Tailstrike warning system

• US 9,828,113 B2
• Filed: 11/05/2013
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Safe Flight Instrument LLC
• Original Assignee: Safe Flight Instrument Corporation
• Inventors: Greene, Randall A., Beyer, Shawn
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, LAURA N
• Application Number:
  US14/072,732
• Publication Number:
  US 20150123821A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,484 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 43/00 Arrangements or adaptations of instruments arrangements of cameras B64D47/08; aeronautical measuring instruments per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 45/04 Landing aids; Safety measures to prevent collision with earth's surface
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/005 Flight directors indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/025 Navigation or guidance aids radar or analogous systems specially adapted for landing purposes G01S13/913

Abstract

An aircraft tailstrike warning method includes identifying a first value representing an aircraft angle of attack, identifying a second value representing a maximum aircraft angle of attack, identifying a difference between the first value and the second value, and providing a tailstrike warning when the difference between the first value and the second value is less than a threshold amount.

Claims

1. An aircraft tailstrike warning method comprising:

identifying an aircraft angle of attack,

identifying a maximum aircraft angle of attack,

determining a dynamic limit of aircraft proximity to tailstrike based on the aircraft angle of attack and the maximum aircraft angle of attack, and

displaying the dynamic limit as a distance from a reference point multiplied by a scale factor, the scale factor selected such that the dynamic limit is not displayed when the aircraft is at a predetermined angle of attack for takeoff or approach at a first reference airspeed.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the scale factor is selected such that the dynamic limit is not displayed when the aircraft is at the predetermined angle of attack for takeoff.