Device and method for indicating ergonomic incidence for aircraft.

Abstract

TITLE: Device and method for ergonomic angle of attack indication for aircraft. Device for visualizing, without cognitive effort, the value of the anemometric angle of attack of an aircraft, by one or more pilots of an aircraft, this aircraft comprising an anemometric angle of attack sensor located in the airflow outside the aircraft and comprising a cockpit including an instrument panel PB, a window HF located in front of the pilot, a side window HL located on the side of the pilot and / or side panels located on the side of the pilot, an image projector PI, receiving information from the anemometric angle of attack sensor, and sending an image I projected onto the side window HL located on the side of the pilot or onto one of the side panels located on the side of the pilot, this image I being viewable by this pilot, this image I comprising a substantially fixed point A, a half-line AD passing through point A and directed towards the rear of the aircraft,A fixed point B and a fixed point C, the inclination of this half-line AD, relative to the aircraft horizontal, represents the angle of attack. The half-line AD passes through point C when the angle of attack is a low value that must not be exceeded, and the half-line AD passes through point B when the angle of attack is a high value that must not be exceeded. The approach of the half-line DD to the vertical indicates that the aircraft is in a stall phase. The direction of this half-line AD represents the direction of the air molecules moving outside the aircraft and therefore represents, without cognitive effort for the pilot, the angle of attack. Figure for the abbreviation: Fig. 1,

Description

Title of the invention: Device and method for indicating ergonomic incidence for aircraft.

[0001] The present invention relates to an ergonomic aircraft incidence indication device and method enabling pilots to directly visualize the incidence of their aircraft without intellectual effort.

[0002] It also relates to a device and a method for indicating ergonomic incidence for aircraft by indicating on one or two sides of the cockpit the anemometric incidence of the aircraft.

[0003] It also relates to a device and method for indicating ergonomic incidence for aircraft that is naturally understandable by pilots, even under conditions of intense stress.

[0004] The invention finds particular use in the aeronautical field, where knowledge of position-related parameters is fundamental and where the reliability of this information must be exceptionally high. It is also essential that vital information be communicated to pilots in a natural way so that it is "captured" by the human brain effortlessly. Indeed, during critical flight phases, cognitive tunnel vision occurs, preventing the brain from performing tasks that are simple under normal conditions.

[0005] For many years, piloting has been based on the pitch angle (which is the angle between the ground horizontal and the aircraft's axis). It should be noted that what allows the aircraft to remain airborne is not the pitch angle but the angle of attack (the angle between the ambient air velocity vector and the aircraft's axis). These two angles are generally close. For example, during the takeoff of large civilian aircraft, the pilot, during the takeoff rotation, pulls back on the control column to orient the aircraft to a pitch angle of approximately 12 degrees. The angle of attack generally follows the pitch angle to within a few degrees.

[0006] However, there are rarer but dangerous cases where the pitch and angle of attack angles are very different. This is particularly the case with a stall. Indeed, in this case, the pitch angle may be zero (aircraft level) but the angle of attack may be very large (eighty degrees, for example).

[0007] Modern aircraft are equipped with external angle-of-attack sensors. Examples include movable delta wing-shaped vanes or differential dynamic pressure sensors. The information obtained by these sensors is transmitted to the pilots via audible alarms (especially in the event of stall) or by angle-of-attack indicators placed on the cockpit instrument panel.

[0008] In cases of intense stress, cognitive tunneling in the brain prevents the pilot from taking into account the (often numerous) audible alarms and from looking for the angle-of-attack indicator located on the cockpit instrument panel amidst dozens of dials and warning lights. Furthermore, due to their positioning, these angle-of-attack indicators require the brain to interpret the perceived visual information in order to represent the trajectory and direction relative to the aircraft's axis of the ambient air molecules.

[0009] For example, during the accident of flight AF447 on June 1, 2009, the co-pilot at the controls did not realize that he was in a stall situation and continued to pull on the control stick, aggravating the situation.

[0010] It is therefore necessary to find an effective and low-cost solution enabling pilots to have in their natural field of vision a simple and natural representation of the relative speed of air molecules outside the aircraft, allowing them to have a natural view of the angle of incidence.

[0011] The main object of the present invention is to define a device and a method for solving the problems stated above at low cost and mass and allowing pilots to visualize without cognitive effort the direction of the speed of external air molecules and therefore the angle of attack of their aircraft.

[0012] For an aircraft, it is extremely important not to increase its weight or the cost of manufacturing and maintenance. It is therefore essential to obtain the piloting information necessary for flight control, but with minimal mass and minimal cost.

[0013] In the description below, the terms mentioned shall have the following definitions:

[0014] - pitch angle: angle existing between the horizontal plane of the earth and the aircraft axis.

[0015] - angle of incidence: angle existing between the direction of the relative velocity vector of the external air molecules and the aircraft axis (or the mean chord of the wing)

[0016] - cognitive effort: this is an intellectual effort of translation that the pilot must provide to transform information, for example, represented as a number, into an understanding of physical reality. During intense stress, the pilot's mind becomes "tunnel vision" and struggles to perform other tasks. In the case of the angle of attack, if the angle is displayed numerically (for example, 80° in the case of a stall), the pilot, given the stress, is likely to miss the information and fail to recognize the seriousness of the situation.

[0017] The invention aims to overcome all or part of the problems mentioned above. In particular, it aims to describe a system that allows visualization without cognitive effort. the direction of air molecules outside the aircraft and therefore the anemometric angle of incidence.

[0018] Figure 1 shows a partial view of the right-hand side cockpit of a wide-body civil aircraft piloted by two pilots sitting side-by-side. The forward windows and one side window, the projector, and an example of an image projected onto one of the side windows are visible.

[0019] The invention solves the problems stated above by providing a cognitively effortless visualization device for the value of the anemometric angle of incidence of an aircraft, by one or more pilots of an aircraft, this aircraft comprising:

[0020] - an anemometric incidence sensor located in the outside airflow at the aircraft,

[0021] - a cockpit comprising

[0022] - a) a dashboard (PB),

[0023] - b) a (HF) porthole located in front of the pilot,

[0024] - c) a side window (HL) located on the pilot's side and / or side panels located on the side of the pilot,

[0025] - d) an image projector (IP), receiving information from the incidence sensor anemometric, and sending an image (I) projected onto the side window (HL) located on the pilot's side or onto one of the side panels located on the pilot's side, this image (I) being viewable by this pilot, this image (I) comprising

[0026] - dl) a substantially fixed point (A),

[0027] - d2) a half-line (AD) passing through point (A) and directed towards the back of the aircraft,

[0028] - d3) a fixed point (B) and

[0029] - d4) a fixed point (C),

[0030] the inclination of this said half-line (AD), with respect to the aircraft horizontal, representing the angle of attack, the half-line (AD) passing through point (C) when the angle of attack has a low value not to be exceeded, the half-line (AD) passing through point (B) when the angle of attack has a high value not to be exceeded, the approach of the half-line (AD) to the aircraft vertical meaning that we are in a stall phase, the direction of this half-line (AD) representing the direction of the air molecules traveling outside the aircraft and therefore representing, without cognitive effort for the pilot, the angle of attack.

[0031] It is advantageous for the image projector to send laser beams to form the image seen by the pilot.

[0032] It is advantageous that the image seen by the pilot be a direct image or a virtual image reflected by a mirror effect of the window.

[0033] It is advantageous that the image (I) be a virtual image focused at infinity.

[0034] It is advantageous for the side window to include a thin, partially transparent film allowing reflection of the image sent by said image projector without hindering direct vision of the outside through the window.

[0035] It is advantageous that said porthole include a thin heating film also allowing reflection of the image (I) projected by the projector (PI).

[0036] It is advantageous for the cockpit to include two pilots, with two images (I) being projected and seen by the pilots.

[0037] A method comprising the following steps taken in this order or in a different order:

[0038] - Step 1: at each fraction of a second, the value of the anemometric incidence is sent to the projector (PI),

[0039] - Step 2: the projector does not send an image onto the side window (HL) or one of the side panels only if one or more of the following conditions are met

[0040] - 2.1) the aircraft is in a stall situation,

[0041] - 2.2) the pilot has performed an action signifying that the pilot wishes to see image I,

[0042] - 2.3) the line (AD) is above the line segment (AB),

[0043] - 2.4) the line (AD) is below the line segment (AC).

[0044] A first preferred embodiment according to the invention is described below. This description uses [Fig.l].

[0045] This first mode is described for a large civil aircraft but can easily be transcribed on any type of other vehicle and in particular military aircraft comprising one or more pilots.

[0046] An image projector receives airspeed information from one or more angle-of-attack sensors located outside the aircraft. Based on this angle-of-attack information, the projector (PI) creates and sends an image (I) projected onto the pilot's right-hand side window (HL) located to the right of the cockpit. The image includes three substantially fixed reference points (A), (B), and (C). The half-line passing through (A) and (D) is movable and follows the angle of attack such that the angle formed between the half-line (AD) and the aircraft horizontal is equal to the airspeed angle of attack. When the half-line (AD) coincides with the line segment (AB), the angle of attack is high and must not be exceeded. When the half-line (AD) coincides with the line segment (AC), the angle of attack is low (often negative) and must not decrease further.

[0047] In this particular case the image projection is only started when the pilot requests it, or when the half-line (AD) is above the line segment (AB) or below the line segment (AC).

[0048] High-precision analyses and calculations have been carried out and have made it possible to verify the relevance and precision of the device and the method which is the subject of this patent.

[0049] Actual tests have been carried out and have made it possible to verify the relevance and accuracy of the device and the method which is the subject of this patent.

[0050] A person skilled in the art will be able to apply this concept to many other similar systems without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the attached claims and in particular for applications other than aeronautical applications such as systems mounted on land or water vehicles or even on fixed installations such as cockpits, drones or simulators.

Claims

Demands

1. A cognitively effortless visualization device for the value of the airspeed angle of attack of an aircraft, by one or more pilots of an aircraft, said aircraft comprising: - an airspeed angle sensor located in the airflow outside the aircraft, - a cockpit comprising - a) an instrument panel (IP), - b) a window (HF) located in front of the pilot, - c) a side window (HL) located on the side of the pilot and / or side panels located on the side of the pilot, - d) an image projector (IP), receiving information from the airspeed angle sensor, and sending an image (I) projected onto the side window (HL) located on the side of the pilot or onto one of the side panels located on the side of the pilot, this image (I) being viewable by this pilot, this image (I) comprising - d1) a substantially fixed point (A), - d2) a half-line (AD) passing through the point (A) and directed rearward of the aircraft,- d3) a fixed point (B) and - d4) a fixed point (C), the inclination of this said half-line (AD), with respect to the aircraft horizontal, representing the anemometric angle of attack, the half-line (AD) passing through point (C) when the angle of attack has a low value not to be exceeded, the half-line (AD) passing through point (B) when the angle of attack has a high value not to be exceeded, the approach of the half-line (AD) to the aircraft vertical indicating that we are in a stall phase, the direction of this half-line (AD) representing the direction of the air molecules traveling outside the aircraft and therefore representing, without cognitive effort for the pilot, the anemometric angle of attack.

2. A display device according to claim 1 characterized in that the image projector sends laser beams to form the image seen by the pilot.

3. A display device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the image seen by the pilot is a direct image or a virtual image reflected by a mirror effect of the porthole.

4. A display device according to the preceding claim characterized in that the image (I) is a virtual image focused at infinity.

5. A viewing device according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the side window comprises a thin, partially transparent film allowing reflection of the image sent by said image projector without hindering direct vision of the outside through the window.

6. A viewing device according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that said window comprises a thin heating film also allowing reflection of the image (I) projected by the projector (PI).

7. A display device according to any one of the preceding claims characterized in that the cockpit comprises two pilots, two images (I) being projected and viewed by the pilots.

8. A viewing method using the device of one of the preceding claims and comprising the following steps taken in this order or in a different order - Step 1: at each fraction of a second, the value of the anemometric angle of incidence is sent to the projector (PI), - Step 2: the projector sends an image onto the side window (HL) or one of the side panels only if one or more of the following conditions are met - 2.1) the aircraft is in a stall situation, - 2.2) the pilot has performed an action signifying that the pilot wishes to see the image I, - 2.3) the line AD is above the line segment AB, - 2.4) the line AD is below the line segment AC.

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