Device for aiding flight for an aircraft

• US 8,525,699 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2011
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Thales SA
• Original Assignee: Thales SA
• Inventors: Landragin, Thomas, Nouvel, Christian
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Tai T
• Application Number:
  US13/052,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20110254707A1
• Time in Patent Office: 897 Days
• Field of Search: 340/907, 340/905, 340/684, 340/961, 340/971, 340/979, 701/454, 701/455, 701/467, 701/483
• US Class Current: 340/907
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/387 Organisation of map data, e.g. version management or database structures
• 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

A device for aiding flight for an aircraft includes means for locating the localities situated in the operational area for rescue missions. The device is able to present to the crew a landmark of the positions of the localities in relation to the position of the aircraft, this landmark also indicating information connected with navigation and to flight regulations for each of the localities. The device relates to operations aircraft and more particularly rescue helicopters.

Claims

1. A device for aiding flight for an aircraft comprising:

means for reading navigation data of said aircraft;

display means to represent a position and a current heading of the aircraft by a stationary marker in a central part of a display area; and

a database containing topological and photographic information representative of one or more localities of a geographical area so as to display at a periphery of the central part of the display area at least one tag containing information representative of a locality and flight management information for reaching said locality, wherein at least one photographic representation and a topological representation of a destination locality and in that the said tag is positioned in a peripheral area in relation to the stationary marker in such a way that a position of the tag with respect to the stationary marker represents the position of the locality in relation to the current position of the aircraft.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the peripheral area is divided into at least two sectors in which an information tag is positioned, said tag being stationary in the sector.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein a tag representative of the destination locality is displayed in an upper part of the display area.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein a tag representative of a departure locality is displayed in a lower part of the display area.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein a synthetic representation of the exterior environment of the aircraft in a relative view with respect to the position and the current heading of the aircraft is displayed in the central part of the display area overlaid on the stationary marker.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the stationary marker is a heading indicator.

7. The device according to claim 2, wherein the information tag comprises the following information:

a name and the geographical area indicator of the locality;

a route to be followed to reach the locality;

a distance and a duration required in order to reach the locality according to the current speed of the aircraft;

a fuel indicator indicating whether fuel aboard is sufficient;

to get to the locality,

to get to the locality and return to a departure base,

a weather information;

origin and speed of a wind,

a visibility distance and a maximum speed permitted by regulations.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the photographic representation of a locality is positioned in proximity to the tag representing the locality.

9. The device according to claim 8, wherein the photographic representation is a representation of the locality seen according to the aircraft'"'"'s approach route.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein the topological representation of a locality is positioned in proximity to the tag representing the locality and comprises topological landmarks of the locality positioned with respect to one another as a function of an approach route of the aircraft.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the database comprises the following topological landmarks:

Roadway and railway track;

Waterway;

Cemetery;

Extent of the locality.