Navigation system for an aircraft and associated command process

• US 20060265110A1
• Filed: 01/19/2006
• Published: 11/23/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Original Assignee: Airbus France
• Inventors: Van Boven, Machiel, Ferro, Daniel
• Granted Patent: US 8,027,758 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration

Abstract

A navigation system for an aircraft, including a calculator of an estimated flight path for the aircraft; a device for determining an estimated value of a flight parameter that corresponds to an estimated speed for the extension of at least a portion of the high-lift devices of the aircraft; and a display of an indication for such estimated value. A command process for such a system and an aircraft equipped with such a system are also disclosed.

Claims

1. A navigation system for an aircraft, comprising:

means for calculating an estimated flight path for the aircraft;

means for determining an estimated value of a flight parameter that corresponds to a estimated speed for the extension of at least a portion of the high-lift devices of the aircraft;

means for displaying an indication for such estimated value.

2. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the fact that the flight parameter is the altitude of the aircraft.

3. A navigation system according to claim 2, wherein said extension of a at least a portion of the high lift devices coincides with the transition from the fully retracted position to the first intermediate position.

4. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the flight parameter is the speed of the aircraft.

5. A navigation system according to claim 4, wherein said extension of at least a portion of the high-lift devices corresponds to the transition of the first intermediate position to the second intermediate position.

6. A navigation system according to claim 4, wherein the indication is a displayed message for an actual speed that is lower than said estimated value.

7. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said indication is a symbol displayed at said estimated value on a scale of the parameter displayed on the display screen.

8. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said indication is a numeric representation of said estimated value.

9. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the flight parameter is the position of the aircraft in the horizontal plane.

10. A navigation system according to claim 9, wherein the indication is a symbol situated in a representative position of said estimated value on a flight plane displayed on a display screen.

11. A navigation system according to claim 1 wherein the displayed indication is a function of the portion of the high-lift devices involved.

12. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein said estimated speed is a function of a limit speed for stability before said extension of at least a portion of the high-lift devices.

13. A navigation system according to claim 12, wherein the estimated speed is said limit speed multiplied with a coefficient between 1.01 and 1.1.

14. A navigation system according to claim 12, wherein the estimated speed is said limit speed plus a margin between 1 kt and 10 kt.

15. A navigation system according to claim 1, comprising means for conducting said extension of at least a portion of the high-lift devices when the actual value of the flight parameter reached said estimated value.

16. A navigation system according to claim 1, wherein the means for calculating said estimated flight path determine a vertical flight path from a given lateral path.

17. A navigation system according to claim 16, wherein the vertical flight path comprises at least two joined segments with associated glide slopes and by the fact that said estimated value corresponds to the value of the parameter at the junction of these two segments.

18. An aircraft comprising a navigation system according to claim 1.

19. A command process of a navigation system for an aircraft comprising the following steps:

calculating of an estimated flight path for the aircraft;

determining an estimated value of a flight parameter that corresponds to an estimated speed for extending at least a part of the high-lift devices of the aircraft;

displaying an indication regarding said estimated value.

20. A command process according to claim 19, wherein the flight parameter is the altitude of the aircraft.

21. A command process according to claim 20, wherein said extension of at least a part of the high-lift devices corresponds to the transition from the fully retracted position to the first intermediate position.

22. A command process according to claim 19, wherein the flight parameter is the speed of the aircraft.

23. A command process according to claim 22, wherein said extension of at least a part of the high-lift devices corresponds to the transition from the first intermediate position to the second intermediate position.

24. A command process according to claim 22, wherein the indication is a message displayed for an actual speed below said estimated value.

25. A command process according to claim 19, wherein said indication is a symbol displayed at said estimated value on a scale of the parameter displayed on a display screen.

26. A command process according to claim 19, wherein said indication is a numeric representation of said estimated value.

27. A command process according to claim 19, wherein the flight parameter is the position of the aircraft in the horizontal place.

28. A command process according to claim 27, wherein the indication is a symbol situated at a representative position of said estimated value on a flight plan displayed on a display screen.

29. A command process according to claim 19, comprising a step of automatically extending the high-lift devices involved when the actual value of the flight parameter reaches said estimated value.

30. A command process according to claim 19, wherein the calculating of the estimated flight path includes a step of determining a vertical flight path from a given lateral path.

31. An aircraft comprising a device that can implement a process according to claim 19.