In-Trail Procedures Display Weather Hazard and Wake Vortex Alerting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current oceanic flight operations limit opportunities for flight level changes due to dense traffic and reduced surveillance performance, making it difficult for aircraft to safely climb or descend through occupied flight levels without risking collisions or turbulence.
Innovation Solution
An integrated system that uses a radar system to transmit and receive weather radar reflectivity data, generating weather hazard icons and wake vortex information for display on an in-trail procedures display, which also alerts pilots and air traffic controllers about potential hazards and clearance issues during altitude change requests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If flight level changes are permitted in dense oceanic traffic, then flight efficiency and performance are improved, but collision risk and safety are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary system consisting of airborne surveillance equipment and ground-based processing centers that act as mediators between aircraft. This system continuously monitors aircraft positions, calculates separation distances, and provides real-time clearance information, enabling safe flight level changes in dense traffic while maintaining collision avoidance
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements continuous feedback loops where airborne equipment transmits position data to ground centers, which process the information and return clearance decisions to pilots. This closed-loop feedback mechanism ensures that flight level changes are authorized only when separation criteria are met, thereby maintaining safety while enabling efficient operations
2Reliability
If traditional radar surveillance is used, then safety is maintained through large separation minima, but flight level change opportunities are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional ground-based radar surveillance with airborne surveillance equipment (such as ADS-B or transponders) that actively transmit position data. This substitution provides more accurate and frequent position information, enabling reduced separation minima while maintaining safety, thereby increasing flight level change opportunities in congested oceanic airspace
3Productivity
If separation minima are reduced to increase flight level changes, then productivity is improved, but measurement precision and safety are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculations of separation distances and clearance decisions before flight level changes are executed. By pre-calculating whether separation criteria will be maintained throughout the transition, the system enables reduced separation minima with confidence, increasing flight level change frequency while maintaining position accuracy through continuous monitoring
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enhances situational awareness by providing accurate weather and wake vortex data, enabling safer and more efficient flight level changes by ensuring pilots and controllers are aware of potential hazards before transitioning altitudes.
Implementation Method 1
A radar system transmits a radar signal and receives and stores weather radar reflectivity values
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods for improving situational awareness on an in-trails procedures display. A radar system transmits a radar signal and receives and stores weather radar reflectivity values into a three-dimensional buffer. A processor determines whether any of the stored weather reflectivity values indicate the presence of a weather hazard and generates one or more weather hazard icons based on the stored weather reflectivity values. An in-trail procedures display device displays the generated weather hazard icons. Wake vortex information for other aircraft is generated and outputted on the in-trail procedures display. Also, the processor receives a request for an altitude change and generates an alert when the aircraft is determined not to be cleared to transition to the requested altitude based on a projected transition, any existing weather hazards, wake vortices of proximate aircraft, and in-trail procedures.