EFB Turbulence Guidance Using FMS Pilot Intent
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flight management systems (FMS) are slow and expensive to update due to stringent certification processes, limiting the implementation of new features for turbulence mitigation, while Electronic Flight Bags (EFB) offer a quicker and less rigorous update path but lack integration with FMS data for personalized turbulence suggestions.
Innovation Solution
A turbulence management system integrated with an EFB infers pilot intent from FMS inputs, receives aircraft metrics, and generates personalized suggestions to mitigate turbulence while satisfying pilot intent, using a turbulence manager to communicate with the FMS and provide user-friendly interface adjustments during turbulent conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If FMS is updated with new turbulence mitigation features, then turbulence mitigation capability is improved, but certification time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates the turbulence mitigation functionality into a distinct module that operates independently from the core FMS. The processor identifies pilot intent and generates suggestions without requiring certification of the entire FMS system, only the standalone turbulence mitigation module needs validation.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary suggestion generation module is introduced between the pilot input and the aircraft control systems. This module processes pilot intent and generates turbulence mitigation suggestions that can be implemented without direct FMS updates, bypassing the lengthy certification process while still improving turbulence handling capability.
2Reliability
If FMS is updated with new turbulence mitigation features, then turbulence mitigation capability is improved, but update cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The turbulence mitigation functionality is segmented as a separate process that runs on existing FMS hardware without requiring system-wide updates. This reduces development, testing, and certification costs since only the specific turbulence module needs validation rather than the entire FMS.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses existing FMS resources (processors, memory, sensors) to provide turbulence mitigation suggestions without requiring additional hardware or expensive system-wide updates. The existing infrastructure serves the new function at minimal marginal cost.
3Loss of energy
If turbulence mitigation suggestions are provided, then fuel burn is reduced, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors pilot inputs and aircraft state, using feedback loops to identify pilot intent and adjust turbulence mitigation suggestions in real-time. This feedback mechanism enables fuel savings through optimized flight paths and altitude adjustments without requiring complex manual calculations or multiple separate systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The FMS uses its own existing data and processing capabilities to generate turbulence mitigation suggestions, rather than requiring external complex systems. The processor leverages already-collected flight data, weather information, and aircraft performance parameters to provide suggestions that reduce fuel burn without adding significant system complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure provides a turbulence management system for providing suggestions to a pilot that mitigate the effects of turbulence. These suggestions can be output to the pilot using an EFB. As mentioned above, an EFB can be communicatively coupled to a FMS such that the EFB has access to the data in the FMS. From the pilot's interactions with the FMS, the EFB can identify the pilot's intent such as landing, taking off, plotting a course change, changing altitude, maintaining a cruising altitude, etc. Once the intent is known, the EFB can output a suggestion to the pilot that satisfies the intent, but mitigates the harmful effects of turbulence. In one aspect, this suggestion is generated using the flight plant and aircraft metrics available from the FMS.