Air Navigation Aid Method and System Making it Possible to Maintain Vertical Margins

• US 20100004801A1
• Filed: 06/19/2009
• Published: 01/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: Marty, Nicolas, Flotte, Laurent, Sallier, Aurelie
• Granted Patent: US 8,145,365 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/8
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0646 to follow the profile of undulating ground

Abstract

The invention relates to a calculation method for an aircraft navigation aid system making it possible to maintain a vertical safety margin with an obstruction profile, the aircraft comprising a navigation system, an automatic piloting system, a database system and a display device, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps: calculation of an obstruction altitude profile, calculation of a vertical safety margin with respect to the obstruction profile, of a plurality of vertical safety trajectories and of the respective flight setpoints for the aircraft to execute the trajectories, selection of the flight setpoints making it possible to maintain the aircraft as close as possible to the obstruction profile while maintaining between the aircraft and the obstruction profile at least the vertical safety margin, filtering of the flight set point values so that the variation of the values of the setpoints does not exceed a variation difference in a duration predefined in the system.

Claims

1. Calculation method for an aircraft navigation aid system making it possible to maintain a vertical safety margin with an obstruction profile, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

calculation of an obstruction altitude profile,

calculation of a vertical safety margin with respect to the obstruction profile,

calculation of a plurality of vertical safety trajectories and of the respective flight setpoints for the aircraft to execute the trajectories, at least one safety trajectory being a climb-in-altitude flight phase of a configured duration comprising, in succession, a first flight phase approaching the climb phase of a duration predefined in the calculation system and a second rectilinear climb-in-altitude flight phase,

selection of the flight setpoints making it possible to maintain the aircraft as close as possible to the obstruction profile while maintaining between the aircraft and the obstruction profile at least the vertical safety margin,

filtering of the flight setpoint values so that the variation of the values of the setpoints does not exceed a variation difference in a predefined duration.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the vertical safety trajectories is a descent flight phase of a configured duration and in that it comprises, in succession, a first flight phase approaching the descent phase of a duration predefined in the calculation system, a second descent phase of a time at least equal to a configured duration and a third climb phase.

3. Method according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the predefined vertical trajectories is a levelling-off flight phase of a configured duration and in that it comprises, in succession, a first flight phase approaching the levelling-off phase of a duration predefined in the calculation system, a second levelling-off phase of a time at least equal to a configured duration and a third climb phase.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein the climb slope angle is equal to a proportion equal to or less than the maximum climb angle of the aircraft, this proportion being configurable in the calculation system.

5. Method according to claim 4, wherein the flight setpoints correspond to the speed and vertical speed setpoints making it possible to execute the vertical safety trajectories.

6. Method according to claim 5, wherein at least one safety trajectory comprises a point of contact with the obstruction profile increased in altitude by the vertical margin:

for the climb flight phase, the single point of contact being positioned at the start of the climb phase,

for the descent flight phase, the single point of contact being positioned at the end of the descent flight phase,

and for the levelling-off flight phase, the single point of contact being positioned at the end of the levelling-off phase.

7. Method according to claim 6, wherein, when an anti-collision alert is active and the slope angle required to execute the maximum climb trajectory is greater than the instantaneous slope angle of the aircraft, the calculation system displays the vertical speed corresponding to the maximum climb angle of the aircraft.

8. Method according to claim 6, wherein the calculation system simultaneously displays the vertical speed setpoint and the instantaneous vertical speed of the aircraft on the display device.

9. Method according to claim 8, wherein the calculation system simultaneously displays the height of the aircraft and the margin between the altitude of the aircraft and the point of contact between the proposed setpoint and the vertical safety margin profile.

10. Method according to claim 9, wherein the duration predefined in the calculation system of the approach phase corresponds to the calculation time needed to display the data.

11. Method according to claim 10, wherein the calculation system transmits the flight setpoints to an automatic piloting system.

12. Method according to claim 11, wherein the duration predefined in the calculation system of the approach phase corresponds to the calculation time needed for the automatic piloting system to apply the flight setpoints.

13. Method according to claim 12, wherein the vertical safety margin is calculated according to the air speed, ground speed and vertical speed flight parameters.

14. Method according to claim 13, wherein the vertical margin is calculated according to the location of the aircraft with respect to airport areas.

15. Method according to claim 1, wherein, when the trajectory-following system of the navigation system is activated, the obstruction profile is calculated over a horizontal space surrounding the points forming the horizontal trajectory recorded in the navigation system of the aircraft, and the width of the horizontal space being determined according to the performance characteristics of the navigation system.

16. Method according to claim 1, wherein, when the automatic pilot device is in route or heading following mode, the obstruction profile is calculated over a horizontal space surrounding, by a configurable width, the points of the horizontal trajectory followed by the automatic pilot, the width of the horizontal space being determined according to the performance characteristics of the automatic pilot device.

17. Method according to claim 1, wherein, when the aircraft is guided manually, the obstruction profile is calculated over a horizontal space, in front of the aircraft according to the instantaneous trajectory, of a trapezoidal form, the base angular aperture of the trapezium widening as the distance in front of the aircraft increases and being dynamically and dissymetrically modifiable according to the rate of turn and the change of heading.