Aircraft Landing Site Selection Using Reachable Glide Zones
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Pilots face challenges in visually selecting suitable unplanned landing sites for small aircraft due to low visibility, onboard conditions, and stress during emergency situations, which can hinder their ability to handle the aircraft effectively.
Innovation Solution
A system that includes a controller to detect unplanned conditions, determine landing site parameters, calculate available landing zones, and select suitable landing sites, which are then displayed to the pilot through a human-machine interface, minimizing pilot input and providing automated assistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pilots visually select landing sites during emergencies, then they maintain full control over the decision-making process, but their ability to identify suitable sites is degraded by low visibility, stress, and onboard conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an automated system as an intermediary between the emergency situation and the pilot. The system processes sensor data, calculates glide ratios, identifies terrain features, and presents landing site options to the pilot, thereby mediating the complex task of emergency landing site selection and reducing the cognitive burden on the pilot during high-stress situations
Solution Approach 2:
The system enables the aircraft to partially serve itself by automatically detecting unplanned conditions, calculating available landing zones based on current flight parameters, identifying suitable landing sites within those zones, and presenting recommendations to the pilot. This self-service capability reduces reliance on pilot visual assessment under degraded conditions
2Adaptability or versatility
If pilots manually assess and select landing sites under stress, then they can adapt to specific conditions, but response time is increased due to the complexity of visual assessment
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculations of glide ratios, identifies potential landing zones, and pre-processes terrain data based on current flight conditions before the pilot needs to make a decision. This preliminary action reduces the time required for the pilot to assess and select a landing site by having options already prepared and presented
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors flight parameters, aircraft performance, and environmental conditions, providing real-time feedback to update landing site recommendations. This feedback loop ensures adaptability to changing conditions while maintaining rapid response capability through automated processing
3Productivity
If automated systems select landing sites, then response time is reduced and reliability is increased, but pilot control and decision-making autonomy are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements partial automation where it handles the computationally intensive tasks of data processing, glide ratio calculation, and landing site identification, while leaving the final selection and approval authority with the pilot. This partial action approach maximizes productivity gains while preserving essential pilot control and decision-making autonomy
Data Source
AI summary
A landing site selection system selects landing sites for unplanned landings for small aircraft. The landing site selection system may generate a landing site database comprising parameters for landing sites. The landing sites may be any location where an aircraft may potentially land. The landing site selection system may monitor aircraft conditions and determine that an unplanned landing may be desirable. The landing site selection system may select potential landing sites based on the aircraft conditions and the landing site parameters. The landing site selection system may display landing site parameters for the selected landing sites to a pilot to allow the pilot to select a landing site. The landing site selection may provide navigation instructions or autonomously navigate the aircraft to the landing site.