Aircraft Energy Management Limit Position Computation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft piloting systems, particularly during radar-guided approaches, lack effective assistance in managing the total energy state of the aircraft, requiring pilots to manually control energy dissipation to reach target altitudes and speeds, increasing workload and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that compute and transmit a limit position along the aircraft's future flight trajectory where the energy difference between the target and final energy states can be dissipated, automatically guiding the aircraft to this position to ensure efficient energy management, using a system that receives target altitude and speed data from air traffic control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the automatic pilot system AP/AT is used to define altitude, heading and speed targets, then the workload of the crew is reduced through automated following of target vector components, but the system does not help the crew manage the total energy state of the aircraft
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces an intermediary system (the assistance device) that mediates between the automatic pilot system and the crew. This device computes and provides energy management information, including graphical symbols on the navigation display and vertical speed recommendations, without replacing the existing AP/AT system. The intermediary fills the information gap by processing aircraft state data and presenting energy management guidance to the crew.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces manual energy state monitoring and calculation with an automated computational system. The assistance device automatically computes energy state parameters, dissipation distances, and vertical speed recommendations, substituting the manual mechanical process of energy management with an electronic information processing system that integrates with the existing avionics.
2Adaptability or versatility
If radar guidance is used instead of pre-planned trajectory, then air traffic control gains flexibility for managing unexpected situations, but no complete trajectory is defined and the FMGS system cannot compute guidance and control commands
Solution Approach 1:
The invention performs preliminary computation of energy management parameters and vertical speed recommendations before the crew needs to make decisions. The assistance device continuously computes energy state information, dissipation distances, and recommended vertical speeds in advance, based on current aircraft state and clearance information, so that guidance is ready when needed without requiring complex real-time trajectory computation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention segments the complex trajectory computation problem into manageable components: receiving clearance information, computing energy state parameters, calculating dissipation distances, and generating vertical speed recommendations. This segmentation allows the system to handle radar guidance situations by breaking down the overall guidance problem into discrete computational steps that can be processed separately and integrated.
3Extent of automation
If the crew manually manages energy by monitoring energy state and modifying aircraft flight, then complete control over energy management is maintained, but the task remains complex requiring continuous monitoring and intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The invention implements feedback by continuously monitoring aircraft state parameters (altitude, speed, position) and comparing them with target values. The assistance device computes energy state information based on current state and provides feedback to the crew through graphical symbols and vertical speed recommendations on the navigation display, enabling informed decision-making while reducing the complexity of manual energy management.
Solution Approach 2:
The assistance device performs self-service by automatically computing energy state parameters, dissipation distances, and vertical speed recommendations without requiring manual input from the crew. The system autonomously processes aircraft state data and clearance information to generate guidance, reducing the crew's workload while maintaining their ability to control energy management.
Data Source
AI summary
The device includes a reception unit for receiving a target energy including a target altitude and a target speed, a computation unit for computing a target energy state relative to the target energy, a computation unit for computing an energy difference between a final energy state at a final position, a computation unit for computing a dissipation distance making it possible for the aircraft to dissipate this energy difference, a computation unit for computing a limit position situated upstream of the final position, along a future flight trajectory of the aircraft, by the dissipation distance, the limit position being the most downstream position where the aircraft can dissipate the energy difference of the aircraft up to the final position, and an information transmission unit for transmitting at least the limit position to at least one user system.