System and method for aircraft performance predictions for descent and approach phases
First Claim
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1. A method of aircraft performance predictions for descent and approach phases in a flight management system (FMS), comprising:
- stopping cruise computation substantially around a default distance from a destination by an aircraft performance prediction module residing in a memory of the FMS;
determining current predicted aircraft state using a total energy of the aircraft starting from the default distance by the aircraft performance predictions module;
computing descent and approach phase profiles including a flight path using the determined current predicted aircraft state by the aircraft performance prediction module, comprising;
selecting a starting top of descent distance from the destination while the aircraft is in cruise altitude by the aircraft performance predictions module;
performing an iterative backward computation from the destination to the cruise altitude by the aircraft performance predictions module to compute the descent and approach phase profiles including the flight path using the determined current predicted aircraft state; and
obtaining the aircraft performance predictions along the flight path based on the computed descent and approach phase profiles by the aircraft performance predictions module that comprises;
obtaining a first top of descent distance from the obtained descent and approach profiles;
determining whether a difference between the starting top of descent distance and the first top of descent distance is within a design value; and
if so, determining the aircraft performance predictions along the flight path using the descent and the approach phase profiles in a forward computation from the cruise altitude to the destination; and
if not, considering the first top of descent distance to be the starting top of descent distance; and
using the considered starting top of descent,repeating the steps of performing the iterative backward computation,obtaining the first top of descent, anddetermining whether the difference between the starting top of descent distance and the first top of descent distance is within the design value, until the difference is within the design value; and
guiding the aircraft through the descent and approach phase profiles based on the aircraft performance predictions.
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Abstract
A system and method for aircraft performance predictions for descent and approach phases are disclosed. In one embodiment, cruise computation is stopped substantially around a default distance from a destination. Further, current predicted aircraft state is determined using a total energy of the aircraft starting from the default distance. Furthermore, descent and approach phase profiles are computed using the determined current predicted aircraft state. In addition, the aircraft performance predictions are obtained using the computed descent and approach phase profiles.
41 Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method of aircraft performance predictions for descent and approach phases in a flight management system (FMS), comprising:
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stopping cruise computation substantially around a default distance from a destination by an aircraft performance prediction module residing in a memory of the FMS; determining current predicted aircraft state using a total energy of the aircraft starting from the default distance by the aircraft performance predictions module; computing descent and approach phase profiles including a flight path using the determined current predicted aircraft state by the aircraft performance prediction module, comprising; selecting a starting top of descent distance from the destination while the aircraft is in cruise altitude by the aircraft performance predictions module; performing an iterative backward computation from the destination to the cruise altitude by the aircraft performance predictions module to compute the descent and approach phase profiles including the flight path using the determined current predicted aircraft state; and obtaining the aircraft performance predictions along the flight path based on the computed descent and approach phase profiles by the aircraft performance predictions module that comprises; obtaining a first top of descent distance from the obtained descent and approach profiles; determining whether a difference between the starting top of descent distance and the first top of descent distance is within a design value; and if so, determining the aircraft performance predictions along the flight path using the descent and the approach phase profiles in a forward computation from the cruise altitude to the destination; and if not, considering the first top of descent distance to be the starting top of descent distance; and using the considered starting top of descent, repeating the steps of performing the iterative backward computation, obtaining the first top of descent, and determining whether the difference between the starting top of descent distance and the first top of descent distance is within the design value, until the difference is within the design value; and guiding the aircraft through the descent and approach phase profiles based on the aircraft performance predictions. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. An aircraft comprising:
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a flight management system (FMS), wherein the FMS further comprises; a processor; and
memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory includes an aircraft performance predictions module having instructions to;stop cruise computation substantially around a default distance from a destination; determine a current predicted aircraft state using a total energy of the aircraft starting from the default distance; compute descent and approach phase profiles including a flight path using the determined current predicted aircraft state, wherein the aircraft performance prediction module further having instructions to; select a starting top of descent distance from the destination while the aircraft is in cruise altitude; and perform an iterative backward computation from the destination to the cruise altitude to compute the descent and the approach phase profiles including the flight path using the determined current predicted aircraft state; and obtain the aircraft performance predictions along the flight path based on the computed descent and approach phase profiles, wherein the aircraft performance predictions module further having instructions to; obtain a first top of descent distance from the obtained descent and approach profiles; determine whether a difference between the starting top of descent distance and the first top of descent distance is within a design value; and if so, determine the aircraft performance predictions along the flight path using the descent and the approach phase profiles in a forward computation from the cruise altitude to the destination; if not, consider the first top of descent distance to be the starting top of descent distance; and using the considered starting top of descent, repeat the steps of performing the iterative backward computation, obtain the first top of descent, and determining whether the difference between the starting top of descent distance and the first top of descent distance is within the design value, until the difference is within the design value; and
guide the aircraft through the descent and approach phases based on the aircraft performance predictions.
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6. A flight management system (FMS), comprising:
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a processor; and
a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory includes an aircraft performance predictions module having instructions to;stop cruise computation substantially around a default distance from a destination; determine current predicted aircraft state using a total energy of the aircraft starting from the default distance; compute descent and approach phase profiles including a flight path using the determined current predicted aircraft state, wherein the aircraft performance prediction module, further having instructions to; select a starting top of descent distance from the destination while the aircraft is in cruise altitude; and perform an iterative backward computation from the destination to the cruise altitude to compute the descent and the approach phase profiles including the flight path using the determined current predicted aircraft state; and obtain the aircraft performance predictions along the flight path based on the computed descent and approach phase profiles, wherein the aircraft performance predictions module further having instructions to; obtain a first top of descent distance from the obtained descent and approach profiles; determine whether a difference between the starting top of descent distance and the first top of descent distance is within a design value; and if so, determine the aircraft performance predictions along the flight path using the descent and the approach phase profiles in a forward computation from the cruise altitude to the destination; if not, consider the first top of descent distance to be the starting top of descent distance; and using the considered starting top of descent, repeat the steps of performing the iterative backward computation, obtain the first top of descent, and determining whether the difference between the starting top of descent distance and the first top of descent distance is within the design value, until the difference is within the design value; and
guide the aircraft through the descent and approach phase profiles based on the aircraft performance predictions. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A non transitory computer readable storage medium for aircraft performance predictions for descent and approach phases in a flight management system (FMS), having instructions that, when executed by the FMS, cause the FMS to perform a method comprising:
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stopping cruise computation substantially around a default distance from a destination by an aircraft performance prediction module residing in a memory of the FMS; determining current predicted aircraft state using a total energy of the aircraft starting from the default distance by the aircraft performance predictions module; computing descent and approach phase profiles including a flight path using the determined current predicted aircraft state by the aircraft performance prediction module, comprising; selecting a starting top of descent distance from the destination while the aircraft is in cruise altitude; and performing an iterative backward computation from the destination to the cruise altitude to compute the descent and approach phase profiles including the flight path using the determined current predicted aircraft state; and obtaining the aircraft performance predictions along the flight path based on the computed descent and approach phase profiles that comprises; obtaining a first top of descent distance from the obtained descent and approach profiles; determining whether a difference between the starting top of descent distance and the first top of descent distance is within a design value and if so, determining the aircraft performance predictions along the flight path using the descent and the approach phase profiles in a forward computation from the cruise altitude to the destination; if not, considering the first top of descent distance to be the starting top of descent distance; and using the considered starting top of descent distance, repeating the steps of performing the iterative backward computation, obtaining the first top of descent distance, and determining whether the difference between starting top of descent distance and the first top of descent distance is within the design value, until the difference is within the design value; and
guiding the aircraft through the descent and approach phase profiles based on the aircraft performance predictions. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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Specification