MODULE FOR INTEGRATED APPROACH TO AN OFFSHORE FACILITY

• US 20100168939A1
• Filed: 12/30/2008
• Published: 07/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Hoang, Lan, Fowler, Donald W., Mehra, Anil, Doeppner, Ronald S., Lee, Stephen P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,442,706 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/16
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0676 specially adapted for landing
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

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.

Claims

1. A method to facilitate approach of a VTOL aircraft to an offshore facility comprising:

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 final approach inbound course toward the landing platform into the aircraft module;

inputting an approach descent height for a final descent toward the landing platform into the aircraft module;

determining an Initial Approach Fix (IAF) and a Final Approach Fix (FAF) in response to the waypoint, the offset distance, the final approach inbound course, and approach descent height with the aircraft module; and

directing the aircraft to the Initial Approach Fix (IAF) in response to the aircraft module.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

inputting a Minimum Descent Height (MDH); and

decreasing the altitude of the aircraft from a first altitude at the Final Approach Fix (FAF) to the Minimum Descent Height (MDH) prior to a Missed Approach Point (MAP).

3. A method as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

locating the Missed Approach Point (MAP) at the offset distance along the final approach inbound course.

4. A method as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

determining a distance between the Initial Approach Fix (IAF) and a point perpendicular to the landing platform in response to the Minimum Descent Height (MDH) and the offset distance, the point perpendicular to the landing platform beyond the Missed Approach Point (MAP).

5. A method as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

determining a turn point (TP) in response to the waypoint, the offset distance and the final approach inbound course and approach descent height (MDH).

6. A method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

determining an arc which intercepts the Initial Approach Fix (IAF) for alignment of the aircraft toward the Final Approach Fix (FAF);

locating the Turn Point (TP) on the arc to tangentially intercept the arc; and

directing the aircraft along the arc from the Turn Point (TP) to the Initial Approach Fix (IAF)

7. A method as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

determining the arc in response to a standard rate turn for the aircraft.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, further comprising:

determining the arc to be greater than, or less than, the standard rate turn for the aircraft.

9. A method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

displaying a first stick map from a current aircraft location to the Turn Point (TP) and from the Turn Point (TP) to the waypoint for the landing platform while the aircraft is greater than a first distance from the Turn Point (TP);

displaying a second stick map from the current aircraft location to the Turn Point (TP), from the Turn Point (TP) to the Initial Approach Fix (IAF), from the Initial Approach Fix (IAF) to the Final Approach Fix (FAF) while the aircraft is less than the first distance from the Turn Point (TP); and

displaying a third stick map from the current aircraft location to the Final Approach Fix (FAF) while the aircraft is inbound of the Initial Approach Fix (IAF), the third stick map having a radar safe area located along the stick map.

10. A method as recited in claim 9, further comprising:

auto range changing the first, second and third stick map.

11. A method as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

auto range changing the third stick map to maintain an end of the radar safe area to maximize the radar view of the approach area.

12. A method as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

displaying a first stick map from a current aircraft location to the Turn Point (TP) and from the Turn Point (TP) to the waypoint for the landing platform while the aircraft is greater than a first distance from the Turn Point (TP);

displaying a second stick map from the current aircraft location to the Turn Point (TP), from the Turn Point (TP) to the Initial Approach Fix (IAF), from the Initial Approach Fix (IAF) to the Final Approach Fix (FAF), from the Final Approach Fix (FAF) to a Missed Approach Point (MAP), from the Missed Approach Point (MAP) to a HOLD pattern while the aircraft is less than the first distance from the Turn Point (TP); and

displaying a third stick map from the current aircraft location to the Final Approach Fix (FAF), from the Final Approach Fix (FAF) to a Missed Approach Point (MAP), from the Missed Approach Point (MAP) to a HOLD pattern while the aircraft is inbound of the Initial Approach Fix (IAF), the third stick map having a radar safe area located along the stick map.

13. A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

displaying the Turn Point (TP), the Initial Approach Fix (IAF), the Final Approach Fix (FAF), and the Missed Approach Point (MAP) as a box symbol;

displaying the Hold Pattern as an oval symbol; and

displaying the offshore facility as a star symbol.

14. A method as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

displaying the radar safe area as a dotted area which extends from the Final Approach Fix (FAF) symbol to a point past the Missed Approach Point (MAP) symbol.

15. A method as recited in claim 14, further comprising:

displaying the radar safe area with a dotted line symbol at a predetermined width on either side of a localizer line symbol from the Final Approach Fix (FAF) symbol to the Missed Approach Point (MAP) symbol.

16. An aircraft system, comprising:

a rig approach module which directs an aircraft to an Initial Approach Fix (IAF) downwind of a Final Approach Fix (FAF), the Initial Approach Fix (IAF) and the Final Approach Fix (FAF) determined in response to a waypoint for a landing platform of an offshore facility, an offset distance from the landing platform input, a final approach inbound course toward the landing platform input and an approach descent height input.

17. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein said module is in communication with a flight control computer.

18. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein said module is a portion of a flight control computer.

19. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein said module is in communication with a cockpit interface system to receive the inputs for communication to the rig approach module.

20. The system as recited in claim 16, wherein said module is in communication with a flight control trim actuator system to direct the aircraft.