Flight Management System Time Constraint Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flight management systems (FMS) in aircraft face challenges in accurately maintaining time constraints due to inaccuracies in prediction models and speed envelope limitations, leading to significant speed changes and potential drifts in estimated time of arrival, which can result in missed time constraints and increased workload for air traffic controllers.
Innovation Solution
The method involves defining a constrained speed envelope within the aircraft's theoretical speed envelope, allowing the guidance module to adjust the setpoint speed using a manoeuvring margin, with a faster dynamic calculation to maintain the required time of arrival, even when the estimated time deviates from the required time by a tighter guidance tolerance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the FMS carries out iterative prediction calculations to determine speed strategy and trajectories, then the accuracy of time of arrival prediction is improved, but the calculation time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The FMS performs comprehensive iterative calculations and redefinition of speed strategy and trajectories in advance, before the aircraft approaches the constraint point. By completing these computationally intensive operations beforehand, the system avoids real-time calculation delays when precise control is most critical, thus resolving the contradiction between calculation accuracy and time consumption.
2Reliability
If the FMS strictly follows the calculated speed strategy, then the required time of arrival is observed, but the system lacks flexibility to correct sudden drifts in estimated time of arrival
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic adjustment capability to the speed strategy system. The FMS continuously monitors the estimated time of arrival and dynamically modifies the speed strategy when drift is detected, rather than rigidly following pre-calculated values. This dynamic approach maintains reliability by keeping the aircraft on schedule while simultaneously providing adaptability to correct unexpected deviations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements a feedback mechanism where the estimated time of arrival is continuously compared with the required time of arrival. When deviations exceed a threshold, the FMS triggers recalculation and adjustment of the speed strategy. This closed-loop feedback ensures both reliability (by maintaining schedule adherence) and adaptability (by responding to actual flight conditions and correcting drifts).
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to the field of civil aviation and, more specifically, relates to the flight management systems, more commonly known by the English acronym FMS. The method for assisting in the management of the flight of an aircraft in order to keep to a time constraint according to the present invention allows for a control of the keeping to the time constraint that presents a rapid dynamic, by avoiding as far as possible having the estimated time of arrival (ETA) at a particular point (P) able to drift relative to a required time of arrival (RTA) at said particular point (P), thanks to the use of a maneuvering margin (M) granted to the guidance module of the aircraft.