METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AID FOR PILOTING AN AIRCRAFT AND AIRCRAFT

Abstract

The invention relates to a system of an aircraft comprising a controller configured to obtain first information according to which the aircraft has carried out a takeoff; obtain second information according to which the aircraft is carrying out a flight phase in an initial part of takeoff; determine, from at least the first information, that the landing gear is retractable, and, if the landing gear is retractable in an initial part of takeoff, trigger a landing gear retraction alert in an audible form and / or in a visual form, and, if the landing gear is retractable after the initial part of takeoff, possibly trigger a second landing gear retraction alert in an audible form and / or in a visual form. The invention also relates to a method implemented by the system. Advantageously, an omission to retract the landing gear of an aircraft is notified to its flight crew.Figure to be published with the abstract: Fig. 2.

Description

Title of the invention: METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR AID IN PILOTING AN AIRCRAFT AND AIRCRAFT Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to a method and a system for assisting in piloting an aircraft during a takeoff procedure. The invention relates more particularly to a method and a warning system relating to an abnormally deployed configuration of a landing gear. STATE OF PRIOR ART

[0002] Aircraft operating procedures are conventionally standardized. Thus, for example, shortly after takeoff of an aircraft equipped with retractable landing gear, one of the flight crew members of the aircraft makes an announcement to indicate to the other flight crew member that a satisfactory rate of climb is observed by saying aloud the term "positive climb." Observing a satisfactory rate of climb is generally based on viewing the takeoff conditions observed by looking through a cockpit window, by reading an altimeter reading, or by reading a variometer reading.According to this procedure, the other flight crew member responds to this call by saying, again aloud, the words "gear up", which means "raising the landing gear" or in other words that a subsequent retraction of the aircraft's landing gear is planned and requested. The crew member who made the first call then performs the landing gear retraction maneuver by acting on a control provided for this purpose and available in the aircraft's cockpit, for example on the instrument panel. This flight crew member finally announces the retraction of the landing gear by repeating the words "gear up" spoken aloud. The landing gear is then retracted into the aircraft's housings provided for this purpose.This landing gear retraction procedure is most often initiated approximately three seconds after takeoff in the strict sense of the term, i.e. three seconds after the aircraft wheels have left all contact with the runway ground. Takeoff is one of the most demanding phases of flight for the flight crew since numerous actions, including piloting, control, and monitoring, are carried out during this phase of flight. The resulting workload is significant for the flight crew and can possibly be increased in the event of an incident, such as the occurrence of an aircraft engine malfunction, or any alert. In a . In such a situation, the normal sequencing of operations to be performed may be interrupted, so that the landing gear retraction procedure does not take place at the planned time and the gear then remains in the low position (gear extended). This flight configuration, which generates additional drag, degrades the flight performance of the aircraft, in particular during the first moments after takeoff when the aircraft speed is relatively low, but also at cruising speed where excess fuel consumption results from the additional drag generated by the low position of the landing gear. The resulting excess fuel consumption may be significant enough to compromise the execution of the flight to the planned destination.Furthermore, flying an aircraft with its landing gear in the lowered position generates vibrations that could be misinterpreted as vibrations coming from an engine, which could then lead, in extreme cases, to an inappropriate shutdown of an engine.

[0003] The situation can therefore be improved. Statement of the invention

[0004] The present invention aims in particular to overcome an omission of the procedure for retracting the landing gear after takeoff of an aircraft. To this end, a system is proposed for assisting in piloting an aircraft equipped with retractable landing gear, the system comprising a controller device configured to:

[0005] - obtain initial information that the aircraft has taken off,

[0006] - obtain a second piece of information according to which the aircraft is operating a flight phase in an initial take-off part,

[0007] - determine, from at least the first information that the landing gear is retractable, and,

[0008] - if the landing gear is retractable in the initial part of takeoff, de trigger an initial landing gear retraction alert in an audible and / or visual form.

[0009] The pilot assistance system advantageously makes it possible to notify the flight crew of an omission to retract the landing gear in the event of a disturbance before or during a normal procedure in the initial part (or phase) of takeoff. Thus, flight safety is increased.

[0010] The pilot assistance system according to the invention may also include the following characteristics, considered alone or in combination:

[0011] - The controller device is further configured so that, if the landing gear is retractable after the initial part of takeoff, the controller device triggers a second landing gear retraction alert in an audible and / or visual form.

[0012] - The second landing gear retraction alert is different from the first landing gear retraction alert.

[0013] - Each of the first and second information is determined from at least one or more information representative of conditions from the list:

[0014] - a predefined position of a gear retraction control lever landing,

[0015] - a predefined position of the landing gear,

[0016] - a climb rate greater than a predefined climb rate threshold value,

[0017] - a climb rate greater than a predefined climb rate threshold value for a predetermined rise time,

[0018] - an air speed greater than a predefined air speed threshold value,

[0019] - a flight phase for a predefined minimum flight duration,

[0020] - an altitude or flight level greater than a predefined altitude or flight level,

[0021] - a variation of a reference speed of an engine greater than a threshold value predefined over a predetermined period,

[0022] - a presence of a condition according to which a low position of the train is preferable,

[0023] - a leading edge slat position,

[0024] - a flap position,

[0025] - a determination of a flight phase among a plurality of pre-determined flight phases defined,

[0026] - exceeding a maximum flight speed in flight configuration with a landing gear deployed.

[0027] - The controller device being further configured to determine a third in training in which the landing gear is in a non-retractable configuration, and is configured to inhibit the triggering of a retraction alert or interrupt a retraction alert in progress.

[0028] - The third information is determined from at least one or from several information representative of conditions among the list:

[0029] - a landing gear retraction fault has occurred,

[0030] - a negative or insufficient climb rate is determined during the initial part of the takeoff,

[0031] - a landing gear element has excessive temperature.

[0032] - The controller device is configured to trigger an alert prompting a flight crew to keep the landing gear deployed.

[0033] The invention also relates to an aircraft comprising a pilot assistance system as previously described.

[0034] The invention also relates to a method for assisting in piloting an aircraft equipped with retractable landing gear, the method being executed in a controller of an aircraft system of said aircraft, the method comprising:

[0035] - obtain initial information that the aircraft has taken off,

[0036] - obtain a second piece of information according to which the aircraft is operating a flight phase in an initial take-off part,

[0037] - determining, from at least the first information, that the train is retractable, And,

[0038] - if the landing gear is retractable in the initial part of takeoff, trigger a first train retraction alert in audible and / or visual form.

[0039] According to one embodiment, the method further comprises a step according to which if the landing gear is retractable after said initial part of the takeoff, the controller device of the pilot assistance system triggers a second retraction alert in an audible form and / or in a visual form.

[0040] Finally, the invention relates to a computer program product comprising program code instructions for executing the steps of the method previously described when the program is executed by a processor, as well as an information storage medium comprising such a computer program product. Brief description of the drawings

[0041] The characteristics of the invention mentioned above, as well as others, will appear more clearly on reading the following description of at least one exemplary embodiment, said description being made in relation to the attached drawings, among which:

[0042] [Fig.l] schematically illustrates a cockpit of an aircraft;

[0043] [Fig.2] is a flowchart illustrating a pilot assistance method according to one embodiment, executed in a controller device of an aircraft;

[0044] [Fig.3] is a flowchart illustrating a variant of the pilot assistance method already shown in [Fig.2], executed in a controller device of an aircraft;

[0045] [Fig.4] is a diagram illustrating an architecture of a controller device configured to execute a pilot assistance method such as, for example, the methods illustrated in [Fig.2] and [Fig.3]; and,

[0046] [Fig.5] illustrates an aircraft comprising the cockpit already shown in [Fig.l], and comprising a pilot assistance system provided with a controller device configured to execute a method as illustrated in [Fig.2] and [Fig.3].

[0047] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0048] [Fig.l] schematically represents a cockpit 10 of an aircraft 1, by example of medium-haul category. The aircraft 1 may be of the short, medium or long-haul category. The cockpit 10 comprises in particular a dashboard 11 and windows 17 and 19 allowing the environment outside the aircraft 1 to be viewed. The dashboard 11 comprises a multitude of control and restitution devices. All of these devices constitute a man-machine interface between the flight crew, qualified for piloting the aircraft 1, and the aircraft 1. The control devices make it possible to configure the avionics systems of the aircraft 1. The restitution devices make it possible to inform the pilots of the configuration of the aircraft 1 and to provide them with information useful for the progress of the various phases of flight. For example, the dashboard 11 comprises two sound restitution devices 15 and 15' configured to emit messages or sound alerts in the form of sounds or voices restored.According to one embodiment, the sound reproduction devices 15 and 15' are loudspeakers. The instrument panel 11 also comprises visual reproduction devices 16 configured to emit messages or visual alerts, for example in the form of an inscription (text), an indicator light, a modification of ambient lighting of the cockpit, or a variation in the color of backlighting of a device. The instrument panel 11, and more broadly the equipment of the cockpit, are broken down into several avionics modules. A landing gear control lever 13, arranged on the instrument panel 11, is configured to allow the flight crew of the aircraft 1 to control the deployment and retraction of the landing gear of the aircraft 1.According to one embodiment of the invention, when the control lever 13 is positioned in the high position, called “UP” on the dashboard 11, this causes the landing gear to retract and remain in the retracted position. Conversely, when the control lever 13 is positioned in the low position, called “DOWN” on the dashboard 11, this causes the landing gear to deploy and remain in the deployed position. The deployed position of the landing gear is also commonly called the low configuration of the landing gear or the “gear down” configuration. Sensors are used to determine the position of the landing gear. According to one embodiment, the landing gear is retracted using systems provided and configured to do so, and comprising actuators and sensors.

[0049] According to one embodiment, the aircraft 1 comprises a pilot assistance system 400 (not shown in [Fig. 1] but visible in [Fig. 5]) comprising a controller device 100 (visible in [Fig. 4]) configured to trigger one or more landing gear retraction alerts, if the latter has not been retracted according to the standard operating procedure involving exchanges between two crew members. of aircraft operation, for example, one of the flight crew members being primarily assigned to piloting duties, and the other of the flight crew members being primarily assigned to control and monitoring duties.

[0050] According to one embodiment, the controller device 100 of the pilot assistance system 400 of the aircraft 1 is configured to obtain numerous pieces of information representative of operating conditions of the aircraft, and therefore possibly information representative of flight phases or flight conditions. This information is obtained from electrical or electronic signals from sensors and / or from avionics modules dedicated to control or monitoring operations of the systems of the aircraft 1.

[0051] Thus, the controller device 100 can obtain, for example, information that the aircraft has performed a takeoff. This information can be obtained from various other information, in the form of data and / or signals, considered alone or in combination. For example, the information that a takeoff has been performed can be determined from information of a positive rate of climb, measured during a period of a predefined duration of several seconds or even several tens of seconds, without detection over the same period of a negative rate of climb. According to another example, a takeoff can be detected by a positive rate of climb determined during a period much longer than that during which a negative rate of climb is detected, during the same reference period which follows an increase in the operating speed of the engines of the aircraft.According to yet another example, a takeoff can be detected from one or more inertial units (or inertial units), configured to deliver signals representative of the movements of the aircraft 1, and in particular to estimate its orientation along the roll, pitch and yaw axes, relative to an estimate relating to the starting point of the aircraft 1.

[0052] According to one embodiment of the invention, takeoff is detected from the combination of climb rate information and the air speed of the aircraft 1.

[0053] These examples are obviously not limiting, and more generally, the information according to which a takeoff has been carried out can be determined from one or more signals or one or more data representative of operating conditions of the aircraft 1, conditions among which:

[0054] - an UP or DOWN position of the landing gear retraction control lever 13 landing,

[0055] - a landing gear position at which the landing gear is detected in deployed position,

[0056] - a climb rate greater than a predefined climb rate threshold value, for example an aircraft vertical speed greater than 100 feet per minute,

[0057] - a climb rate greater than a predefined climb rate threshold value for a predetermined climb time, for example, a maintained vertical speed greater than 100 feet per minute for more than 5 seconds or more than 10 seconds,

[0058] - an air speed greater than a predefined air speed threshold value, for example an airspeed more than 10% higher than the aircraft rotation speed at which the crew initiates a nose-up attitude (position) of aircraft 1 following acceleration on the take-off runway,

[0059] - a flight phase for a predefined minimum flight duration, for example, a information representative of the current execution of an initial takeoff phase delivered from an avionics module dedicated to this purpose or information representative of the current execution of a flight phase following an initial takeoff phase delivered from an avionics module dedicated to this purpose,

[0060] - an altitude or flight level greater than a predefined altitude or flight level obtained from an altimeter module (such as a radio altimeter), for example an altitude above 100 feet, or an altitude above 500 feet,

[0061] - a variation in the reference speed of an engine greater than a threshold value predefined over a predetermined period, such as, for example, a very significant increase in the operating speed of each of the engines, with respect to a maximum reference speed or a predefined reference cruising speed,

[0062] - a presence of a condition according to which a low position of the train is preferable, for example, the presence of an alert indicating a problem with the increase in power of the operating speed of an engine from a low or minimum speed,

[0063] - a leading edge slat position, the slats being extended (out) or retracted,

[0064] - a flap position, the flaps being extended (out), or retracted,

[0065] - a determination of a flight phase among a plurality of pre-flight phases defined, from one or more dedicated avionics modules to automatically determine a flight phase from among a plurality of predefined flight phases (for example in relation to a list of parameters compared to a LUT type table (from the English “Look-Up Table” and which means a correspondence table designating a list of association of values),

[0066] - exceeding a maximum flight speed in a flight configuration with a deployed landing gear, such maximum flight speed being determined by the aircraft manufacturer 1.

[0067] The information obtained that a takeoff has been carried out corresponds to the detection of a takeoff in the strict sense of the term, that is to say at the moment when all the wheels of the aircraft have left all contact with the ground of the takeoff runway.

[0068] Thus the term takeoff must be interpreted in the present description either as takeoff in the strict sense of the term ("lift-off", in English), which indicates the moment when the aircraft takes a nose-up attitude to leave the takeoff runway, then as the flight phase following takeoff in the strict sense of the term ("lift-off") and during which the aircraft will rejoin its cruising route and will be configured in cruising configuration until it begins its descent towards the destination airport facilities. In the following description, takeoff, when interpreted not in the strict sense of the term ("lift-off") but as a flight phase, can be broken down into two distinct parts, that is to say into two distinct takeoff phases, respectively called the initial part (or phase) of takeoff and the part (or phase) following the initial part of takeoff.

[0069] According to one embodiment of the invention, the initial part of the takeoff ends when the aircraft 1 reaches a predefined altitude or a predefined flight level, for example 5000 feet or 6000 feet. According to one variant, the initial part of the takeoff ends when the aircraft 1 reaches a predefined transition altitude, and entered in an avionics module of the aircraft 1. According to yet another variant, the initial phase of the takeoff ends when one or more elements of the aircraft 1 are configured by the flight crew in a configuration different from a configuration specific to the takeoff of the aircraft 1, for example, when the flaps are retracted, making it possible in particular to reduce the drag and increase the air speed of the aircraft.

[0070] More broadly, several elements such as flight conditions and / or aircraft configuration conditions can be defined to determine when the initial part of the takeoff of the aircraft 1 ends in order to then operate a flight phase following this initial part of the takeoff. It should be noted that if the aircraft does not operate a flight phase in the initial part of the takeoff, it is considered here that it then operates, in fact, a flight phase following the initial part of the takeoff (or subsequent to the initial part of the takeoff).

[0071] According to one embodiment, the controller device 100 of the pilot assistance system 400 is configured to obtain information according to which the aircraft 1 is or is not operating a flight phase in an initial takeoff part as previously defined.

[0072] In a similar manner to the determination of a first piece of information according to which a takeoff has been carried out, this second piece of information, aimed at defining whether or not the aircraft is carrying out a flight phase in the initial part of the takeoff, can be obtained from various other pieces of information, in the form of data and / or signals, considered alone or in combination. For example, the information according to which the aircraft 1 is or is not operating a flight phase included in the initial part of the takeoff can be determined from information on a positive rate of climb, measured during a period of a predefined duration of several seconds or even several tens of seconds, without detection over the same period of a negative rate of climb. According to one embodiment of the invention, the initial part of the takeoff is detected from the combination of information on the rate of climb and the airspeed of the aircraft.

[0073] These examples are again not limiting and more generally, the information according to which the flight is carried out or not during the initial part of the takeoff can be determined from one or more signals or one or more data representative of operating conditions of the aircraft 1, conditions among which:

[0074] - an UP or DOWN position of the landing gear retraction control lever 13 landing,

[0075] - a landing gear position at which the landing gear is detected in deployed position,

[0076] - a climb rate greater than a predefined climb rate threshold value, for example an aircraft vertical speed greater than 100 feet per minute,

[0077] - a climb rate greater than a predefined climb rate threshold value for a predetermined climb time, for example, a maintained vertical speed greater than 100 feet per minute for more than 10 seconds or more than 20 seconds,

[0078] - an air speed greater than a predefined air speed threshold value, for example an air speed corresponding to an initial climb speed, in extended flaps configuration,

[0079] - a flight phase for a predefined minimum flight duration, for example, a information representative of the current execution of an initial takeoff phase delivered from an avionics module dedicated to this purpose or information representative of the current execution of a flight phase following an initial takeoff phase delivered from an avionics module dedicated to this purpose,

[0080] - an altitude or flight level greater than a predefined altitude or flight level obtained from an altimeter module (such as a radio altimeter), for example an altitude above 100 feet, or an altitude above 500 feet, and below a transition level,

[0081] - a reference speed of an engine in a range of predefined values,

[0082] - a presence of a condition according to which a low position of the train is preferable, for example, the presence of an alert indicating a problem with the increase in power of the operating speed of an engine from a low or minimum speed,

[0083] - a leading edge slat position, the slats being extended (out) or retracted,

[0084] - a flap position, the flaps being extended (out), or retracted,

[0085] - a determination of a flight phase among a plurality of pre-flight phases defined, from one or more dedicated avionics modules to automatically determine a flight phase from among a plurality of predefined flight phases (for example in relation to a list of parameters compared to a LUT type table (from the English “Look-Up Table” and which means a correspondence table designating a list of association of values),

[0086] - exceeding a maximum flight speed in flight configuration with a landing gear deployed, such maximum flight speed being determined by the aircraft manufacturer 1.

[0087] The control device 100 of the pilot assistance system 400 is further configured to determine, from at least the first information indicating that a takeoff has been carried out, that the landing gear is retractable. The determination that the landing gear is retractable can also be made from one or more other information or data representative of flight conditions, or configuration conditions of the aircraft 1, among which, a low position (DOWN) of the control lever 13 of the landing gear, a detection of the deployed position of the landing gear, an air speed, an altitude or a flight level, an indication of engine speed, an absence of fault, incident, or breakdown during takeoff, such as for example an inability to retract the landing gear, these examples not being limiting.

[0088] Thus, advantageously, the controller 100 of the pilot assistance system 400 of the aircraft 1 is capable of detecting an omission to execute a standard landing gear retraction procedure, comprising the successive “positive climb” announcements by a first flight crew member visualizing satisfactory conditions for retraction of the landing gear, a “gear up” announcement by another flight crew member inviting a subsequent retraction of the landing gear, and finally a “gear up” announcement by the first crew member having then positioned the landing gear retraction control lever 13, in response to the aforementioned first “gear up” announcement.

[0089] Cleverly, the controller 100 of the pilot assistance system 400 of the aircraft 1 having detected an omission to execute the aforementioned standard procedure, during the initial part of the takeoff, can trigger a first landing gear retraction alert in an audible and / or visual form.

[0090] For example, the controller 100 may trigger a first landing gear retraction alert in the form of a voice synthesis reproducing a predetermined message. A non-limiting example of a predetermined message includes the terms "positive climb" so as to compensate for an omission of the initially planned retraction procedure. The announcement is then made by means of the sound reproduction devices 15 and 15' of the instrument panel 11 of the cockpit 10 of the aircraft 1. Advantageously, such an announcement is not systematic and is only triggered in the event of an omission of the initially planned standard procedure.

[0091] According to another example, the controller 100 can trigger the first landing gear retraction alert in the form of an inscription reproducing a predetermined message, or in the form of a light, or in the form of a modification of ambient lighting of the cockpit 10, or even in the form of a variation in the color of a backlighting of a device of the instrument panel 11 of the cockpit 10. The message is displayed or made visible to the flight crew by means of a visual restitution device 16 of the instrument panel 11 of the cockpit 10 of the aircraft 1, such as for example a primary flight screen PFD (acronym for “Primary Flight Display” in English).

[0092] According to an embodiment of the invention, the controller device 100 is further configured to determine a third item of information, according to which the landing gear is in a non-retractable configuration, for example due to a technical impediment. The landing gear may also be considered to be non-retractable due to the detection of a fault or an incident occurring during takeoff. In this case, the controller device 100 inhibits the triggering of a retraction alert or interrupts a retraction alert already triggered and in progress. Such an incident may, for example, be detected from a so-called NI indicator of power of one or more engines of the aircraft 1.Thus, for example, in the event of a bird strike on takeoff, likely to cause a problem likely to entail a near landing (for example a significant loss of engine thrust), a retraction alert is not triggered in the event of an omission. Indeed, in such a case, it is considered preferable not to influence the behavior of the flight crew in the execution of the procedures and in particular not to interrupt a procedure in progress, different from the landing gear retraction procedure.

[0093] Other events may occur which may make it preferable to keep the landing gear in the deployed position. In addition to a failure to retract the landing gear, for example, a negative or insufficient rate of climb may be observed during the initial part of takeoff. According to another example, a problem with a braking system may exist or occur during taxiing and result in an abnormally high, or even very excessive, temperature, so that there may be a risk of a fire starting and it may then be preferable to keep the landing gear deployed, in particular for the purpose of cooling the element(s) exhibiting an excessive temperature. Here again, in the event of omission execution of the standard retraction procedure, no retraction alert is triggered by the controller device 100 of the pilot assistance system 400.

[0094] According to one embodiment, the first landing gear retraction alert in the form of an audible or visual message during the initial part of takeoff is triggered only when the flight performance of the aircraft 1 is degraded, due to the additional drag induced by the gear, in the absence of any other problem. However, excess fuel consumption is to be considered as a subsequent performance degradation to the additional drag induced by the landing gear being kept deployed, due to an omission of the standard retraction procedure.

[0095] According to one embodiment, the controller device 100 is configured to trigger a visual and / or audible alert prompting a flight crew to keep the landing gear deployed, i.e. an alert different from the first landing gear retraction alert. This alert may be provided, for example, via a light, an inscription on a rendering device of an avionics module of the instrument panel 11, or of any equipment of the cockpit 10, by a modification of ambient lighting of the cockpit, by a variation in the color of a backlight of a device, or by an audible signal or a message provided in the form of a voice synthesis.

[0096] According to one embodiment of the invention, in the case where a first retraction alert is triggered by the controller device 100 and occurs during the initial part of takeoff, the message broadcast or displayed is different from the predetermined message defined in the standard retraction procedure. The message may then be an equivalent translated into a specific language, or any other message likely to invite the flight crew to note the omission of the execution of the standard landing gear retraction procedure, and to consequently retract the landing gear of the aircraft 1, if necessary.

[0097] According to one embodiment, when the aircraft is moving in a flight phase following the first part of the takeoff, that is to say when the first part of the takeoff is completed, a new (second) retraction alert can be triggered, audible and / or visual. Here again, this new (second) retraction alert can take any form different from or identical to that of another predefined alert, and can be restored, for example, via a light indicator, by an inscription on a rendering device of an avionics module of the dashboard 11 or of any equipment of the cockpit 10, by a modification of ambient lighting of the cockpit, by a variation in the color of a backlight of a device, or even by an audible signal or a message restored in the form of a voice synthesis.In one example, the second landing gear retraction alert in the form of a voice synthesis plays a different message than the . message broadcast or displayed corresponding to the first landing gear retraction alert. Indeed, during a flight phase subsequent to the initial part of takeoff, it is possible that the observed climb rate is not positive and that the aircraft is operating in level flight conditions or even in descent.

[0098] According to one embodiment, and regardless of the flight phase operated, a landing gear retraction alert occurs only once during an initial part of the takeoff or during a flight phase following the initial part of the takeoff.

[0099] According to a variant, a landing gear retraction alert may be repeated in the form of a voice synthesis message or in another form, depending on the flight phase being performed. Advantageously, when an alert is repeated in the absence of retraction of the landing gear by the flight crew of the aircraft 1, an intervening delay is defined between two retraction alerts so as not to consequently increase the workload of the flight crew. According to a similar reasoning, the duration of a retraction alert is defined so as not to be broadcast or displayed for too long. For example, the duration of a retraction alert is predefined for broadcast or display for 5 seconds, or 10 seconds.According to one embodiment of the invention, the duration of broadcasting or displaying a retraction alert depends on the number of triggers and broadcasts or displays already carried out for such an alert since the last takeoff or since the aircraft's engines were started.

[0100] According to variants of the aforementioned embodiments, the control of retraction of the landing gear of the aircraft 1 can be carried out by a control interface other than the control lever 13 for retracting the landing gear arranged on the dashboard 11. For example, a control by means of a push button, or even a control via a contextual menu of a touch screen can be used. These examples are not limiting.

[0101] [Fig.2] illustrates a piloting assistance method according to one embodiment, executed by the controller device 100 of the piloting assistance system 400 of the aircraft 1 according to one embodiment.

[0102] An initial step S0 corresponds to a nominal configuration of the aircraft 1 in operation, during a phase prior to takeoff, for example when the aircraft 1 is aligned on a takeoff runway and has a takeoff authorization issued by an air traffic control authority and a takeoff is initiated by an increase in the power of the engines with a view to taxiing on the runway until reaching at least the rotation speed of the aircraft 1. During a step SI, the controller device 100 of the pilot assistance system 400 obtains a first piece of information, according to which a takeoff has been carried out, from one or more signals, and / or one or more avionics data, for example a signal representative of a positive climb rate satisfactory for operating an initial takeoff phase under sufficient safety conditions. According to another example, the fact that a takeoff has been operated can be determined from information delivered by an altimeter which measures a variation in atmospheric pressure relative to the atmospheric pressure measured on the ground or at a reference point, such as, for example, at sea surface level. During a step S2, the controller device 100 obtains a second piece of information, according to which the flight is operated or not during an initial part of the takeoff. This second piece of information is also obtained from one or more signals, and / or one or more avionics data.For example, this second information is obtained from a signal representative of the altitude, a signal representative of the position of the flaps, a signal representative of the air speed or even a combination of signals making it possible to deduce that the flight conditions correspond to the initial part of the takeoff, as it has been defined. It should be noted that the initial part of the takeoff can be defined differently for each of the flights operated by the aircraft 1, or even identically for all flights. For example, the initial part of the takeoff can be defined between the takeoff in the strict sense (lift-off, in English) and the reaching of a predefined altimetric level. According to another example, the initial part of the takeoff can be defined between the takeoff in the strict sense (lift-off, in English) and a reconfiguration of the flaps.These examples are not limiting and the first and second aforementioned information can each be determined from numerous flight conditions or configuration of the aircraft 1 as described previously in the part of the description relating to [Fig. 1].

[0103] During a step S3, it is then determined by the controller device 100 of the pilot assistance system 400 whether the landing gear of the aircraft 1 is retractable. Thus, for example, the landing gear of the aircraft 1 is not retractable if it has already been retracted. According to another example, the gear is not retractable if it is considered, due to one or more pieces of information indicating that it is preferable to keep the gear in the deployed position at this stage of the takeoff or flight of the aircraft 1. For example, if a defect is observed, and which is likely to favor a close landing, the landing gear may be considered as being non-retractable by the controller device 100.The information that the landing gear is retractable is then compared during a step S4, so as to condition the triggering of a landing gear retraction alert, if the latter has not yet been retracted by the flight crew of the aircraft 1. Thus, if the gear is not retractable, no retraction alert is triggered and the method is positioned in anticipation of a new takeoff (the method returns to step SI of detecting a takeoff). The new takeoff can then be a takeoff following a new start-up of the aircraft, or a takeoff within the framework of a procedure called ". touch-and-go" during which a landing procedure is immediately followed by a takeoff procedure, which may occur in the case of an exercise flight or during a go-around on landing, due to difficult conditions. According to one embodiment, if it is detected in step S4 that the landing gear is retractable, a retraction alert is triggered in step S5, conditionally depending on the second information according to which the current flight phase is operated or not in the initial part of the takeoff.If step S2 of the method is executed without delay after the detection of a takeoff during step S1, and in the absence of a fault, the current takeoff phase is the initial takeoff phase and the controller device 100 then triggers, during step S5, a first landing gear retraction alert in the form of a message from a voice synthesis or a voice reproduction, in a manner similar to the announcement defined for the standard retraction procedure, and which is therefore expected during the initial takeoff phase in the presence of a climb rate satisfying the safety conditions, or in the form of an entry displayed to the flight crew.

[0104] [Fig. 3] illustrates a variant of the piloting assistance method executed in the controller device 100 of the piloting assistance system 400 of the aircraft 1. According to this variant, a different alert is issued depending on whether the aircraft 1 is performing a flight phase in the initial part of the takeoff or is performing a flight phase subsequent to the initial part of the takeoff. Furthermore, and according to this variant, a new retraction alert may be triggered in the event of the aircraft's landing gear not being retracted, and this new retraction alert may be either a message in visual form or in the form of a voice synthesis, for example reproducing the terms "positive climb" if the aircraft 1 is still moving during the initial part of the takeoff, or possibly another alert if the aircraft is moving in a flight phase following the initial part of the takeoff.A new alert may therefore be a visual and / or audible alert which may be different from the message provided for the first landing gear retraction alert. Thus, according to this variant, steps S0, S1, S2 and S3 and S4 are identical to those previously described in the part of the description relating to [Fig. 2] but a step S4' is introduced after step S4 defining the sequence of operations depending on whether the landing gear is retractable or not. During this step S4' it is decided, depending on whether the flight is carried out or not in the initial part of the takeoff, to trigger respectively either a first retraction alert during a step S5 similar to step S5 described in relation to [Fig. 2], or to trigger the emission of a new (second) visual and / or audible alert, during a step S5'.

[0105] According to the example method described in [Fig.3], the method loops back to step S2, after step S5, so as to update the information according to which the flight is executed in initial part of the takeoff or not, in the event of a new retraction alert being issued, if the landing gear has still not been retracted. The process described in [Fig.3] loops back to step S3 when a step S5' has been executed, since in such a situation, the flight is no longer operated in the initial part of the takeoff. A new retraction alert, in a visual and / or audible form, possibly different from the alert specific to the initial part of the takeoff, can therefore be triggered.

[0106] [Fig.4] schematically represents an architecture of the controller device 100 configured to execute a piloting assistance method such as, for example, the methods illustrated in [Fig.2] and [Fig.3].

[0107] Let us consider for illustration purposes that [Fig.4] illustrates an internal arrangement of the controller device 100. It is noted that [Fig.4] could also schematically illustrate an example of hardware architecture of an avionics system useful for controlling the flight of the aircraft 1, or for any other calculation, display, restitution, control or monitoring function, useful on board an aircraft 1, such as the pilot assistance system 400.

[0108] According to the example of hardware architecture shown in [Fig. 4], the controller device 100 then comprises, connected by a communication bus 110: a processor or CPU (“Central Processing Unit” in English) 101; a RAM (“Random Access Memory” in English) 102; a ROM (“Read Only Memory” in English) 103; a storage unit such as a hard disk (or a storage media reader, such as an SD (“Secure Digital” in English) card reader) 104;at least one communication interface 105 further offering input / output port type interfaces, in particular capable of receiving and transmitting simple or compound signals and enabling the controller device 100 to communicate with avionics devices and systems present in the aircraft 1, such as, for example, an altimeter, a variometer, landing gear position sensors, flaps, wing leading edge slats, dedicated avionics computers, the retraction control lever 13, a voice synthesis device configured to reproduce messages via the sound reproduction devices 15 and 15', a device configured to reproduce messages via the visual reproduction devices 16 as non-limiting examples.;

[0109] The processor 101 is capable of executing instructions loaded into the RAM 102 from the ROM 103, from an external memory (not shown), from a storage medium (such as an SD card), or attached to a communications network. When the controller device 100 is powered on, the processor 101 is capable of reading instructions from the RAM 102 and executing them. These instructions form a computer program causing the processor 101 to implement a part of a method described in relation to [Fig. 2], [Fig. 3] or a method derived from this one.

[0110] All or part of the method implemented by the controller device 100, or its variants, may be implemented in software form by executing a set of instructions by a programmable machine, for example a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) or a microcontroller, or be implemented in hardware form by a machine or a dedicated component, for example an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) or an ASIC (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit). In general, the controller device 100 comprises electronic circuitry configured to implement the method described in relation to itself as well as to other avionics devices.Obviously, the controller device 100 further comprises all the elements usually present in a system comprising a control unit and its peripherals, such as a power supply circuit, a power supply supervision circuit, one or more clock circuits, a reset circuit, input-output ports, interrupt inputs, bus drivers, digital to analog and analog to digital converters, ideally fast. This list is not exhaustive.

[0111] [Fig. 5] represents the aircraft 1 comprising the cockpit 10 already represented in [Fig. 1] and comprising the pilot assistance system 400, which comprises the controller device 100 configured to execute a pilot assistance method as already described. The pilot assistance system 400 is a dedicated avionics system configured to provide information elements to a flight crew of the aircraft 1, for example alerts. According to one embodiment of the invention, the pilot assistance system 400 is an FWC type system, acronym for "Flight Warning Computer" dedicated to the generation of visual and audible alert messages whose purpose is to relieve the work overload of a flight crew, in particular during the takeoff and landing phases.

[0112] The invention is not limited to the embodiments and examples described but relates more generally to any piloting assistance system for an aircraft equipped with retractable landing gear, comprising a controller device configured to obtain a first piece of information according to which the aircraft has taken off, to obtain a second piece of information according to which the aircraft is carrying out a flight phase in an initial part of takeoff or in a flight phase subsequent to an initial part of takeoff, to determine, from at least the first piece of information, that the landing gear is retractable, and, if the landing gear is retractable in the initial part of takeoff, to trigger a first landing gear retraction alert in a visual and / or audible form, possibly followed by one or more new retraction alerts, possibly different from the first alert.

Claims

Claims

1.

2. Pilot assistance system for an aircraft equipped with landing gear retractable, said system comprising a controller device configured to: obtain initial information that the aircraft has taken off, obtaining a second piece of information that the aircraft is operating a flight phase in an initial part of takeoff, determining, from at least the first piece of information, that the landing gear is retractable, if the landing gear is retractable in the initial part of takeoff, trigger a first landing gear retraction alert in an audible and / or visual form, and if the landing gear is retractable after said initial part of the takeoff, triggering a second landing gear retraction alert in an audible and / or visual form, the second landing gear retraction alert being different from the first landing gear retraction alert. A pilot assistance system according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second information is determined from at least one or from several information representative of conditions among the list: a predefined position of a landing gear retraction control lever, a predefined position of the landing gear, a climb rate greater than a predefined climb rate threshold value, a climb rate greater than a predefined climb rate threshold value for a predetermined climb duration, an airspeed greater than a predefined airspeed threshold value, a flight phase for a predefined minimum duration of flight, - an altitude or flight level greater than a predefined altitude or flight level value, - a variation in the reference speed of an engine greater than a predefined threshold value during a predetermined period, - a presence of a condition according to which a low landing gear position is preferable, - a leading edge slat position, - a flap position, - a determination of a flight phase from among a plurality of predefined flight phases, - an exceeding of a maximum flight speed in flight configuration with a deployed landing gear.

3. A pilot assistance system according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the controller device is further configured to determine a third piece of information according to which the landing gear is in a non-retractable configuration, and is configured to inhibit the triggering of a retraction alert or interrupt a retraction alert in progress.

4. Pilot assistance system according to claim 3, in which the third information is determined from at least one or from several information representative of conditions from the list: - a failure to retract the landing gear has occurred, - a negative or insufficient climb rate is determined during the initial part of the takeoff, - an element of the landing gear has an excessive temperature.

5. Pilot assistance system according to one of claims 3 and 4, in which the controller device is configured to trigger an alert prompting a flight crew to keep the landing gear deployed.

6. Aircraft comprising a pilot assistance system according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. A method of assisting in piloting an aircraft equipped with retractable landing gear, the method being executed in a controller of an aircraft system of said aircraft, the method comprising: obtain initial information that the aircraft has taken off, obtaining a second piece of information according to which the aircraft is operating a flight phase in an initial part of takeoff, determining, from at least the first piece of information, that the landing gear is retractable, if the landing gear is retractable in the initial part of takeoff, trigger a first landing gear retraction alert in an audible and / or visual form, and, if the landing gear is retractable after said initial portion of takeoff, triggering a second landing gear retraction alert in an audible and / or visual form, the second landing gear retraction alert being different from the first landing gear retraction alert.

Images