Method of assistance in the piloting of an aerodyne

• US 6,181,987 B1
• Filed: 08/29/1997
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sextant Avionique
• Original Assignee: Sextant Avionique
• Inventors: Bomans, Muriel, Deker, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuchlinski, Jr., William A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US08/921,340
• Time in Patent Office: 1,250 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/10, 701/14, 701/300, 701/301, 701/302, 701/16, 701/17, 701/18, 244/75.R, 244/194, 340/500, 340/517, 340/523, 342/29, 342/32, 342/33
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/00 Combined instruments indicating more than one navigational value, e.g. for aircraft; Combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement, e.g. distance, speed or acceleration

Abstract

The disclosed method is implemented by a system aboard an aerodyne comprising a processor, a terminal and memories in which there are stored all the information necessary for the carrying out of a flight, the system being connected to the other on-board electronic equipment. In order to define a new flight plan to meet a new situation caused by an event, the method comprises: the interpretation of the event to determine the corrective actions to be undertaken given the context in which the aerodyne is located, the analysis of the possibilities of reconfiguring the flight plan that correspond to the corrective actions, according to predetermined and modifiable criteria, the selection of the flight plan solutions that meet the predetermined criteria, and the presenting of these flight plan solutions in association with the significant parameters that have served as the grounds for their selection.

Claims

1. A method of assisting a pilot with the piloting of an aerodyne, said method implemented by a system comprising a processor, at least one man/machine communications terminal including a display screen and a control and data entry unit, and memories in which there are stored all the information necessary for carrying out a flight,

wherein, in order to define a new flight plan to meet a new situation caused by a disturbing event, the method comprises the steps of:

monitoring a context in which the aerodyne is located and interpreting the disturbing event to determine possible corrective actions to be undertaken;

analyzing possibilities of reconfiguring a flight plan, that correspond to the possible corrective actions as a function of a set of criteria that are predetermined in relation to a type of disturbing event and modifiable by the pilot;

devising flight plan solutions that meet the predetermined criteria; and

presenting, to the pilot, said flight plan solutions in association with significant parameters that served as grounds for said devising of said flight plan solutions.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein

said monitoring step comprises the reception by the processor of an item of information announcing the disturbing event, the defining by the processor of a corrective action, and displaying, on the display screen, of the corrective action to be undertaken;

said analyzing and devising steps comprise the computation, by the processor, of the flight-plan solutions that correspond to the corrective action and meet a set of criteria that are predetermined and modifiable by the pilot, the computation being performed on the basis of a navigation data base contained in the memories and also on the basis of the data given by electronic equipment on-board the aerodyne and connected to said system; and

said presenting step comprises the display, on the display screen, of a navigation map, the display, on the navigation map, of the flight plan solutions in association with the criteria justifying their selection as solutions, and the display, on request, of detailed information on a flight plan indicated by the pilot from among the flight plan solutions displayed on the navigation map of the display screen.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the corrective actions include at least one of a diversion to a change in the destination airport, a modification of a lateral flight plan, and a modification of a vertical flight plan, and the dangerous event corresponds to at least one of a detection of a dangerous weather phenomenon, a serious malfunctioning of the aerodyne, a problem at the destination airport, a problem in the air traffic control system;

and a problem with regard to the passengers of the aerodyne.

4. A method according to claim 2, further comprising the step of;

displaying, at a first level of detail, significant parameters that have determined a selection, by way of a solution, of at least one of a flight plan and an airport that has been designated beforehand by the pilot upon the presentation of the flight plan solutions.

5. A method according to claim 3, further comprising the step of:

displaying, at a first level of detail, significant parameters that have determined a selection, by way of a solution, of at least one of a flight plan and an airport that has been designated beforehand by the pilot upon the presentation of the flight plan solutions.

6. A method according to claim 4 further comprising the display, at a second level of detail, of all information on an airport that has been designated beforehand by the pilot.

7. A method according to claim 1 further comprising the step of:

presenting all data taken into account by the system for the defining of the flight plan solutions.

8. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

real-time updating of the flight plan solutions as a function of at least one of information given by electronic equipment on-board the aerodyne and connected to said system, and information coming from a ground station.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein each flight plan solution of a diversion is computed by using segments of air routes and by taking account of approach and arrival procedures at a corresponding diversion airport.

10. A method according to claim 2, wherein each flight plan solution of a diversion is computed by using segments of air routes and by taking account of approach and arrival procedures at a corresponding diversion airport.

11. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

presenting, to the pilot, a decision point corresponding to a limit point of an active flight plan to initiate a new flight plan, as well as presenting, to the pilot, a time and distance up to said decision point.

12. A method according to claim 1 wherein, in the event of a multiplicity of disturbing events, the corresponding corrective actions are determined and processed by order of priority.

13. A method according to claim 1, wherein the analyzing step is limited to diversion airports that are located in a predefined search zone, a position and size of which is modifiable by the pilot.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the position and size of the predefined search zone depend on the corrective actions.

15. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

classifying the flight plan solutions as a function of at least one criterion of optimization.

16. A method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of:

displaying a comparative table containing the values of significant parameters of an active flight plan and of the flight plan solutions.

17. A method according to claim 1, wherein the control unit takes account of modifications of the parameters of a flight plan solution, said modifications being entered by the pilot.

18. A method according to claim 1, wherein the control unit takes account of a elimination of one of the flight plan solutions, said elimination being entered by the pilot.

19. A method according to claim 1, wherein the system sends a flight plan solution validated by the pilot to an automatic pilot device so that said flight plan solution is followed by said device.