Flight Display Waypoint Suitability Indicia
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flight management systems (FMS) do not provide pilots with real-time feedback on the viability of entered waypoints or their impact on future selections, making it difficult to optimize flight plans effectively.
Innovation Solution
A method is implemented to display waypoints on a map with indicia indicating suitable areas for future waypoint placement, considering weather, terrain, aircraft performance, and other constraints, allowing pilots to visually assess and update waypoint selections based on these factors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the FMS allows pilot input for waypoints, then the flight plan can be customized, but the pilot receives no information on whether the waypoint is viable or how it affects future selections
Solution Approach 1:
The system displays visual feedback (colored indicia such as green, yellow, red zones) on the map to indicate the suitability of future waypoint locations based on the currently selected waypoint. This feedback mechanism provides pilots with immediate information about waypoint viability and its impact on future selections, resolving the information loss problem while maintaining customization capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-calculates and displays suitable areas for future waypoint placement before the pilot actually selects them. By showing potential future waypoint locations and their suitability in advance, the system enables pilots to make informed decisions about flight plan customization without losing critical viability information.
2Ease of operation
If the FMS provides detailed waypoint viability information, then pilot decision-making is improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses color-coded indicia (green, yellow, red zones) to represent different levels of waypoint suitability. This visual encoding simplifies complex viability information into easily interpretable color signals, improving pilot decision-making without requiring complex displays or interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The system adds a visual dimension to waypoint selection by displaying spatial zones and colored indicators on the map rather than presenting complex data in tabular or textual form. This dimensional transformation makes complex viability information more accessible and easier to process visually.
3Productivity
If the system calculates suitability for multiple future waypoints, then route planning efficiency is improved, but the computational load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system calculates suitability information for a limited number of future waypoint locations rather than all possible waypoints. By focusing computational resources on the most relevant future positions along the flight path, the system improves route planning efficiency while avoiding excessive computational load.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-calculates suitability zones for future waypoints before the pilot needs to make selection decisions. This preliminary computation allows for efficient real-time updates as the pilot moves waypoints, reducing the need for repeated complex calculations during interactive planning.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for illustrating an aircraft flight plan comprising at least one waypoint (42) on a flight display (22) of a flight deck (18) of an aircraft (10), where the method may include displaying on the flight display of the flight deck some type of display indicia (50) that indicates the suitability of locations for future waypoints.