FMS-TCAS Coupling for Automatic Evasive Maneuver Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current aircraft flight control systems face challenges in responding timely and accurately to Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) alerts, especially in congested airspace, due to high cognitive demand on pilots and limitations of automated responses, which can lead to increased frequency of evasive maneuvers and workload.
Innovation Solution
A flight management system that integrates TCAS data with navigation and autopilot systems to identify conflicts and automatically modify flight plans, speed, or flight paths to avoid collisions, and implement evasive maneuvers without pilot intervention, while ensuring safety by assessing limiting conditions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If automated responses based on autopilot systems are used, then response time to TCAS alerts is reduced, but system cost increases and pilot oversight is required
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs self-service by automatically generating and executing evasive maneuvers without requiring pilot intervention. The flight management system autonomously processes TCAS alerts, determines appropriate responses, and implements maneuvers, thereby reducing response time while eliminating the need for costly autopilot retrofits and pilot oversight
Solution Approach 2:
The flight management system is enhanced to perform multiple functions: it processes navigation data, manages flight plans, and now also handles TCAS alert responses. This multi-functionality allows the existing FMS to provide automated collision avoidance responses without requiring separate dedicated autopilot systems, reducing overall system complexity and cost
2Device complexity
If pilots manually respond to TCAS alerts, then system complexity remains low, but cognitive workload increases and response time is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The system takes over the response task from the pilot, performing self-service by automatically analyzing TCAS alerts and executing evasive maneuvers. This transfers the cognitive burden from the pilot to the flight management system, significantly reducing pilot workload while maintaining relatively simple system architecture
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary processing of TCAS alerts by automatically analyzing the situation and determining the appropriate evasive maneuver before pilot action is required. This preliminary automated response preparation reduces the cognitive demand on pilots and accelerates overall response time
3Measurement precision
If navigation accuracy is improved, then flight path precision increases, but frequency of TCAS alerts increases due to closer neighbor aircraft detection
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary conflict detection by analyzing the integrated trajectory against predicted neighbor aircraft paths before a TCAS alert is generated. This early detection allows the system to proactively modify flight plans or initiate evasive maneuvers before alerts occur, effectively reducing the frequency of actual TCAS alerts requiring pilot response
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from the integrated navigation and TCAS data to continuously monitor and adjust the flight path. By processing navigation accuracy data in conjunction with TCAS information, the system can make real-time adjustments to avoid conflicts, thereby reducing the frequency of alerts while maintaining precise navigation
4Loss of time
If evasive maneuvers are automatically implemented, then pilot response time is reduced, but safety risks increase without pilot oversight
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary safety verification by evaluating limiting conditions and assessing the safety of proposed evasive maneuvers before automatic implementation. This preliminary safety check ensures that automatically implemented maneuvers are safe and appropriate, maintaining reliability while enabling fast automated response
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates feedback mechanisms that continuously monitor the execution of evasive maneuvers and compare actual outcomes against predicted results. This feedback loop ensures safety by detecting deviations and allowing for corrective action, enabling automatic implementation while maintaining pilot confidence and safety standards
Data Source
AI summary
An enhanced flight control system and method providing a technological improvement over a conventional flight control systems. A control module employs rules to determine whether or not a received traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS) evasive maneuver is automatically implemented. Specifically, the control module effectively couples the TCAS to the FMS, allowing access to the flight plan and to the navigation database and the approach procedures and runway data therein. An algorithm determines when there is a co-occurrence of the conditions (1) a flight plan uploaded in the FMS, (2) autopilot is engaged, (3) VNAV is engaged. Upon co-occurrence of (1) and (2) and (3), and an evasive maneuver is received from a TCAS, the control module determines whether or not to automatically implement the evasive maneuver. Look ahead algorithms may also analyse and modify the flight plan to preclude TCAS alerts and evasive procedures being required.