Aircraft Rejoining Trajectory Adjustment via Setpoint Holding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft navigation systems fail to provide pilots with accurate and operationally relevant trajectory predictions when diverting from a flight plan, leading to increased workload and safety concerns during rejoining, especially in busy flight phases.
Innovation Solution
A method for adjusting a flight plan rejoining trajectory that includes a guidance setpoint holding point, allowing for manual or automatic adjustment based on navigation constraints, which enables more flexible and accurate rejoining by considering distance, time, altitude, or radial intersection, rather than relying on immediate return hypotheses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the pilot uses immediate return to flight plan hypothesis for trajectory prediction, then the computation is simplified, but the prediction accuracy and operational relevance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the trajectory hypothesis based on the current guidance mode. When a selected setpoint is active, the system switches from immediate return hypothesis to a new hypothesis that maintains the selected setpoint until a determined point, then rejoins the flight plan. This dynamic adaptation allows accurate predictions that reflect actual operational intentions without excessive computational complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fundamental parameter of trajectory hypothesis from 'immediate return' to 'maintain selected setpoint until determined point then rejoin'. This parameter change enables the system to provide operationally relevant predictions by aligning the hypothesis with the pilot's actual guidance intentions, thereby improving prediction accuracy while maintaining computational feasibility.
2Measurement precision
If the system provides detailed rejoining trajectory management, then the prediction accuracy improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically determines the determined point where the flight plan should be rejoined, without requiring manual pilot input for each calculation. The flight management system self-manages the trajectory hypothesis adjustment based on active guidance modes, reducing the burden on the pilot while providing accurate predictions. This self-service approach improves prediction accuracy without proportionally increasing system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The trajectory management system integrates multiple functions: it monitors active guidance modes, determines appropriate rejoining points, adjusts trajectory hypotheses, and provides predictions all within a unified framework. This multi-functionality allows the system to provide detailed rejoining management without requiring separate complex subsystems, thereby improving accuracy while controlling overall complexity.
3Manufacturing precision
If the pilot manually manages rejoining to flight plan, then the trajectory control precision improves, but the pilot workload increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides continuous feedback to the pilot through accurate trajectory predictions that reflect the actual flight intention. By displaying reliable fuel and time predictions based on the adjusted hypothesis, the system enables the pilot to make informed decisions about rejoining timing. This feedback mechanism maintains high control precision while reducing workload by eliminating the need for the pilot to perform complex calculations or constantly monitor multiple parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary determination of the rejoining point and trajectory hypothesis adjustment before the pilot needs to execute the maneuver. By pre-calculating the optimal rejoining point based on active guidance modes, the system prepares the trajectory information in advance, allowing the pilot to simply follow the presented guidance without bearing the cognitive load of real-time trajectory management decisions.
4Loss of time
If the system assumes immediate return to flight plan, then the response time is reduced, but the operational relevance of predictions deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically selects the appropriate trajectory hypothesis based on the current guidance mode. When a selected setpoint is active, it uses the determined point rejoining hypothesis; otherwise, it uses immediate return. This dynamic selection ensures that predictions are operationally relevant to the actual flight situation without requiring time-consuming manual intervention, thereby maintaining both speed and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the trajectory hypothesis parameter from fixed 'immediate return' to conditional 'determined point rejoining when selected setpoint active'. This parameter change enables the system to provide operationally relevant predictions that match pilot intentions while maintaining fast computation times through automated determination of the rejoining point based on current flight mode.
Data Source
AI summary
A method is provided for adjusting a flight plan rejoining trajectory of an aircraft, the method being implemented in a flight management system of the aircraft. In a first step, the rejoining trajectory comprises a guidance setpoint holding point to be reached situated in the extension of a guidance setpoint, and set manually or automatically, the guidance setpoint no longer being necessarily maintained when this setpoint holding point is passed. This first step can be preceded by a step of rejoining a guidance setpoint or a step of searching for the intersection of the current guidance setpoint trajectory with a segment of the flight plan.