Vertical Path Generator for Takeoff Climb Limitation Assessment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Pilots face challenges in determining whether takeoff or climb limitations exist during aircraft takeoff due to the reliance on tables and percentages for climb gradients, which can lead to mistakes in preflight assessments.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a vertical path generator that retrieves navigation and performance data to create a visual, aural, or tactile presentation of a vertical path profile, informing pilots of takeoff and climb limitations by comparing attainable and minimum climb gradients.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If pilots use tables showing T/O distances as functions of aircraft performance factors, then they can determine takeoff safety, but mistakes could be made by the pilot during preflight duties
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual table lookup and calculation methods with an automated electronic system that computes climb gradients and compares them against regulatory requirements. The system substitutes human cognitive processing with computational algorithms, eliminating errors in manual assessment while providing precise, real-time feedback to pilots during preflight duties
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides immediate feedback to pilots by displaying whether the calculated climb gradient meets or exceeds the minimum required gradient. This feedback mechanism allows pilots to instantly understand if takeoff conditions are safe, eliminating the uncertainty and potential for error in manual table interpretation and calculation verification
2Ease of operation
If minimum climb gradients are specified as percentages by regulation, then regulatory compliance is established, but pilots often use rates of climb or climb speeds which can lead to confusion
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically converts the regulatory percentage-based climb gradient specification into the pilot's preferred rate of climb and climb speed metrics. By dynamically transforming parameters between different representations (gradient percentage, feet per minute, knots), the system maintains regulatory compliance while presenting information in the format most intuitive to pilots, eliminating confusion without losing precision
Data Source
AI summary
Present novel and non-trivial system, device, and method for generating a vertical path profile are disclosed. The vertical path profile generating system is comprised of a source of navigation data, a source of performance factors data, a vertical path generator (“VPG”) and a presentation system. The VPG may be configured to receive the navigation data representative of takeoff runway information; receive the performance data may be representative of aircraft performance factors; determine a first vertical path and/or second vertical path as a function of criteria employing the navigation data and the performance data; generate presentation data responsive to the determination; and provide the presentation data to one or more presentation devices comprised of, in part, a visual display unit configured to display a first takeoff path profile and/or a second takeoff path profile.