LOW VISIBILITY LANDING SYSTEM AND METHOD
First Claim
1. A landing system for an aircraft, comprising:
- a first navigational device to generate a first navigational signal representative of a deviation of the aircraft from a first predetermined landing approach plan;
a second navigational device to generate a second navigational signal representative of a deviation of the aircraft from a second predetermined landing approach plan, the second predetermined landing approach plan being different from the first predetermined landing approach plan; and
a flight computer to combine the first navigational signal and the second navigational signal to produce a hybrid signal, the hybrid signal comprising a navigational signal having a greater accuracy than the first navigational signal and the second navigational signal.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A low visibility landing system is provided for guiding aircraft on landing approaches. The low visibility landing system may aid a pilot during landing in low visibility conditions such that an aircraft may descend to lower altitudes without visual contact with the runway than is possible with other landing systems. The system may use various navigational systems to produce a hybrid signal that may be more stable than individual signals of those navigational systems. The hybrid signal is compared to a predetermined landing approach plan to determine the deviation of the aircraft from the landing approach plan and to provide guidance to the pilot to get the aircraft back onto the landing approach plan. The system may also use multiple navigational systems to perform checks on an operation of a primary navigational system to ensure that the primary navigational system is operating accurately.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. A landing system for an aircraft, comprising:
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a first navigational device to generate a first navigational signal representative of a deviation of the aircraft from a first predetermined landing approach plan; a second navigational device to generate a second navigational signal representative of a deviation of the aircraft from a second predetermined landing approach plan, the second predetermined landing approach plan being different from the first predetermined landing approach plan; and a flight computer to combine the first navigational signal and the second navigational signal to produce a hybrid signal, the hybrid signal comprising a navigational signal having a greater accuracy than the first navigational signal and the second navigational signal. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A landing system for an aircraft, comprising:
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a first navigational device to generate a first navigational signal representative of a deviation of the aircraft from a first approach; a second navigational device to generate a second navigational signal representative of a deviation of the aircraft from a second approach; and a flight computer to provide guidance to a pilot in directing the aircraft onto a predetermined landing approach plan, the flight computer alerting the pilot to abort a landing approach if a difference between the first navigational signal and the second navigational signal exceeds a first predetermined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method for landing an aircraft, comprising:
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generating a first navigational signal from a first navigational device representative of a deviation of the aircraft from a first predetermined landing approach plan; generating a second navigational signal from a second navigational device representative of a deviation of the aircraft from a second predetermined landing approach plan; combining the first navigational signal and the second navigational signal to produce a hybrid signal, the hybrid signal comprising a navigational signal having a greater accuracy than the first navigational signal and the second navigational signal; and providing guidance for the aircraft based on the hybrid signal. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21)
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22. A method for landing an aircraft, comprising:
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generating a first navigational signal from a first navigational device representative of a deviation of the aircraft from a first predetermined landing approach plan; generating a second navigational signal from a second navigational device representative of a deviation of the aircraft from a second predetermined landing approach plan; guiding the aircraft along the first predetermined landing approach plan based on the first navigational signal; and alerting a pilot to abort a landing if a difference between the first navigational signal and the second navigational signal exceeds a first predetermined threshold. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25)
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Specification