Aircraft Approach Trajectory Energy Dissipation Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft flight management systems lack the ability to determine and optimize approach trajectories for landing, particularly in non-precision approaches, leading to insufficient energy dissipation calculations and unwarranted alerts, with pilots relying on visual methods and lacking aids for positioning and trajectory compliance.
Innovation Solution
A method for determining an optimized lateral approach trajectory that accounts for aircraft capabilities and visibility, allowing pilots to manage energy dissipation and ensure compliance with regulatory conditions, including the calculation of zones for safe turns and energy absorption, with real-time warnings for stability and energy dissipation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If current flight management systems use traditional approach trajectory methods, then pilots can fly approaches using existing navigation procedures, but the systems cannot calculate accurate energy dissipation leading to false alerts and insufficient trajectory optimization
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the calculation parameters from traditional distance-based metrics to energy-based metrics (kinetic and potential energy). The system calculates energy dissipation along the approach trajectory by integrating energy rate changes, transforming how approach adequacy is assessed from simple distance measurements to comprehensive energy state analysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an energy calculation module as an intermediary between the flight management system and the alert generation system. This module computes energy dissipation along the trajectory and provides corrected energy state information to the alert system, preventing false alerts while maintaining trajectory optimization capabilities.
2Ease of operation
If pilots fly non-precision approaches by sight from the MAP point, then they can complete the approach without automated guidance, but they lack trajectory determination aids and must autonomously judge positioning and energy management
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides self-service trajectory determination by automatically calculating the approach trajectory from the aircraft's current position to the runway threshold. The flight management system computes energy dissipation, determines required distances, and generates guidance information without requiring external aids or complex pilot calculations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary calculation of the approach trajectory and energy dissipation requirements before the pilot executes the approach. By pre-computing the trajectory parameters and energy state along the path, the system provides advance guidance information that enables the pilot to fly the approach with confidence.
3Adaptability or versatility
If air navigation provides standard approach clearances, then pilots receive standardized routing instructions, but these clearances do not always correspond to optimized lateral and vertical parameters for the selected approach trajectory
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts trajectory parameters based on real-time aircraft state and environmental conditions. Rather than using fixed standard clearances, the flight management system continuously optimizes lateral and vertical trajectory parameters to match the selected approach type and current flight conditions, enabling adaptability across different scenarios.
Data Source
AI summary
A method implemented by computer for calculating a lateral approach trajectory of an aircraft, comprises the steps of receiving selection of a landing runway; determining a zone Z1, the zone defining trajectory limits to carry out a last turn with a view to landing on the indicated runway; receiving indication of a trajectory point FF defining a point of alignment of the aircraft; determining a joining trajectory bound for a point FAF2, the joining trajectory going from the aircraft to the point FAF2 and then to the point FF and then to the indicated landing runway without passing through the zone Z1. Developments describe the use of a zone Z2 associated with visibility conditions, the calculation of the energy to be dissipated, the use of a predefined descent profile, the emission of alerts and trajectory adaptations by increasing the length of the joining trajectory or use of the airbrakes.