Aircraft Navigation Monitoring with Anticipatory Height Alerts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for monitoring aircraft navigation during low level flight or autonomous approach using satellite positioning systems do not allow pilots to anticipate and modify mission parameters to avoid triggering alarms, leading to potential safety issues and mission interruptions.
Innovation Solution
A method and device that enable pilots to select a setpoint value for a height parameter, automatically determine an alarm threshold, and display current error values relative to this parameter, allowing for pre-alarm alerts and the ability to modify the setpoint value to avoid triggering alarms, thereby enhancing navigation monitoring and mission flexibility.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an alarm threshold is set to ensure safety during low level flight or autonomous approach, then navigation safety is improved, but the pilot cannot anticipate and modify mission parameters to avoid alarm triggering
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary action by displaying the current error value (achieveable performance) in real-time before the alarm threshold is reached. This allows the pilot to take preliminary action by modifying mission parameters (such as adjusting the set clearance height or decision height) to avoid triggering the alarm, while still maintaining navigation safety through the alarm threshold mechanism.
2Reliability
If the alarm is triggered immediately when error exceeds threshold, then safety is ensured, but the mission must be interrupted without anticipation
Solution Approach 1:
The system displays the current error value (achieveable performance) continuously, enabling the pilot to take preliminary action by adjusting mission parameters before the alarm triggers. This prevents sudden mission interruptions while maintaining safety, as the pilot can proactively modify parameters to keep the error within acceptable limits.
3Measurement precision
If the current error value is displayed directly, then the pilot can monitor navigation accuracy, but the pilot cannot easily understand achievable performance relative to the setpoint
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies parameter changes by transforming the current error value into the 'achieveable performance' parameter, which is expressed in the same units as the setpoint value (feet or meters). This transformation makes the data more meaningful to the pilot, who can directly compare the achieveable performance with the setpoint to understand the achievable flight conditions without needing to interpret raw error values.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a method and device, which provide an enhanced ability to monitor the navigation of an aircraft during a phase of flight in which the aircraft is close to the ground in which the aircraft uses positional information supplied by a satellite positioning system for the navigation. A display screen is used to display a first characteristic sign representing a selected setpoint value for a height parameter of the aircraft. The display screen also displays a second characteristic sign representing a current auxiliary value expressed in the form of an achievable height parameter. An alert is emitted when the second characteristic sign is determined to be within a predetermined height value of the first characteristic sign, and the alert is shown in visual format on the display screen. An alarm is also emitted following a predetermined time after the alert is emitted, if the setpoint value is not replaced by a new setpoint value.