Aircraft Flight Path Intercept Display for ILS Glide Path
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircraft navigation systems face challenges in accurately intercepting the instrument approach path, particularly in instrument flight conditions and when the runway is not in sight, due to difficulties in judging the three-dimensional path and the narrow beam width of instrument landing systems, leading to overshooting or undershooting the runway centerline.
Innovation Solution
A method that displays a pathway for an aircraft to intercept an instrument approach path by receiving and aligning with aircraft flight parameters, rendering the pathway on a display, and periodically updating it based on current aircraft parameters, including energy state, to provide an intuitive and safe intercept course, with optional deviation indices and adaptive regeneration of the pathway.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If traditional ILS deviation indicators are used to guide aircraft approach, then the system is simple and reliable, but the pilot cannot accurately judge the three-dimensional path to intercept the course line, leading to overshooting or undershooting the runway centerline
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transforms the traditional two-dimensional ILS deviation indicators into a three-dimensional visual representation showing the aircraft's position, glide path, and intercept course in spatial context. This allows pilots to intuitively understand the three-dimensional flight path geometry and make accurate intercept decisions without difficulty in judging spatial relationships.
2Reliability
If the aircraft turns onto the runway centerline for final approach, then the aircraft can align with the runway, but the narrow beam width of ILS and short capture interval lead to overshooting or less desirable turn maneuvers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent displays the predicted intercept course and pathway in advance before the aircraft begins the turn onto the final approach course. This allows pilots to plan and execute the intercept maneuver with adequate time, avoiding rushed decisions and overshooting caused by the narrow ILS beam width and short capture interval.
3Productivity
If tighter path management is implemented for increased capacity in terminal airspace, then more aircraft can be handled, but the intercept maneuver becomes more difficult and requires more precise path judgment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a predicted pathway indicator as an intermediary between the aircraft's current state and the desired intercept course. This visual mediator simplifies the complex path management requirements by clearly showing pilots the optimal intercept path, making tighter path management achievable without excessive complexity in pilot decision-making.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method displaying a pathway (226, 502) for an aircraft includes receiving (302, 402, 602) an instrument generated course generally in alignment with a runway centerline (214), determining (304, 404, 604) the pathway (226, 502) based on aircraft flight parameters in which the aircraft may fly in order to intersect the instrument generated course, rendering (306, 406, 606) on a display the instrument generated course and the pathway; and periodically repeating (308, 408, 608) the determining and rendering steps. The energy state of the aircraft may be considered in determining the pathway and optional indices (508) may be displayed indicating deviation from the pathway centerline.