Four-Dimensional Flight Plan Dynamic Trajectory Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flight management systems rely on static flight plans, which become less relevant when conditions during flight affect travel time, leading to air traffic delays and a lack of situational awareness for pilots regarding actual flight paths compared to four-dimensional flight plans.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a computer configured to retrieve flight status information and generate four-dimensional flight information, which includes a comparison of flight status to a flight plan, and is depicted in a textual format, allowing for real-time updates and enhanced situational awareness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If static flight plans are used, then flight management systems are simple and easy to operate, but situational awareness of actual flight paths is lost and air traffic delays occur
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static flight plans to dynamic four-dimensional trajectory-based operations, continuously updating flight paths based on real-time aircraft position, speed, and weather conditions. This dynamic approach maintains situational awareness while adapting to changing flight conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms by continuously monitoring actual aircraft position and comparing it against the four-dimensional flight plan, automatically adjusting trajectories to maintain separation and meet arrival times. This closed-loop feedback ensures situational awareness is maintained throughout the flight.
2Measurement precision
If four-dimensional flight plans are implemented, then airspace separation is maintained and arrival times are accurate, but current systems cannot readily provide situational awareness of actual flight paths
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses an intermediary display interface that visualizes the four-dimensional flight plan alongside actual aircraft position data. This intermediary presentation layer translates complex four-dimensional trajectory information into intuitive graphical representations that provide continuous situational awareness to pilots and air traffic controllers.
3Ease of operation
If traditional flight paths are used, then timing along the route is less critical, but air traffic management cannot maintain sufficient separation between aircraft
Solution Approach 1:
The system adds the time dimension to traditional two-dimensional flight paths, creating four-dimensional trajectories that incorporate latitude, longitude, altitude, and time. This additional temporal dimension enables precise control of aircraft separation while maintaining operational flexibility through continuous trajectory adjustments.
Data Source
AI summary
The different advantageous embodiments provide a system comprising a computer, first program code stored on the computer, and second program code stored on the computer. The computer is configured to run the first program code to retrieve flight status information during a flight and generate four dimensional flight information. The four dimensional flight information includes a comparison of the flight status information to a flight plan for the flight. The computer is configured to run the second program code to depict the four dimensional flight information in a textual format.