Flight Assistant System for Emergency Landing Site Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pilots face significant workload and stress in emergency situations due to the need to quickly process vast amounts of dynamic data for decision-making, especially when dealing with engine failures or other critical conditions, where incomplete or inaccurate information can lead to increased risk of accidents and loss of life and property.
Innovation Solution
A system and apparatus that continuously monitors and processes flight parameters, providing pilots with real-time data on aircraft configuration, weather, terrain, and available landing sites, and suggests the best emergency landing options, either through a flight director or autopilot, to reduce pilot workload and enhance decision-making.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the pilot processes vast amounts of dynamic data manually during emergency situations, then the pilot maintains full decision-making control, but the pilot workload and stress increase significantly leading to slower decision-making and increased risk of errors
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an automated flight management system that acts as an intermediary between the pilot and the complex flight data. The system automatically processes vast amounts of dynamic data including weather conditions, terrain information, aircraft performance parameters, and emergency procedures, presenting processed recommendations to the pilot rather than requiring manual analysis of raw data. This intermediary layer significantly reduces pilot workload while maintaining pilot authority over final decisions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of data analysis and emergency procedure execution with automated electronic systems. The flight management system automatically calculates optimal emergency procedures, identifies suitable landing sites, and provides step-by-step guidance, substituting the pilot's manual information processing with automated computational analysis while the pilot retains supervisory control.
2Reliability
If the pilot relies on available information during emergency situations, then the pilot can make decisions with current data, but incomplete or inaccurate information can lead to increased risk of accidents and loss of life and property
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-loading comprehensive databases containing detailed information about alternative landing sites, weather patterns, terrain characteristics, and emergency procedures before the emergency occurs. The flight management system has access to pre-processed data including runway conditions, nearby airports, helipads, and suitable open areas, along with their characteristics and suitability criteria. This ensures that when an emergency occurs, the pilot receives complete and accurate information rather than having to search for it during the crisis.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent incorporates feedback mechanisms where the flight management system continuously monitors flight parameters, system status, and environmental conditions, comparing actual data against expected values and providing real-time updates to the pilot. The system feedback loop ensures that information remains current and accurate throughout the emergency situation, allowing the pilot to make decisions based on the latest available data rather than outdated information.
3Ease of operation
If the system provides comprehensive emergency guidance and automation, then pilot workload is reduced and decision-making is improved, but the system complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a flight management system that performs multiple functions beyond just emergency guidance. The system handles normal flight management, navigation, performance optimization, and emergency procedures through a single integrated platform. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized systems, thereby managing complexity while providing comprehensive emergency capabilities. The same hardware and software infrastructure supports both routine operations and emergency situations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the emergency guidance system into modular functional components including data processing modules, decision support modules, guidance generation modules, and display modules. This segmentation allows the complex system to be developed, tested, and maintained in manageable parts while providing comprehensive emergency capabilities. Each module can be independently optimized and updated without affecting the entire system, managing complexity through functional decomposition.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and apparatus for assisting in determining the best course of action at any particular point inflight for any category of emergency. The system monitors a plurality of static and dynamic flight parameters including atmospheric conditions along the flight path, ground conditions and terrain, and conditions aboard the aircraft. Based on these parameters, the system may provide continually updated information about the best available landing sites or recommend solutions to aircraft configuration errors. In case of emergency, the system may provide procedure sets associated with a hierarchy of available emergency landing sites (or execute these procedure sets via the autopilot system) depending on the specific nature of the emergency.