Flight Management System for Aircraft Glide Path Navigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
During aircraft engine failure, pilots face challenges in determining and maintaining the proper gliding speed to maximize gliding distance, especially due to varying environmental conditions, which can lead to reduced gliding distance and uncertainty in reaching a nearby airport for emergency landing.
Innovation Solution
A method and system, including a flight management and guidance envelope computing (FMGEC) system, that computes minimum and maximum glide distances based on aircraft state and environmental parameters, identifies candidate reachable airports, and determines a glide path for safe navigation to a selected airport, reducing pilot workload and enhancing safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If the pilot manually determines and maintains gliding speed to maximize gliding distance, then the gliding distance can be optimized under ideal conditions, but the pilot's workload increases and the reliability decreases due to difficulty in maintaining proper speed under multiple tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables the aircraft to automatically calculate and maintain optimal gliding speed and distance without continuous pilot intervention. The flight management system computes gliding parameters based on current aircraft state and environmental conditions, allowing the aircraft to serve itself in determining the best glide path to a reachable airport.
2Reliability
If the pilot focuses on identifying engine failure causes and attempting engine restart, then engine recovery may be achieved, but the gliding distance is reduced due to distraction from maintaining proper gliding speed
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the emergency response into separate functional modules: one module automatically manages gliding navigation and speed control, while another module handles engine monitoring and restart procedures. This segmentation allows the pilot to address engine recovery without compromising the gliding path maintenance, as the navigation function operates independently.
3Ease of operation
If the pilot lacks experience with gliding in various environmental conditions, then the ease of operation is maintained, but the manufacturing precision of gliding distance significantly reduces due to incorrect speed setting
Solution Approach 1:
The system replaces the pilot's manual experience-based speed adjustment with an automated computational system. The flight management system uses algorithms to calculate optimal gliding speed based on aircraft state parameters and environmental conditions, substituting human judgment with precise computational determination of the best glide path.
4Reliability
If the system computes minimum and maximum glide distances based on multiple parameters, then the reliability of reaching an airport improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flight management system performs multiple functions using a single integrated platform: it monitors aircraft state parameters, processes environmental condition data, calculates gliding distances, identifies reachable airports, and provides navigation guidance. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate specialized systems while maintaining comprehensive analysis capabilities.
Data Source
AI summary
In one example, a method to guide and navigate the aircraft during a complete engine failure is disclosed. Nearby airport data is obtained based on aircraft current location upon detecting the complete aircraft engine failure. Minimum and maximum glide distances of the aircraft are computed based on the current aircraft state parameters and environmental parameters. Candidate reachable airports are determined using the obtained nearby airport data for safe landing based on the computed minimum and maximum glide distances. A glide path for each candidate reachable airport is determined. The aircraft is navigated and guided to a selected one of the candidate reachable airports using an associated glide path.