RTA Speed Profile Smoothing for Multi-Segment Flight Plans
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current flight planning systems face challenges in managing speed transitions to meet required time of arrival (RTA) at waypoints, especially in high-traffic areas, due to uncertainties like ATC restrictions and weather changes, leading to inefficiencies and potential violations of speed constraints.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for creating a smooth speed profile by determining whether a speed constrained region is engaged, adjusting the speed pad accordingly, and compiling a new speed profile to ensure the aircraft meets the RTA without violating speed constraints, using a system that includes a Flight Management System (FMS) and RTA system to dynamically manage speed adjustments across multiple flight segments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the aircraft accelerates to meet RTA at a waypoint, then the RTA can be met on time, but fuel consumption increases and speed constraints may be violated
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary calculations of the speed profile before the aircraft reaches the RTA waypoint, determining the optimal acceleration and deceleration points. By planning the speed transition in advance rather than reacting at the last moment, the system achieves RTA compliance with minimal fuel consumption and ensures speed constraints are never violated.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the speed profile based on real-time aircraft position, current speed, and remaining distance to the RTA waypoint. The FMS continuously updates the commanded speed to optimize the trade-off between meeting RTA and minimizing fuel consumption, creating a smooth adaptive speed transition rather than rigid pre-programmed changes.
2Loss of time
If the aircraft makes significant speed changes to meet RTA, then timing can be corrected, but flight plan reliability decreases and workload increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the speed parameter smoothly and progressively rather than making abrupt adjustments. By modifying speed in gradual increments based on calculated optimal profiles, the system maintains flight plan reliability while achieving RTA compliance, avoiding the need for significant speed changes that would reduce reliability.
3Loss of time
If the aircraft accelerates early to meet RTA, then time can be gained, but speed constraints in subsequent segments may be violated
Solution Approach 1:
The system calculates the complete speed profile in advance, taking into account all upcoming speed constraints in different flight segments. By determining the optimal acceleration and deceleration points beforehand, the system ensures that speed is increased only when and where permitted, maintaining compliance with all speed constraints while still achieving RTA compliance.
Solution Approach 2:
The system applies different speed management strategies to different flight segments based on their specific characteristics and constraints. Each segment receives a tailored speed profile that respects local speed limits and constraints, rather than applying a uniform acceleration strategy that would risk violating segment-specific speed requirements.
4Loss of time
If the FMS frequently updates speed commands to meet RTA, then RTA compliance improves, but system complexity and computational load increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously calculates and updates the optimal speed profile based on real-time aircraft position and flight conditions. Rather than periodic discrete updates, the FMS maintains a continuous computational process that smoothly adjusts speed commands, improving RTA compliance while managing complexity through efficient algorithms that leverage the continuity of flight data.
Data Source
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AI summary
Methods, systems and device are provided for smoothing a required time of arrival (RTA) speed transition for an aircraft in a multi-segmented speed profile including at least one preceding region with a first predetermined speed pad and at a speed constrained region with a second predetermined speed pad. Exemplary methods include, but are not limited to determining whether a speed constrained region is engaged by a preceding region based at least in part on a speed of an aircraft. If the speed constrained region is engaged, the instructions determine a revised second speed pad for the speed constrained region. If the speed constrained region is not engaged then the instructions assign a default speed pad as the second speed pad for the speed constrained region. The instructions also compile a new speed profile that is defined by one of the revised second speed pad and the default speed pad for the speed constrained region and transmit commands that accelerate the aircraft to a new speed based on the new speed profile.