Flight Plan Rejoining via Capture Zone Waypoint Selection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flight management systems face challenges in flexible and realistic rejoining of flight plans, particularly when aircraft are diverted due to air traffic control constraints, leading to unrealistic trajectories and increased pilot workload, which affects flight safety and fuel efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A method for formulating a lateral flight trajectory that determines a waypoint for rejoining based on a capture zone defined by the flight plan trajectory, allowing for optimal rejoining by ignoring speed and altitude constraints, and applying criteria such as proximity and separation distances to ensure achievable trajectories.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the FMS uses simplistic assumptions for rejoining the flight plan trajectory (e.g., great circle to last waypoint or immediate return to active leg), then the calculation of rejoining trajectory is simple, but the resulting trajectory becomes unrealistic and unachievable in practice
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the parameters used in rejoining calculations from simplistic geometric assumptions to parameters that incorporate aircraft performance characteristics, current position, and flight conditions. This allows the system to generate realistic trajectories that account for turn rates, speed constraints, and other operational limitations while maintaining computational feasibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system transitions from static, pre-defined rejoining methods to a dynamic calculation approach that continuously adapts the rejoining trajectory based on the aircraft's current state, position, and performance capabilities. This dynamic recalculation ensures the trajectory remains achievable under varying flight conditions.
2Reliability
If the FMS determines an optimal rejoining trajectory considering aircraft performance and flight conditions, then the trajectory becomes more realistic and achievable, but the calculation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary assessments of aircraft performance parameters and flight conditions before calculating the rejoining trajectory. By pre-processing and storing relevant performance data and constraints, the system reduces the computational burden during actual rejoining events while still generating realistic trajectories.
3Measurement precision
If the FMS makes erroneous predictions based on unrealistic rejoining trajectories, then the flight time and fuel consumption predictions are inaccurate, but the pilot workload increases due to manual corrections
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor the aircraft's actual performance and compare it with the predicted values based on the calculated rejoining trajectory. This feedback loop allows the system to adjust predictions in real-time, improving accuracy while maintaining automated operation and reducing pilot workload for manual corrections.
Data Source
AI summary
Method of formulating a lateral flight trajectory for the rejoining by an aircraft (200) of a trajectory of a flight plan (910) comprising a plurality of waypoints (911, 912, 913), the aircraft (200) flying outside of the flight plan (910) and according to a divergent track with respect to the trajectory of the flight plan (210), characterized in that the method:determines a waypoint (913) of the flight plan for the rejoining, defined as the first waypoint (913) of the flight plan included in a capture zone defined by the flight plan trajectory situated downstream of the point of intersection between the straight line defined by an angle (α) with the perpendicular to the track of the aircraft and the trajectory of the flight plan,formulates the optimal lateral flight trajectory for a rejoining by the aircraft (200) at the determined waypoint.Advantageously, the flight trajectory formulation method allows the application of speed and/or altitude constraints to the aircraft (200) taking into account speed and/or altitude constraints imposed along the trajectory of the flight plan (910).