Meteorological Modelling Method for Calculating an Aircraft Flight Plan

• US 20140200752A9
• Filed: 12/08/2009
• Published: 07/17/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: Lacombe, Antoine, Blanchon, Xavier, Coulmeau, Franois
• Application Number:
  US12/633,508
• Publication Number:
  US 20100152931A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/8
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/08 Adaptations of balloons, missiles, or aircraft for meteorological purposes; Radiosondes transmission of measurements G01D; transmitting circuits H04B; balloons in general B64B; aeroplanes in general B64D; missiles in general F42B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/10 Devices for predicting weather conditions computers per se G06; display devices G09
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0202 specially adapted to aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0039 Modification of a flight plan
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0091 for monitoring atmospheric conditions radar or analogous systems specially adapted for meteorological use G01S13/95; meteorology G01W

Abstract

The invention relates to a meteorological modelling method for calculating an aircraft flight plan, the aircraft comprising a communication means and a navigation management system.

The method comprises at least the following steps: the communication means carries out the acquisition of meteorological prediction data related to waypoints in proximity to the nominal route in addition to the waypoints belonging to the nominal route, the navigation management system allocates by projection onto the current route of the aircraft the prediction data for the said waypoints not belonging to the current route, the navigation management system calculates the meteorological prediction data for the waypoints of the current route of the flight plan according to the prediction data allocated by projection onto the current route of the aircraft.

The invention is a modelling method for aircraft navigation management systems.

Claims

1. Meteorological modelling method for calculating an aircraft flight plan, the said flight plan being made up of a route comprising a plurality of waypoints interconnected by segments and each of the waypoints being associated with meteorological prediction data, the aircraft comprising a communication means carrying out the acquisition of the meteorological prediction data related to the waypoints and a navigation management system computing a nominal route before departure, as well as alternative routes while in flight, and guiding the aircraft on a trajectory following the current route of the flight plan, comprising at least the following steps:

the communication means carries out the acquisition of meteorological prediction data related to waypoints in proximity to the nominal route in addition to the waypoints belonging to the nominal route;

the navigation management system allocates according to an orthogonal projection onto temporary points distinct from the waypoints of the current route or of the trajectory of the aircraft the value of the meteorological prediction data for the waypoints not belonging to the current route;

the navigation management system calculates the meteorological prediction data for the waypoints of the current route or the trajectory of the flight plan according to the prediction data for the points, allocated by projection onto the current route of the aircraft.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the current route of the aircraft is an alternative route to the nominal route.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the communication means carries out the acquisition of meteorological prediction data originating from a plurality of meteorological data sources.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein the navigation management system selects prediction data related to waypoints whose distance of deviation from the current route of the flight plan is less than a distance threshold.

5. Method according to claim 4, wherein the distance threshold is parametrizable according to the number of prediction data acquired.

6. Method according to claim 4, wherein the value of the threshold is calculated dynamically along the nominal route as a function of the density of data acquired along the nominal route.

7. Method according to claim 2, wherein the communication means carries out the acquisition of meteorological prediction data originating from a plurality of meteorological data sources.

8. Method according to claim 7, wherein the navigation management system selects prediction data related to waypoints whose distance of deviation from the current route of the flight plan is less than a distance threshold.

9. Method according to claim 8, wherein the distance threshold is parametrizable according to the number of prediction data acquired.

10. Method according to claim 8, wherein the value of the threshold is calculated dynamically along the nominal route as a function of the density of data acquired along the nominal route.

11. Method according to claim 1, wherein the points of the current route, on which meteorological prediction data are allocated, are points calculated temporarily for the duration of the flight and specifically for the meteorological modelling method.