Adaptive Vertical Profile for Aircraft Deceleration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current Airborne Separation Assistance Systems (ASPA S&M) for managing aircraft separation during dense traffic periods require similar aircraft performances, identical flight plans, and engaged autopilot and auto-throttle, leading to suboptimal deceleration profiles and increased environmental impact due to go-around thrusts and optimized profile degradation.
Innovation Solution
An adaptive vertical profile with a constant deceleration rate is determined using aircraft-specific parameters like aerodynamic configuration, speed, mass, and environmental conditions, allowing for a common deceleration rate across multiple aircraft, enabling efficient separation and reduced environmental impact during intermediate approach phases.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If ASPA S&M function is implemented to manage aircraft separation during dense traffic periods, then aircraft separation and air traffic capacity are improved, but the optimized flight profile is degraded and environmental impact increases due to go-around thrusts
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adapts the vertical profile by continuously adjusting the descent rate based on real-time parameters including leader aircraft position, follower aircraft performance characteristics, and separation requirements. This dynamic adaptation eliminates the need for rigid, pre-programmed profiles that cause go-around thrusts, allowing the system to maintain optimized descent throughout the approach phase while managing dense traffic separation
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes key flight parameters including descent rate, vertical speed, and thrust settings to maintain both separation requirements and optimized flight profiles. By continuously adjusting these parameters based on real-time conditions and aircraft-specific performance data, the system avoids the degradation that leads to environmental harm while maintaining air traffic capacity
2Device complexity
If ASPA S&M function requires identical flight plans and similar aircraft performances, then separation control is simplified, but adaptability to different aircraft types and flight conditions is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system achieves universality by developing a unified separation control methodology that works across diverse aircraft types and flight conditions. Instead of requiring identical flight plans, the system uses aircraft-specific performance databases and adaptive algorithms that automatically adjust to different aircraft characteristics, making the system universally applicable while maintaining simplified separation control logic
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-loading aircraft-specific performance characteristics and optimal vertical profile parameters into the flight management system before the approach phase. This preliminary preparation enables the adaptive control algorithm to quickly adjust to different aircraft types without increasing real-time control complexity, resolving the contradiction between simplified control and enhanced adaptability
3Ease of operation
If constant altitude deceleration levels are used during approach, then speed control is simplified, but sound nuisance increases and CDO benefits are lost
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces static, constant-altitude deceleration levels with dynamic vertical profiles that continuously adjust descent rate and altitude. This dynamic approach maintains simplified speed control through automated FMS management while eliminating the sound nuisance associated with constant-altitude deceleration, as the aircraft continuously descends at optimized rates without level-off segments
Data Source
AI summary
A method and device for aiding the piloting of an aircraft during an intermediate approach phase of a descent. The method includes receiving, by a flight management system, values of parameters relative to the aircraft and a flight thereof, and determining, by the flight management system and based on the received values, a vertical profile. The vertical profile includes at least one deceleration segment with an adaptive slope, which defines a descent path that enables the aircraft to hold a constant deceleration rate during the intermediate approach phase. The method also includes guiding, by an aircraft guidance system, the aircraft according to the vertical profile during the intermediate approach phase such that the aircraft holds the constant deceleration rate during the intermediate approach phase.