Flight Path Modification for No-Turn Terrain Avoidance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Aircrafts face challenges in avoiding no turn situations due to terrain obstacles and performance degradation at higher altitudes, leading to potential collisions when they cannot implement a viable turn to avoid obstacles.
Innovation Solution
A system equipped with geospatial sensors, an onboard database, and a controller that generates a modified flight path by determining the aircraft's location and terrain data, identifying potential no turn situations, and displaying notifications to pilots to implement viable turns, thereby avoiding collisions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the aircraft maintains a current flight path at higher altitudes, then the aircraft can maintain its original route, but the turn radius increases and aircraft performance decreases leading to no turn situations
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary analysis of the flight path to identify potential no turn situations before the aircraft reaches them. By calculating terrain obstacles, aircraft performance parameters, and turn radius requirements in advance, the system provides early warning to the pilot, allowing proactive adjustment of the flight path before the aircraft enters a situation where turning becomes impossible
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary computational layer between the pilot and the flight environment. This intermediary system processes terrain data, aircraft performance parameters, and flight path information to generate warnings and suggested modifications, mediating the complex interaction between aircraft capabilities and environmental constraints
2Reliability
If the aircraft encounters terrain obstacles close to the airport, then the aircraft must navigate through challenging terrain, but the increasing density altitude degrades climb rate and turn performance
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies preliminary anti-action by identifying and warning of no turn situations before the aircraft encounters terrain obstacles. By calculating the intersection of the flight path with terrain features and assessing turn capability in advance, the system prevents the harmful effect of being forced into terrain by providing early alert and suggesting flight path modifications
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the aircraft's position, comparing it with stored terrain data, and assessing whether the current flight path leads to no turn situations. This real-time feedback loop allows the system to provide ongoing warnings and suggestions, enabling the pilot to adjust the flight path in response to the environmental constraints
3Productivity
If the aircraft follows the current flight path into mountainous terrain, then the aircraft can maintain its designated route, but momentary loss of situational awareness may result in navigation error and collision
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies self-service by automatically computing terrain data, analyzing the flight path, and generating warnings without requiring continuous pilot input or manual terrain analysis. The system serves itself by utilizing onboard sensors, stored terrain databases, and flight management system data to autonomously assess no turn situations and provide guidance
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are provided for generating a modified flight to avoid a no turn situation. A current flight path of an aircraft is received from a source of current flight path of the aircraft. Current aircraft location data is received from at least one geospatial sensor of the aircraft. Terrain data is retrieved from an onboard database based on the current aircraft location data. The terrain data includes a first terrain obstacle and a second terrain obstacle. A determination is made regarding whether the current flight path of the aircraft leads to a no turn situation with respect to the first terrain obstacle and the second terrain obstacle. A first notification associated with implementation of a modified flight path in accordance with a viable turn with respect to the first terrain obstacle and the second terrain obstacle is displayed on an onboard display device based on the determination.