Aircraft Display System Crab Angle Visualization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft navigation systems do not effectively display the crab angle necessary to counteract crosswinds, making it difficult for pilots to timely correct the aircraft heading during landing operations, especially in instrument flight conditions or when a crosswind deviates the aircraft from the desired ground track.
Innovation Solution
An aircraft display system that calculates and visually represents the crab angle by determining the difference between the current ground track and heading, using a processor to render an icon indicating the necessary correction, allowing pilots to maneuver the aircraft accordingly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional aircraft navigation systems display only lateral deviation indicators, then the system complexity is kept simple, but the pilot cannot readily notice ground track deviation and cannot timely correct the aircraft heading
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adds a new dimension to the display by showing both the aircraft symbol and a ground track symbol that represents the desired ground track. This dimensional addition allows pilots to visually perceive the crab angle and ground track deviation, transforming the abstract navigation problem into a visual spatial relationship that can be quickly understood and acted upon.
Solution Approach 2:
The ground track symbol serves as an intermediary visual element that mediates between the aircraft's actual heading and the desired ground track. By introducing this intermediate representation, the system provides pilots with a clear visual cue about the crab angle without requiring complex calculations or multiple separate indicators.
2Reliability
If the aircraft is flown along the desired ground track using ground based ILS, then the lateral deviation is corrected, but the heading of the aircraft is different from the track direction due to crosswind, resulting in a crab condition that is not readily apparent
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the navigation information into two distinct visual components: the aircraft symbol representing actual heading and the ground track symbol representing desired track. This segmentation allows pilots to independently assess both the lateral position (through ILS) and the crab angle (through the angular relationship between symbols), preventing information loss while maintaining ground track accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs color coding to differentiate between the aircraft symbol and the ground track symbol, with each symbol having distinct color characteristics. This color differentiation enhances the visual separation of the two elements, making the crab angle more apparent and preventing information loss by ensuring that pilots can easily distinguish between actual heading and desired track.
3Productivity
If no crab angle indication is provided, then the display system remains simple, but the pilot may not be timely to maneuver the aircraft to reduce course deviation due to crosswind
Solution Approach 1:
By adding the ground track symbol that shows the desired ground track direction, the system introduces a new visual dimension that directly indicates the crab angle. This dimensional enhancement enables pilots to quickly perceive and correct crosswind effects, improving landing operation efficiency without requiring complex additional instrumentation.
Solution Approach 2:
The ground track symbol provides continuous visual feedback about the crab angle and desired ground track. This feedback mechanism allows pilots to monitor and adjust the aircraft heading in real-time, improving landing efficiency by enabling timely corrections without adding complex active control systems.
Data Source
AI summary
An aircraft display system (100) for illustrating a suggested crab angle has a processor (104) adapted to receive data representative of a desired ground tract (214) and representative of a ground tract deviation, and is configured upon receipt of these data to supply a ground tract rendering display command. A display device (116) coupled to receive the ground tract image rendering display commands is operable to render an icon (222) representative of the desired aircraft heading to maintain the desired ground tract (214). The method of how to maneuver an aircraft to correct for crosswind includes determining (306) a difference between a current ground track (224) and a current heading (218), determining a desired heading to maintain the desired ground track (214) based on the difference, and rendering on a display an aircraft icon (222) that is representative of the desired heading.