Flight Management System Dynamic Mode Switching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional flight management systems restrict pilots to either using the FMS landing system (FLS) guidance mode or flight manager (FM) vertical guidance mode, without the ability to dynamically switch between them, leading to incompatibility issues with curved approaches or those requiring low Required Navigational Performance (RNP) values, resulting in unnecessary delays and costs.
Innovation Solution
A flight management system that allows pilots to dynamically switch between FLS guidance mode and FM vertical guidance mode by using a controller to assess approach compatibility and generate alerts, enabling the pilot to deactivate the default FLS mode and revert to FM vertical guidance mode when necessary.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the FLS guidance mode is activated during initial software configuration, then the system provides ILS-like functionality for non-precision approaches, but the mode cannot be deactivated by the pilot and is incompatible with certain approach types
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts the operational state of the FLS guidance mode based on real-time approach type detection. The controller automatically transitions between FLS and FM vertical guidance modes depending on whether the current approach is compatible with FLS, enabling adaptability without requiring manual pilot intervention for mode switching while maintaining pilot oversight
2Ease of operation
If the FLS guidance mode is used for all non-precision approaches, then the system provides intuitive pilot controls, but it forces pilots to request new approaches or fly manual mode when incompatible approaches are encountered
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary detection of approach type compatibility before the pilot encounters incompatibility issues during the approach. The controller identifies whether the selected approach is compatible with FLS mode in advance and proactively switches to the appropriate guidance mode, preventing the need for pilots to request new approaches or switch to manual mode mid-approach
3Adaptability or versatility
If the FLS guidance mode is configured to be always active, then the system provides virtual G/S beam modeling capability, but it creates incompatibility with curved approaches and low RNP approaches
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously monitors approach type parameters and provides feedback to the controller to determine FLS mode compatibility. Based on this feedback, the controller automatically enables or disables the FLS guidance mode, ensuring that the system only operates in FLS mode when the approach type (straight-in, curved, RNP value) is compatible, thereby maintaining both capability and reliability
Data Source
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AI summary
Embodiments of a process (40) and a program product are provided suitable for implantation by a flight management system (FMS, 20), which is deployed onboard an aircraft and including a display device (22) and a user interface (28). The FMS operable is operable in a FMS landing system (FLS) guidance mode and in a flight management (FM) vertical guidance mode. In one embodiment, the process includes the steps of: (i) receiving data via the user interface designating an approach in a flight plan (44); (ii) enabling the pilot to utilize the user interface to select a non-precision approach mode from the plurality of non-precision approach modes if the designated approach is a non-precision approach (54); and (iii) placing the FMS in the selected non-precision approach mode during the designated approach (52, 60).