Flight guidance and navigation display for a helicopter

• US 8,155,805 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2009
• Issued: 04/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Helicopters Deutschland Gmbh (Airbus SE)
• Original Assignee: Eurocopter Deutschland Gesellschaft Mit Beschrã¤Nkter Haftung (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Inventors: Spek, Jorrit van der
• Primary Examiner(s): Elchanti, Hussein A.
• Application Number:
  US12/436,334
• Publication Number:
  US 20090281684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,070 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/14, 701/206
• US Class Current: 701/14
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/005 Flight directors indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32

Abstract

A flight guidance and navigation display (10) for a helicopter, includes a three-dimensional, semicircular flight guidance and navigation tunnel (12) to display a planned flight path of the helicopter; a circular surface (14), which is integrated in the flight guidance and navigation tunnel (12), which circular surface (14) includes a diameter that corresponds to that of the flight guidance and navigation tunnel (12), for displaying a longitudinal position within the flight guidance and navigation tunnel (12); a flight path prediction icon (16) for displaying a position of the helicopter relative to the flight guidance and navigation tunnel (12); and a command signal (18) that relates to the air speed, wherein via the command signal (18) a deviation from a reference speed that has been predetermined by flight planning is displayed.

Claims

1. A flight guidance and navigation display for a helicopter, comprising

a three-dimensional, semicircular flight guidance and navigation tunnel to display a planned flight path of the helicopter;

a circular surface, which is integrated in the flight guidance and navigation tunnel, which circular surface comprises a diameter that corresponds to that of the flight guidance and navigation tunnel, for displaying a longitudinal position within the flight guidance and navigation tunnel;

a flight path prediction icon for displaying a position, projected into the future, of the helicopter relative to the flight guidance and navigation tunnel; and

a command signal that relates to the air speed, wherein by means of the command signal a deviation from a reference speed that has been predetermined by flight planning is displayed, the command signal being in the shape of an arrow, comprising a point, wherein if an increase in the speed is required, the point of the command signal is aligned in the direction of the planned flight path, while if a decrease in the speed is required, the point of the command signal is aligned against the direction of the planned flight path.

2. The flight guidance and navigation display according to claim 1, wherein a circular reference speed icon with a diameter that corresponds to that of the flight guidance and navigation tunnel is integrated in the flight guidance and navigation tunnel.

3. The flight guidance and navigation display according to claim 1, wherein the diameter of the semicircular flight guidance and navigation tunnel is adjustable.

4. The flight guidance and navigation display according to claim 2, wherein if an increase in the speed is required, the arrow of the command signal is aligned in the direction of the planned flight path, while if a decrease in the speed is required, the arrow of the command signal is aligned against the direction of the planned flight path.

5. The flight guidance and navigation display according to claim 2, wherein the diameter of the semicircular flight guidance and navigation tunnel is adjustable.

6. The flight guidance and navigation display according to claim 4, wherein the diameter of the semicircular flight guidance and navigation tunnel is adjustable.

7. A flight guidance and navigation display for a helicopter, comprising

a three-dimensional, semicircular flight guidance and navigation tunnel to display a planned flight path of the helicopter, the tunnel including a circular reference speed icon with a diameter that corresponds to that of the flight guidance and navigation tunnel

a circular surface, which is integrated in the flight guidance and navigation tunnel, which circular surface comprises a diameter that corresponds to that of the flight guidance and navigation tunnel, for displaying a longitudinal position within the flight guidance and navigation tunnel;

a flight path prediction icon for displaying a position, projected into the future, of the helicopter relative to the flight guidance and navigation tunnel; and

a command signal that relates to the air speed, wherein by means of the command signal a deviation from a reference speed that has been predetermined by flight planning is displayed, the command signal being in the shape of an arrow, comprising a point, wherein if an increase in the speed is required, the point of the command signal is aligned in the direction of the planned flight path, while if a decrease in the speed is required, the point of the command signal is aligned against the direction of the planned flight path.