Flight Management Vertical Trajectory Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current navigation aiding systems lack automated procedures to integrate altitude and speed requirements at specific waypoints, requiring pilots to manually determine transition maneuvers to reach target altitudes and speeds, which is inefficient and increases pilot workload.
Innovation Solution
A method is developed to compute the start point of a transition maneuver within an iterative process, ensuring deterministic convergence, allowing the aircraft to reach predefined altitudes and speeds at arrival points by selecting a suitable transition maneuver and adjusting intermediate points along the lateral trajectory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automated trajectory computation is implemented, then navigation efficiency is improved, but the system cannot handle altitude and speed constraints at specific waypoints
Solution Approach 1:
The trajectory computation is divided into lateral trajectory determination and vertical profile construction as separate but coordinated segments. The system first determines the lateral path between waypoints, then independently computes the vertical profile including altitude and speed constraints at each waypoint, allowing automated handling of both dimensional requirements
Solution Approach 2:
The system extends from 2D lateral trajectory computation to 3D trajectory computation by adding the vertical dimension. It computes both lateral coordinates (latitude, longitude) and vertical parameters (altitude, speed) simultaneously, enabling automated procedures to handle altitude and speed constraints at specific waypoints while maintaining navigation efficiency
2Ease of operation
If manual determination of transition maneuvers is used, then flexibility is maintained, but pilot workload increases
Solution Approach 1:
The flight management system performs self-service by automatically computing transition maneuvers between waypoints with altitude and speed constraints. The system determines the optimal vertical profile and transition points without pilot intervention, reducing workload while maintaining operational flexibility through automated decision-making algorithms
3Device complexity
If vertical profile is computed separately from lateral trajectory, then computational simplicity is maintained, but integration of altitude and speed constraints is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges lateral trajectory computation and vertical profile construction into an integrated automated procedure. It simultaneously considers lateral position and vertical parameters (altitude, speed) at each waypoint, ensuring accurate satisfaction of constraints while maintaining computational efficiency through coordinated optimization algorithms
Data Source
AI summary
A method for aiding navigation is provided, implemented in a flight management system, for the construction of a vertical trajectory of an aircraft following a predetermined lateral trajectory between a departure point and an arrival point; the departure point and arrival point furthermore being characterized by predefined altitudes, respectively Hd and Ha, and predefined speeds, respectively Vd and Va. The method comprises the steps of: selection of a transition manoeuvre in terms of altitude and speed from a predetermined list of manoeuvres; determination of a manoeuvre point PM on the lateral trajectory, of altitude Hd and of speed Vd, from which the transition manoeuvre must be initiated so as to allow the aircraft to reach at the arrival point the predefined speed Va and the predefined altitude Ha.