Aircraft Trajectory Management for Wind Compensation
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge in air traffic management is maintaining safe separation distances between aircraft during low-speed approaches, especially when wind conditions change, as existing methods rely on speed adjustments which can lead to instability and increased landing distances.
Innovation Solution
A method that modifies an aircraft's trajectory by calculating and adjusting the distance based on wind conditions and air speed, allowing for compliance with temporal constraints without altering the aircraft's speed, thereby maintaining safety separation and optimizing runway occupancy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the aircraft maintains constant air speed during approach, then the flight control is simplified and landing stability is improved, but the aircraft cannot adapt to wind variations which causes separation distance violations with preceding aircraft
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by making the trajectory modifiable rather than fixed. The system dynamically adjusts the horizontal trajectory parameters (distance to runway, turn angle, turn radius) based on real-time wind measurements and separation requirements, allowing the aircraft to adapt to changing wind conditions while maintaining safe separation from preceding aircraft.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes physical parameters of the flight trajectory including distance to runway, turn angle, and turn radius. By modifying these geometric parameters of the approach path, the system compensates for wind-induced position deviations without requiring air speed changes, thus resolving the contradiction between simple constant-speed control and reliable separation maintenance.
2Reliability
If the aircraft increases separation distance from preceding aircraft to account for wind effects, then collision risk is reduced, but the landing flow rate decreases and runway occupancy time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent resolves this contradiction by transitioning from one-dimensional speed-based separation to two-dimensional trajectory-based separation. Instead of increasing longitudinal separation distance, the system uses lateral trajectory adjustments (modifying approach path geometry) to maintain separation, thereby preserving landing flow rate while ensuring safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary measurement of wind conditions and calculates the required trajectory modification before the aircraft enters the critical separation zone. By anticipating wind effects and pre-adjusting the trajectory parameters, the aircraft maintains proper separation without requiring excessive distance, thus preserving landing efficiency.
3Reliability
If the aircraft modifies its trajectory to maintain separation under wind influence, then separation compliance is improved, but the flight path complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling the flight management system to autonomously measure wind conditions, calculate required trajectory modifications, and update flight parameters without pilot intervention. The system automatically compensates for wind effects by adjusting trajectory geometry, reducing the complexity burden on the pilot while ensuring separation compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system employs feedback by continuously measuring actual wind conditions during the approach and using this information to adjust trajectory parameters. The flight management system receives wind data, calculates the impact on separation, and modifies the horizontal trajectory accordingly, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains separation compliance adaptively.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach ensures secure landing by maintaining the recommended approach speed, preventing stalling or go-arounds, and optimizes runway occupancy by adjusting flight distance in response to wind variations without speed changes.
Implementation Method 1
the said first aircraft A1 flying along a trajectory and being subject to a temporal constraint defined by a date determined with respect to a fixed point i.e. by a temporal separation with respect to a second aeroplane A2, the said first aircraft A1 flying according to a constant air speed Va1 with an initial wind Ve
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for managing the flight of an aircraft flying along a trajectory and being subject to an absolute time constraint (on a downstream point) or relative time constraint (spacing with respect to a downstream aircraft), the said aircraft comprising a flight management system calculating a temporal discrepancy to the said time constraint, wherein the said method includes the following steps: the calculation of a distance on the basis of the temporal discrepancy, the modification of the trajectory: if the temporal discrepancy to the time constraint corresponds to an advance, the lengthening of the trajectory by the distance; if the temporal discrepancy to the time constraint corresponds to a delay, the shortening of the trajectory by the distance.