further includes the step of: (f) forming a slope map over the height map. | 10-24-2013 |
20130282209 | Vertical Required Navigation Performance Containment with Radio Altitude - A monitor on-board an aircraft which uses radio altitude measurements as the basic observable altitude during runway approach. The basic concept utilizes the aircraft's navigation system, which includes means to store and retrieve radio altitude thresholds as a function of the distance along the desired path from the runway thresholds. These threshold functions are determined in advance based on a radio altitude reference which is defined as the expected radio altimeter measurement that would be made if the airplane were exactly on the desired reference path. Vertical containment monitoring is achieved by comparing the radio altitude measurement to computed thresholds for both too high and too low. During the approach, an annunciation message can be generated if the radio altitude measurement is above or below the threshold limits. | 10-24-2013 |
20130304284 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR REPRESENTING MISSED APPROACH INFORMATION IN PERSPECTIVE VIEW ON A COCKPIT DISPLAY - A method is provided for displaying information on a display device of an aircraft. The method comprises determining graphics data for visual aids that represent missed approach data; incorporating the graphics data into a user interface that is in perspective view; and generating the user interface for display on the display device of the aircraft. | 11-14-2013 |
20130304285 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR AIDING THE FLIGHT MANAGEMENT OF AN AIRCRAFT DURING A LANDING PHASE - A device aiding the flight management of an aircraft during a phase of landing on an airport includes means for automatically determining an adaptive aiming point that is shifted along the runway in the downstream direction and which can be used by different usual landing aid means of the aircraft. | 11-14-2013 |
20130325221 | Takeoff/Landing Touchdown Protection Management System - An air/ground contact logic management system for use with fly-by-wire control systems in an aircraft. The system includes a first sensor configured to provide an output signal to determine when the aircraft is in a transition region. A logic management system is in communication with the first sensor and is configured to receive and process the output signal and classify a mode of the aircraft. A controller receives signal data from the logic management system and communicates with a control axis actuator to regulate a level of control authority provided to a pilot. The control authority is individually regulated within each integrator as a result of the individual landing gear states. | 12-05-2013 |
20130345911 | Computer network for calculating aircraft cornering friction based on data received from an aircraft's on board flight data management system - This invention relates to a computer network for calculating the true aircraft cornering friction coefficient of an aircraft runway or taxiway using the data collected by and available in the aircraft Flight Data Recorder (FDR) or other flight data management system, for example, the Quick Access Recorder (QAR). The invention may optionally distribute to personnel in the ground operations of an airport and airline operations, including but not limited to aircraft pilots, airline operation officers and airline managers as well as airport operators, managers and maintenance crews, the most accurate and most recent information concerning the true aircraft cornering friction coefficient to aid in making better and more accurate safety and economical decisions. | 12-26-2013 |
20140081484 | Landing Point Indication System - According to one embodiment, a landing point indication system includes an image provider, a rotorcraft position provider, a pilot image generation system, and a display device. The image provider is operable to provide a visual representation of an area underneath a rotorcraft. The rotorcraft position provider is operable to provide information indicating a position of the rotorcraft. The pilot image generation system is operable to generate a supplemented visual representation. The supplemented visual representation includes the visual representation of the area underneath the aircraft and information indicating a position of the rotorcraft relative to the visual representation. The display device is operable to display the supplemented visual representation within the rotorcraft. | 03-20-2014 |
20140081485 | METHODS FOR DISPLAYING AIRCRAFT PROCEDURE INFORMATION - Methods are provided for presenting procedure information for an airport on a display device onboard an aircraft. A method comprises displaying a map on a display device and displaying a briefing panel overlying a portion the map. The briefing panel includes a plurality of segments, wherein each segment is associated with a type of procedure information for the airport. | 03-20-2014 |
20140107872 | Method and device for communicating true runway braking performance using data from the flight data management systems of landed aircraft - A computer network for calculating a value for the true braking coefficient of friction for an aircraft runway or taxiway using data from one or more aircraft's flight data recorders or flight data management systems, and reporting the calculated value information to individuals and agencies including air traffic control, airport operations and maintenance, and aircraft pilots and ground crews is described and claimed herein. The data may be obtained in real-time by either an onboard or an off-aircraft high-power computing system, calculating the aircraft's true braking coefficient of friction, and reporting the calculated information to the individuals and agencies. | 04-17-2014 |
20140107873 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING AUTOMATIC GUIDANCE OF AN AIRCRAFT DURING A COMPLETE ENGINES FAILURE - A method and system for managing automatic guidance of an aircraft during a complete engine failure. Said system includes means for monitoring engines so as to be able to detect a complete failure of the engines; means for detecting whether the aircraft is in flight; means for detecting whether the aircraft is in a different guidance mode from a guidance mode configured to make the aircraft descend with a reduced engine thrust and a fixed speed; and control means for automatically bringing guidance means of the aircraft into a guidance configuration compatible with the situation associated with the complete failure of the engines. | 04-17-2014 |
20140129058 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ENHANCING PILOT DECISION MAKING DURING LANDING IN CHALLENGING WEATHER - A system and method are provided for advising a pilot if it is safe to continue an approach to landing in adverse weather conditions. The system considers flight parameters from the flight management system, stored runway situational parameters, and weather information. The weather information may include, for example, reports, forecasts, and data collected in real time. The advice may be display as one of a plurality of recommendations based on a comparison of the weather information to a threshold. | 05-08-2014 |
20140129059 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR EXTENDING THE OPERATION OF AN UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE - A method of extending the operation of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is disclosed. The method comprises detecting that an energy storage device on board the UAV is depleted below a threshold level, landing the UAV at a base station, and initiating operation of the base station to cause a replacement mechanism thereof to remove the energy storage device on board the UAV from the UAV and to replace this with another energy storage device. | 05-08-2014 |
20140148980 | METHOD FOR DYNAMICALLY DETERMINING THE POSITION OF THE STOP POINT OF AN AIRCRAFT ON A TERRAIN, AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEM - The method according to the invention comprise the following steps, dynamic measurement of the current geographical position of the aircraft, and its current ground speed, calculation of a first length representative of a flight phase of the aircraft, and calculation of a second length representative of a ground phase of the aircraft, calculation of the position of the stop point based on the first length, the second length and the current geographical position. The calculation of the first length comprises a phase for dynamically estimating a distance traveled by the aircraft during at least part of a flare phase of the aircraft. | 05-29-2014 |
20140195077 | Systems and Methods for Runway Condition Alert and Warning - Systems and methods for runway condition alert and warning. The system can include a first measurement system disposed on a first aircraft, the first measurement system adapted to gather telemetry inputs associated with a braking action value of the first aircraft on an airport runway. The system can also include a second measurement system disposed on a second aircraft, the second measurement system adapted to gather telemetry inputs associated with a braking action value of the second aircraft on the airport runway. The system can also include a computer adapted to receive and sort the telemetry inputs from the first and second aircraft. The computer can be adapted to utilize the telemetry inputs to predict an expected future braking action value for a third aircraft scheduled to utilize the airport runway. | 07-10-2014 |
20140207315 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DISPLAYING A HELICOPTER TERRAIN INTERCEPT POINT DURING LANDING - A system and method displays an intercept point on a synthetic vision display that conforms to the flight path intercepting the terrain when the nose of the helicopter is pitched up during landing. A steep approach during landing may be detected by an evaluation of, for example, attitude of the helicopter, rate of descent, and airspeed. | 07-24-2014 |
20140222257 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING A VIRTUAL INNER MARKER FOR AN AIRCRAFT LANDING APPROACH - A system and method is disclosed for anticipating a missed approach point (MAP) during an instrument landing of an aircraft. Symbology is generated and displayed that graphically represents a lateral distance between a runway threshold and a virtual inner marker. The MAP is identified as the location of the aircraft when the symbology reaches a displayed runway threshold. | 08-07-2014 |
20140244079 | PROCEDURE FOR FACILITATING THE APPROACH TO A PLATFORM - A procedure for facilitating the approach to a platform [PF] with an aircraft [ | 08-28-2014 |
20140249702 | Configuring Landing Supports for Landing on Uneven Terrain - A system for configuring landing supports of a load to land on uneven terrain includes a terrain sensor configured to detect a terrain characteristic of the uneven terrain. The system further includes landing supports configured to support the load upon landing. The system also includes a support control device operatively coupled to the landing supports, and a landing support control computer that is operatively coupled to the terrain sensor, landing supports, and support control device. The landing support control computer may determine if landing on the uneven terrain is allowable, based on the terrain characteristic and a load characteristic of the load. Upon determining that landing on the uneven terrain is allowable, the support control device configures the landing supports for landing on the uneven terrain. | 09-04-2014 |
20140257601 | RUNWAY OVERRUN MONITOR - Disclosed is a runway alerting method and system for a landing an aircraft. The method includes determining stopping positions for the aircraft along the runway using aircraft energy state, deceleration and braking information and displaying the stopping positions on a display. A system is provided that includes a first apparatus that is configured to determine an aircraft speed relative to the ground, a second apparatus that is configured to determine the aircraft's position, and a third apparatus that can provide information about the runway of intended landing. A flight system coupled to the first and second apparatus is configured to determine a minimum and corporate stopping position for the aircraft using the aircraft speed and the position relative to the runway. The minimum and corporation stopping positions are presented to the aircraft pilot on a display to as assist the pilot in safely landing the aircraft. | 09-11-2014 |
20140257602 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR INSTRUCTING AN AIRCRAFT TO PERFORM A GO-AROUND MANEUVER - Method, and apparatus, and computer readable medium embodying the computer program product are provided for instructing a pilot of an aircraft to go-around and make another approach and landing attempt. During an approach maneuver, it is determined whether an operational parameter of the aircraft exceeds a threshold and whether the aircraft has reached a decision height altitude. A go-around instruction to the pilot when the aircraft has reached the decision height altitude and the operational parameter exceeds the threshold. | 09-11-2014 |
20140257603 | AIRCRAFT BRAKING EARLY WARNING SYSTEM - A method provides alert information, regarding an aircraft wheel braking system, to an operator of an aircraft during an aircraft landing. An input of a target deceleration rate for the landing aircraft is received prior to the aircraft having landed on a ground surface. At least one sensor electronically collects information relevant to a real-time deceleration rate of the aircraft after the aircraft has landed on the ground surface, and the real-time deceleration rate of the aircraft is calculated. The target deceleration rate is compared to the calculated deceleration rate to determine an effectiveness of the aircraft wheel braking system. A visual, audible, or tactile alert is optionally provided to the operator of the aircraft, and data from this system could also be used as an input for various other aircraft safety systems. A system for performing the method is also provided. | 09-11-2014 |
20140297068 | IDENTIFICATION AND ANALYSIS OF AIRCRAFT LANDING SITES - A method and apparatus for identifying and analysing an aircraft landing site during flight is provided. The method includes the steps of using image capture means such as an infrared camera to capture in-flight images of the ground in the region of a possible landing site, using a database of computer modelled images of possible aircraft landing sites mapped to a global co-ordinate reference frame to compare the in-flight images with a modelled image of the possible landing site and optimising correspondence between the two images to obtain an in-flight image optimally mapped to the global co-ordinate reference frame. Thereafter, the landing site which corresponds to the optimally mapped in-flight image is analysed to ascertain the presence of any obstructions such as life forms, vehicles or newly erected buildings thereon. | 10-02-2014 |
20140316617 | FLIGHT SYSTEM FOR AN AIRCRAFT HAVING AN AUTOLAND SYSTEM - A method and system for operating an aircraft having an autoflight system comprising flight guidance functionality and autoland functionality providing input to a flight control system such that both the autoflight and autoland functionality and their corresponding systems are operated at a Design Assurance Level A. | 10-23-2014 |
20140343764 | Method and System for Monitoring Aircraft Flight Phase on Approach to a Runway - The method concerns monitoring the approach phase of an aircraft to a runway. This method includes determining successive gateways of the aircraft relative to at least one characteristic point of an approach flight plan of the aircraft or relative to the landing location, and measuring the aircraft speed upon crossing a given gateway. The method further comprises computing a minimum deceleration distance up to a predetermined target speed associated with the gateway following said given gateway, the minimum deceleration distance being an estimated flight distance corresponding to the speed reduction of the aircraft from the measured speed to said target speed; comparing the computed minimum deceleration distance with the distance remaining to be flow to the following gateway; and generating an alert, intended for the aircraft crew, when the distance remaining to be flown to the following gateway is smaller than the computed minimum deceleration distance. | 11-20-2014 |
20140350754 | AIRCRAFT PRECISION APPROACH AND SHIPBOARD LANDING CONTROL SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system and method of generating a landing trajectory for use in landing an aircraft onto a deck of a waterborne ship includes sensing motion of the ship, and sensing wind speed and wind direction. The sensed motion of the ship is processed to generate estimates of ship attitude and vertical speed, and the sensed wind speed and wind direction are processed to generate estimates of air-wake disturbances ahead of the aircraft. The landing trajectory is generated based on the estimates of ship attitude and vertical speed and the estimates of air-wake disturbances. The system and method implement model predictive control to calculate the control maneuvers multiple steps ahead, which provides the capability to smoothly control the timing of the aircraft touchdown phase. | 11-27-2014 |
20140365044 | METHOD OF APPROACHING A PLATFORM - A method having a preparation stage for preparing an approach path ( | 12-11-2014 |
20140371958 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ASSISTING THE PILOTING OF AN AIRCRAFT IN LANDING PHASE - A method and system for determining local information which is dependent on a local runway state when the aircraft is in movement on the runway in order to update, in real-time, or practically in real-time, data used by a braking assistance system, according to whether the local runway state associated with the determined local information indicates a runway deterioration relative to a reference runway state used initially. | 12-18-2014 |
20150012156 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR CONFIGURING A DIRECT LIFT CONTROL SYSTEM OF A VEHICLE - Systems and methods for configuring a direct lift control system of a vehicle are disclosed. An example system provided herein includes a spoiler coupled to an aircraft, a direct lift control schedule to generate a plurality of spoiler deflection commands and a controller to control an actuator coupled to the spoiler to actuate the spoiler based on the spoiler deflection commands to modulate lift of the aircraft without using a short-period pitch control. | 01-08-2015 |
20150032299 | AUTONOMOUS AND AUTOMATIC LANDING METHOD AND SYSTEM - A system and method are disclosed for automatic landing of an aircraft on a landing runway, including an on-board video camera intended to take images of the ground, image processor to extract from these images visual features of the landing runway, guidance system determining guidance commands of the aircraft to bring it into a nominal approach plane and to align it with the axis of the landing runway, from the respective positions of the visual features of the landing runway, in at least one of the images, where the guidance commands are supplied to a flight control computer. | 01-29-2015 |
20150051758 | Method and System for Landing of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle - A method and a system for landing an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) are provided. The method for landing the UAV includes recognizing a mark installed to the UAV through a plurality of vision sensors installed around a landing point of the UAV, and calculating a relative location of the UAV based on the landing point using the mark recognized by the vision sensors. Hence, the plurality of the sensors installed near the landing point can calculate more precise location and position of the UAV using the relative location of the UAV and the absolute location of the landing point by recognizing the mark attached to the UAV, and thus the UAV can land on the landing point accurately. | 02-19-2015 |
20150081142 | On-Ground Braking Alerts for Airplanes - Systems and methods for reducing the number of runway excursions (i.e., airplanes going off the end of a runway). An alerting system is provided which alerts pilots when computer calculations indicate that current airplane braking is insufficient to keep the airplane from going off the end of the runway. The current airplane braking during rollout is evaluated using algorithms which take into account the current groundspeed of the airplane, the current deceleration rate or the maximum manual deceleration rate of the airplane, and the distance from the current position of the airplane to the end of the runway. | 03-19-2015 |
20150081143 | Systems and Methods for Assuring the Accuracy of a Synthetic Runway Presentation - Automated systems and methods that utilize high-accuracy landing system data to correct the position of a synthetic runway presentation on a pilot display. This is achieved by first computing the “synthetic” lateral and vertical rectilinear deviations of the airplane from an ideal beam using the airplane's GPS position and barometric altitude, the runway location and orientation contained in an airborne database, and approach angle information. This synthetic deviation data is then compared to rectilinear deviation data computed by the computer system as received from a ground installation. The computer system is programmed to determine the differences between the ground-based and GPS-based rectilinear deviation data and then compute a corrected position vector using those differences. The position of the synthetic runway symbology on the pilot display is adjusted as a function of the corrected position vector. | 03-19-2015 |
20150112517 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MODULATING ALERTS FOR AN INTENDED RUNWAY - A system and method provide an alert to a pilot of an aircraft aurally with a given volume and inflection, and/or visually with a text message which includes color, font, and pitch (size). The alert is rendered in distinct fashion for the expected and unexpected cases, e.g., an intended runway and an unintended runway. In a preferred embodiment, the alert for the intended runway is changed to a confirmation level, or one that is less likely to interfere with other information flow, while the alert for the unintended runway would be provided in a more conspicuous manner. | 04-23-2015 |
20150120098 | Aircraft Stopping Performance Display and Warning - A system and method for determining a predicted stopping performance of an aircraft moving on a runway. A predicted stopping force acting on the aircraft to stop the aircraft is determined by a processor unit as the aircraft is moving on the runway. A predicted deceleration of the aircraft moving on the runway is determined by the processor unit using the predicted stopping force acting on the aircraft to stop the aircraft. The predicted stopping performance of the aircraft on the runway is determined by the processor unit using the predicted deceleration of the aircraft. | 04-30-2015 |
20150120099 | AIRPLANE OFF GROUND ADVISORY SYSTEM - An airplane off ground advisory system employs at least one position sensor attached for detection of an extended condition and a compressed condition of a main landing gear. A control system receives an input from the position sensor. The control system records a toggling of the input from an extended to a compressed to an extended condition and providing an output. At least one indicator is coupled to the control system to be activated by the output. | 04-30-2015 |
20150127196 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ALERTING OF REMAINING RUNWAY UPON LANDING BASED ON DECELERATION - A system and method are provided for alerting of remaining runway based on deceleration, following, for example, a landing or discontinued takeoff. An advisory system compares the current aircraft deceleration value to a predetermined threshold value when proceeding down the runway. If the current aircraft deceleration is less than the threshold value, the runway distance remaining callouts are triggered. | 05-07-2015 |
20150316929 | Runway Traction Estimation and Reporting System - A runway traction estimation and reporting method and computer readable medium is provided. Upon detection of a landing event, a runway traction estimation and reporting method provides for various measurements and calculations to estimate the traction of the runway and create a traction map of the runway. A computer readable medium may contain instructions for a runway traction estimation and reporting processor directing the processor to perform various measurements and calculations to estimate the traction of the runway. The processor may communicate with a ground station or with other aircraft to produce collaborative results. | 11-05-2015 |
20150375871 | METHOD OF FACILITATING THE APPROACH TO A PLATFORM - A method of facilitating the approach to a platform by an aircraft, the method comprising a step of constructing a database, including for each stored platform at least one identifier of the platform, coordinates of a geometrical center of the platform, a height of the geometrical center, and the radius (OR) of a circle in which the platform lies. During a parameter-setting step, the target platform to be reached, a course to be followed, and a height parameter relative to a minimum decision altitude are determined. During a path construction step, the positions of an initial approach fix (IAF), of a final approach fix (FAF), and of a decision point (MAP) are determined by placing them in a plane that is offset relative to the platform. | 12-31-2015 |
20150375872 | METHOD OF FACILITATING THE APPROACH TO A PLATFORM - A method of facilitating the approach to a platform by an aircraft. The value of the required position integrity performance (RNP) is determined for a localization system. During an approach stage, this position integrity performance (RNP) is compared with a position integrity radius (HPL) resulting from the use of a GNSS localization system, and an alert is generated if the position integrity radius (HPL) is greater than the position integrity performance (RNP). | 12-31-2015 |
20160009413 | APPARATUS AND METHOD OF CHARGING AND HOUSING OF UNMANNED VERTICAL TAKE-OFF AND LANDING (VTOL) AIRCRAFT | 01-14-2016 |
20160012734 | SYSTEMS AND METHOD OF CONTROLLING AIRPORT TRAFFIC | 01-14-2016 |
20160027313 | ENVIRONMENTALLY-AWARE LANDING ZONE CLASSIFICATION - According to an aspect, a method of performing environmentally-aware landing zone classification for an aircraft includes receiving environmental sensor data indicative of environmental conditions external to the aircraft. Image sensor data indicative of terrain representing a potential landing zone for the aircraft are received. An environmentally-aware landing zone classification system of the aircraft evaluates the environmental sensor data to classify the potential landing zone relative to a database of landing zone types as environmentally-aware classification data. Geometric features of the potential landing zone are identified in the image sensor data as image-based landing zone classification data. The potential landing zone is classified and identified based on a fusion of the environmentally-aware classification data and the image-based landing zone classification data. A final landing zone classification is provided to landing zone selection logic of the aircraft based on the classifying and identifying of the potential landing zone. | 01-28-2016 |
20160034607 | VIDEO-ASSISTED LANDING GUIDANCE SYSTEM AND METHOD - A system and method for aiding landing of an aircraft receives sequential frames of image data of a landing site from an electro-optic sensor on the aircraft; identifies a plurality of features of the landing site in multiple sequential frames of the image data; calculates relative position and distance data between identified features within multiple sequential frames of image data using a local coordinate system within the frames; provides a mathematical 3D model of the landing site in response to the calculated relative position and distance data from the multiple sequential frames; updates the 3D model by repeating the steps of collecting, identifying, and calculating during approach to the landing site by the aircraft; and uses the 3D model from the step of updating for landing the aircraft on the landing site. | 02-04-2016 |
20160086497 | LANDING SITE TRACKER - A landing site tracker of an aircraft, including a track filter configured to process feature data representing the location of features of a candidate landing site, initialize and maintain tracks of the features as a track of the candidate site, compare geometry constraints for a landing site with the track to validate the candidate site as the landing site, and convert the track into navigation data, representing the position of the landing site, for a navigation system of the aircraft. | 03-24-2016 |
20160114905 | PROBABILISTIC SAFE LANDING AREA DETERMINATION - According to an aspect of the invention, a method of probabilistic safe landing area determination for an aircraft includes receiving sensor data indicative of current conditions at potential landing areas for the aircraft. Feature extraction on the sensor data is performed. A processing subsystem of the aircraft updates a probabilistic safe landing area map based on comparing extracted features of the sensor data with a probabilistic safe landing area model. The probabilistic safe landing area model defines probabilities that terrain features are suitable for safe landing of the aircraft. A list of ranked landing areas is generated based on the probabilistic safe landing area map. | 04-28-2016 |
20160116917 | MANAGEMENT OF THE ENERGY IN AN APPROACH TRAJECTORY - A method implemented by computer for calculating a lateral approach trajectory of an aircraft, comprises the steps of receiving selection of a landing runway; determining a zone Z | 04-28-2016 |
20160133138 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR HELICOPTER SITUATIONAL AWARENESS AND LANDING ASSISTANCE - Systems and methods are delineated for use by a helicopter and helicopter landing stations to facilitate helicopter situational awareness and landing assistance. In accordance an exemplary embodiment, a system for use with a helicopter is delineated wherein the system comprises a ground transmitter with a GPS receiver, said ground transmitter being located in proximity to a landing pad for the helicopter; a receiver on the helicopter to receive transmissions from the ground transmitter; a display on the helicopter to depict position of the landing pad; a GPS receiver on the helicopter to provide position of the helicopter; and a database including identification information for the landing pad. | 05-12-2016 |
20160140854 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING AND USING A LANDING SURFACE FRICTION CONDITION - A diagnostic method performed onboard an aircraft is provided. The method obtains aircraft state data during landing of the aircraft, via a plurality of avionics and aircraft systems; and determines a landing surface friction condition based on the aircraft state data, using at least one of the plurality of avionics and aircraft systems. A method of evaluating landing surface data onboard an aircraft is also provided. The method receives landing surface friction condition data, prior to landing; computes a required landing distance, based on the received landing surface friction condition data; and when the required landing distance is more than a predetermined threshold, performs a designated task. | 05-19-2016 |
20160152348 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR AIDING A PILOT IN LOCATING AN OUT OF VIEW LANDING SITE | 06-02-2016 |
20160155341 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISPLAYING PREDICTIVE CONFORMAL CONFIGURATION CUES FOR EXECUTING A LANDING | 06-02-2016 |
20160159494 | DEFLARE PITCH COMMAND - A pitch command display method includes identifying touchdown of an aircraft, identifying a first value representing an actual pitch reduction rate of the aircraft, identifying a second value representing a target pitch reduction rate of the aircraft, determining a difference between the first value and the second value, and displaying a pitch command when the difference between the first value and second value is greater than a threshold amount and the aircraft has touched down. | 06-09-2016 |
20160167799 | METHOD OF MANAGING A POWER DEMAND FOR THE OPERATION OF A PILOTLESS AIRCRAFT EQUIPPED WITH AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE | 06-16-2016 |
20160167807 | MULTI-ZONE BATTERY EXCHANGE SYSTEM | 06-16-2016 |
20160196753 | UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLE COMMUNICATION, MONITORING, AND TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT | 07-07-2016 |
20160200451 | DISPLAY SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR GENERATING A DISPLAY PROVIDING RUNWAY ILLUSION ALLEVIATION | 07-14-2016 |
20160376027 | DISPLAY SYSTEM OF AN AIRCRAFT, ABLE TO DISPLAY A HORIZON LINE ABLE TO BE DEFORMED AND RELATED METHOD - A display system of an aircraft, able to display a horizon line able to be deformed and related method are provided. The display system includes a display unit; and an assembly for generating a display on the display unit, able to dynamically display, on the display unit, at least one horizon line and a slope scale relative to the horizon line. Upon approaching a landing strip, the display generator is able to create, on the horizon line, a region that is deformed as a function of the topographical slope of the landing strip approached by the aircraft. | 12-29-2016 |
20160379500 | METHOD AND SYSTEM OF CONTROLLING A FLIGHT OF AN AIRCRAFT SUBJECTED TO A REQUIRED TIME OF ARRIVAL CONSTRAINT - Example systems and methods for controlling a flight of an aircraft subjected to a required time of arrival constraint at a target waypoint and to an additional flight criterion are disclosed herein. An example method includes calculating combinations of cruise speed and descent speed for estimated times of arrival (ETAs) at the target waypoint and determining a subset of the combinations that introduce substantially a same amount of time change in the ETA when changing the corresponding cruise speed to a cruise speed limit as when changing the corresponding descent speed to a descent speed limit. The example method also includes selecting a combination of the subset of the combinations having an ETA substantially equal to the RTA and modifying at least one of a cruise speed or a descent speed of the aircraft based on the selected combination. | 12-29-2016 |
20160379502 | DISPLAY SYSTEM OF AN AIRCRAFT, COMPRISING A FLARE GUIDING CUE AND RELATED METHOD - A display system of an aircraft, including a flare guiding cue and related method are provided. The display system includes a display unit; and an assembly for generating a display on the display unit, configured to dynamically display, on the display unit, at least one horizon line, a slope scale of the aircraft relative to the horizon line, and a speed vector symbol, representative of the slope of the aircraft relative to the horizon line. The display generator is configured to display, upon approaching a landing strip, a flare guidance symbol, the position of the flare guidance symbol on the display unit depending on the topographical slope of the approached landing strip. | 12-29-2016 |
20180024237 | Method and device for determining the position of an aircraft in an approach for a landing | 01-25-2018 |