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Required navigation performance (RNP) scales for indicating permissible flight technical error (FTE)

  • US 7,782,229 B1
  • Filed: 06/28/2007
  • Issued: 08/24/2010
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A system for promoting accurate navigation of an aircraft within established navigational boundaries, the established navigational boundaries including Required Navigation Performance (RNP) boundaries, said system comprising:

  • a memory configured for storing position information for the aircraft;

    a processor configured for being communicatively coupled with the memory and further configured for receiving the aircraft position information stored in the memory; and

    a display configured for being communicatively coupled with the processor, the display being further configured for displaying a scaled indicator, the scaled indicator being output to the display by the processor, the scaled indicator being based upon the received aircraft position information, the scaled indicator being a Course Deviation Indicator (CDI) scale dimensioned to at least 1* RNP at full scale, the scaled indicator including a current position indicator, a desired position indicator and an allowable Flight Technical Error (FTE) indicator, the current position indicator being configured for indicating an estimated current position of the aircraft, the desired position indicator being configured for indicating a desired navigational position for the aircraft, the FTE indicator configured for indicating allowable Flight Technical Error (FTE) for the aircraft, the scaled indicator further including a caution indicator when an actual position of the aircraft is determined as being located at least one of;

    at a 1* Required Navigation Performance (RNP) boundary and beyond a 1* Required Navigation Performance (RNP) boundary, the actual position being determined based on the estimated current position and a calculated Estimated Position Uncertainty (EPU) for the aircraft, the scaled indicator further including a warning indicator when the actual position of the aircraft is determined as being located at least one of;

    at a 1.5* Required Navigation Performance (RNP) boundary and beyond a 1.5* Required Navigation Performance (RNP) boundary, the actual position being determined based on the estimated current position and the calculated Estimated Position Uncertainty (EPU) for the aircraft,wherein the scaled indicator, the current position indicator, the desired position indicator the FTE indicator, the caution indicator, and the warning indicator are suitable for use by a pilot of the aircraft in maintaining the aircraft within the established navigational boundaries, the FTE indicator being a bar indicator overlaid onto the CU scale for providing an explicit, visual indication of allowable FTE in multiple directions.

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