Aircraft Approach Trajectory Correction for Energy Reabsorption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flight management systems (FMS) struggle to determine a compatible approach trajectory for aircraft landing, as the theoretical approach trajectory often conflicts with the aircraft's performance, leading to discrepancies in ground speed and altitude, and existing solutions fail to provide effective corrections to achieve the required energy conditions for safe landing.
Innovation Solution
A method to determine a corrected approach trajectory by calculating the energy of the aircraft upon crossing the runway threshold, comparing it to a maximum permissible energy, and adjusting the trajectory length to reabsorb excess energy, thereby ensuring the aircraft meets the required ground speed and altitude constraints, involving the determination of a corrected lateral and vertical trajectory based on the aircraft's performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a theoretical approach trajectory is calculated by backward calculation from the runway threshold, then the required ground speed and altitude conditions for landing are satisfied, but the trajectory may not be compatible with the aircraft's actual performance state
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary forward calculation from the aircraft's current state to predict the energy at the runway threshold, and performs preliminary backward calculation from the required landing conditions. By comparing these preliminary results before final trajectory determination, the system identifies incompatibilities early and adjusts the trajectory to ensure both landing precision and performance compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback by comparing the predicted energy from forward calculation with the required energy from backward calculation. This feedback loop allows the system to detect discrepancies between theoretical trajectory and actual aircraft performance, and to iteratively adjust the trajectory parameters until compatibility is achieved.
2Loss of information
If the FMS merely displays visual information about energy discrepancies, then the information is presented to the crew, but no effective correction method is provided
Solution Approach 1:
The system introduces an intermediary correction mechanism that translates the energy discrepancy information into actionable trajectory adjustments. Rather than merely displaying the discrepancy, the system calculates the required energy correction and determines the specific lateral and vertical trajectory modifications needed, acting as an intermediary between the problem identification and the solution implementation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the forward calculation is performed based on current aircraft state, then the actual performance is considered, but the calculation may not link up with the backward calculation at the runway
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies dynamics by making the trajectory calculation iterative and adaptive. Rather than a static single-pass calculation, the system dynamically adjusts the trajectory parameters through repeated forward and backward calculations, allowing the trajectory to evolve and adapt until it successfully links both the current aircraft state and the required landing conditions.
Data Source
AI summary
In the field of the calculation of the approach trajectory of an aircraft, and relating to a method for determining a corrected lateral approach trajectory as a function of the energy to be reabsorbed before the landing, and also to a flight management system making it possible to determine the corrected lateral trajectory, a method comprises: determining an energy of the aircraft Eaero upon crossing the runway threshold on the basis of a predetermined approach trajectory and of a current state of the aircraft, said state comprising at least one current altitude, a current ground speed and a mass of the aircraft; comparing the energy Eaero with a predetermined maximum energy Emax, and when the energy Eaero is greater than the energy Emax, determining the corrected lateral approach trajectory as a function of the difference between the energy of the aircraft Eaero and the maximum energy Emax.