ASSISTANCE PROCESS AND DEVICE FOR MANAGING AN IN-FLIGHT REFUELING

• US 20100332055A1
• Filed: 06/18/2010
• Published: 12/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus
• Original Assignee: Airbus, Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Inventors: Boinon, Bertrand, Melin, François, Foucault, Philippe, Ferret, Nicolas, Marion, Gaëtan, Artini, Franck
• Granted Patent: US 8,463,538 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0052 for cruising combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value G01C23/00

Abstract

An assisting process and device for managing an in-flight refueling is disclosed. The device (1) comprising means (3) for automatically calculating a distance between aircrafts, at which a meeting phase for an in-flight refueling should be initiated.

Claims

1. An assistance process for managing on a refueling aircraft (A1) an air meeting phase with a receiving aircraft (A2), for an in-flight refueling of said receiving aircraft (A2) by said refueling aircraft (A1), said refueling and receiving aircrafts (A1, A2) flying one towards the other, comprising, on said refueling aircraft (A1):

a) generating a plurality of parameters comprising at least;

the current velocity of the refueling aircraft (A1);

the current altitude of the refueling aircraft (A1);

the current velocity of the receiving aircraft (A2);

the current altitude of the receiving aircraft (A2);

a turn characteristic of the refueling aircraft (A1);

a turning time taking into account the performance of the refueling aircraft (A1); and

a separation distance of the two aircrafts (A1, A2) at the end of the meeting phase;

b) using said parameters to automatically calculate at least one engagement distance (D1, D2, D3) corresponding to the distance between the two aircrafts (A1, A2) at which the meeting phase should be initiated;

c) determining the current positions of said refueling and receiving aircrafts; and

d) automatically showing on at least one viewing screen (9) of the refueling aircraft (A1), at least;

one indicator (I1, I2, I3) showing said engagement distance (D1, D2, D3) being defined with respect to the current position of the refueling aircraft (A1), at least at the front of the latter; and

one symbol (S2) indicating the current position of the receiving aircraft (A2).

2. A process according to claim 1, wherein, for a meeting phase corresponding to one of the following procedures:

a B type procedure and a C type procedure, there is generated in step a), as a turn characteristic, the constant value of the turn angle, to be implemented by the refueling aircraft (A1) at the start of the meeting phase.

3. A process according to claim 1, wherein, for a meeting phase corresponding to a D type procedure:

in step a), one of the following turns is selected;

a constant radius turn and a constant roll angle turn; and

in addition, a lateral distance (D4) is determined between the respective trajectories (TR3A, TR3B) of the refueling and receiving aircrafts, being parallel, said lateral distance (D4) being used for calculating said engagement distance (D3).

4. A process according to claim 3, wherein said lateral distance (D4) is automatically calculated, taking into account a drift generated by the wind.

5. An assistance method for an in-flight refueling of a receiving aircraft (A2) by a refueling aircraft (A 1), said refueling successively comprising:

a waiting phase for the refueling aircraft (A1);

a meeting phase; and

a refueling phase,

wherein, during said waiting phase, on the refueling aircraft (A1), the above specified method is implemented as claimed in claim 1 for assisting managing said meeting phase.

6. A method according to claim 5, wherein means (14) are provided on the refueling aircraft (A1) allowing an operator of said refueling aircraft to create independently two flight circuits (C1, C2), namely a waiting circuit (C1) intended to be followed by the refueling aircraft (A1) during the waiting phase and a refueling circuit (C2) intended to be followed by said refueling aircraft (A1) during the refueling phase.

7. A method according to claim 6, wherein integration means (15) are provided on the refueling aircraft (A1) allowing to integrate into the flight plan of the latter one of said two flight circuits (C1, C2) as an active element of the flight plan, the other circuit being then inactive.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein said integration means (15) are adapted to automatically integrate a flight circuit into the flight plan.

9. An assistance device for managing on a refueling aircraft (A1) an air meeting phase with a receiving aircraft (A2), for an in-flight refueling of said receiving aircraft (A2) by said refueling aircraft (A1), said refueling and receiving aircrafts (A1, A2) flying one towards the other, wherein said device is on board said refueling aircraft (A1) said device comprising:

means (2) for generating a plurality of parameters comprising at least;

the current velocity of the refueling aircraft (A1);

the current altitude of the refueling aircraft (A1);

the current velocity of the receiving aircraft (A2);

the current altitude of the receiving aircraft (A2);

a turn characteristic of the refueling aircraft (A1);

a turning time taking into account the performance of the refueling aircraft (A1); and

a separation distance of the two aircrafts (A1, A2) at the end of the meeting phase;

means (3) for automatically calculating, through said parameters, at least one engagement distance (D1, D2, D3) corresponding to the distance between the two aircrafts (A 1, A2) at which the meeting phase should be initiated;

means (5) for determining the current positions of said refueling and receiving aircrafts; and

display means (6) for automatically showing, on at least one viewing screen (9) of the refueling aircraft (A1), at least;

one indicator (I1, I2, I3) showing said engagement distance (D1, D2, D3) being defined with respect to the current position of the refueling aircraft (A1), at least at the front of the latter; and

one symbol (S2) indicating the current position of the receiving aircraft (A2).

10. An assistance system for an in-flight refueling of a receiving aircraft (A2) by a refueling aircraft (A1), said refueling successively comprising:

a waiting phase for the refueling aircraft (A1);

a meeting phase; and

a refueling phase, comprising the device (1) as specified according to claim 9, intended for assisting managing the meeting phase.