Honeywell International Inc.

Dorothee De Villele

Rajesh Chaubey

Marek Batelka

Daniel Corbel

Michal Polansky

Zdenek Jancik

Pavel Ptacek

Erwan Paricaud

Sharanabasappa Advani

Laurent Villacampa

Abhishek Gupta

Daniel Eugene Lewis

Kiran Mancheiah Venkataramana

Zdenek Moravek

Ivan Lacko

Jim R Rumbo

John Hillier

Monika Litvova

Veeralla Sai V Yashodhar

Ranju Thomas Pulikot

Methods and systems are provided for engaging a vertical navigational descent (VNAV/DES) mode of a flight management system (FMS) for an aircraft. The method comprises retrieving a preset vertical navigation (VNAV) profile for a descent path of the aircraft that is stored in the FMS. The current flight path angle (FPA) and vertical speed (VS) of the aircraft is determined and intercept parameters are calculated to intercept the preset VNAV profile with the VNAV/DES mode of the FMS. The intercept parameters are calculated based on the current FPA and VS and displayed to an aircrew member of the aircraft on a visual display device. The aircrew member is allowed to accept the intercept parameters with the VNAV/DES mode of the FMS.

Method and system for engaging a vertical navigation descent mode for an aircraft

An automatic diversion management system on-board an aircraft is provided. The diversion management system is configured to automatically detect a need for the aircraft to divert from a primary airport to a diversion airport; automatically initiate diversion planning to a suitable diversion airport responsive to detecting conditions that can cause a need for diversion; automatically create a diversion flight plan; automatically send a clearance request to air traffic control (ATC) for a first type of conditions causing a need for diversion and send a clearance request to ATC, responsive to flight crew action, for a second type of conditions causing a need for diversion; and automatically activate the diversion flight plan after receipt of ATC clearance for the first type of conditions causing a need for diversion and activate the diversion flight plan, responsive to flight crew action, for the second type of conditions causing a need for diversion.

System and method for enabling automatic diversion management

Systemsandmethods, and non-transitory computer readable mediumsdirected to generating an adaptive glide slope angle and allowing a pilot to interact with the generated glide slope angle are provided. The systemsandmethods, and non-transitory computer readable mediumsretrieve, from a navigation database (NDB), a designated approach procedure for the aircraft, and identify a designated glide slope angle (D_GSA) based thereon. The systemsandmethods, and non-transitory computer readable mediumsreceive sensed actual weather data and sensed aircraft status data and generate an adaptive glide slope angle A_GSA based thereon. The systemsandmethods, and non-transitory computer readable mediumsallow modification of and modify, or prevent modification of, the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA based on the determination of whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure.

Systems, methods, and non-transitory computer readable mediums for dynamic selection of advanced approach procedures

Systems and methods are provided for managing speed-constrained vehicle operations. One exemplary method of operating an aircraft involves identifying a speed constraint associated with a navigational reference point, determining a speed envelope region en route to the navigational reference point based at least in part on the first speed constraint, identifying a target speed en route to the navigational reference point, and determining a speed profile for autonomously operations en route to the navigational reference point within the speed envelope region. The speed profile intersects the target speed within the speed envelope region and a slope of the speed profile is influenced by the target speed, for example, to effectuate or approximate the target speed by increasing the duration of time operation at or around the target speed is achieved. In one or more embodiments, multiple different target speeds associated with different flight levels or operating regions are accounted for.

Speed-constrained flight management methods and systems

A system and method of displaying optimized aircraft energy level to a flight crew includes processing flight plan data, in a processor, to determine the optimized aircraft energy level along a descent profile of the aircraft from cruise altitude down to aircraft destination, and continuously processing aircraft data, in the processor, to continuously determine, in real-time, an actual aircraft energy level. The actual aircraft energy level of the aircraft is continuously compared, in the processor, to the optimized aircraft energy level. The processor is use to command a display device to render an image that indicates: (i) the optimized aircraft energy level, (ii) how the actual aircraft energy level differs from the optimized aircraft energy level, and (iii) how the actual aircraft energy level is trending relative to the optimized aircraft energy level.

System and method for determining and displaying optimized aircraft energy level

Provided are enhanced flight guidance systems and methods for an aircraft. The method includes recognizing when the aircraft is in manual operation and an active flight path is different than the planned flight path. An interrupt is received and categorized as one of (i) obstacle, (ii) equipment/fuel, or (iii) pilot health monitor. A managed mode begins, including identifying a rejoining leg of the planned flight path at which to rejoin and a location on the rejoining leg at which to rejoin. A recapture path strategy is selected from (i) lateral, (ii) vertical, and (iii) mixed lateral and vertical. A recapture path to the location on the rejoining leg is computed. The computed recapture path includes speed targets and configuration requirements at dedicated points along the recapture path. Aircraft state data along the recapture path is predicted and guidance controls for the aircraft along the recapture path are generated.

Systems and methods for generating a recapture path for an aircraft

Systems and methods directed to evaluating and enabling enhanced glide slope angles are provided. The method includes, in a control module, identifying a designated glide slope angle (D_GSA) based on a designated approach procedure; receiving and processing sensor data and navigation data; and, generating an adaptive glide slope angle (A_GSA) and an associated final capture altitude (FCA) based thereon. The method includes determining whether (a) an altitude constraint applies at the FCA, and determining whether (b) a level segment exists at the FCA. When (a) and (b) are concurrent, the method enables modification of the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA; and, the method prevents modification of the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA when there is no concurrence of (a) and (b).

Systems and methods for dynamic implementation of increased glide slope angles in approach procedures

Avionic display systems and methods are provided for generating avionic displays including instability prediction and avoidance symbology, such as dynamically-adjusted drag device deployment cues. In one embodiment, the avionic display system includes a controller and an avionic display device, which is coupled to the controller and on which an avionic display, such as a Vertical Situation Display (VSD), is generated. The controller is configured to: (i) project whether an unstable aircraft state will occur during an approach flown by an aircraft; (ii) when an unstable aircraft state is projected to occur, determine whether implementation of an optimized drag device deployment scheme can prevent the projected occurrence of the unstable aircraft state; and (iii) if determining that the implementation of the optimized drag device deployment scheme can prevent occurrence of the projected unstable aircraft state, generating symbology on the avionic display indicative of the optimized drag device deployment scheme.

Avionic display systems and methods for generating vertical situation displays including instability prediction and avoidance symbology

An enhanced flight management system and flight management method directed to improved guidance in unstable approach scenarios. The method includes receiving and processing a published arrival procedure (PAP), a published glide path (PGP), landing parameters, and real-time aircraft sensor data to determine a an actual approach profile, and whether the aircraft is following the reference approach profile. Approach stabilization criterion are determined, including, (i) a wind corrected air mass flight path angle (WC FPA) at the IMC; (ii) a vertical speed at the wind corrected air mass flight path angle (VS IMC); (iii) a wind corrected air mass flight path (WC FPA) angle at the VMC; and (iv) a vertical speed at the wind corrected air mass flight path angle (VS VMC). The method also determines whether an IMC criterion profile and a VMC criterion profile stabilizes the actual approach.

Aircraft systems and methods for approach stabilization

Systems and methods directed to generating an adaptive glide slope angle and allowing a pilot to interact with the generated glide slope angle are provided. The systems and methods retrieve, from a navigation database (NDB), a designated approach procedure for the aircraft, and identify a designated glide slope angle (D_GSA) based thereon. The systems and methods receive sensed actual weather data and sensed aircraft status data and generate an adaptive glide slope angle A_GSA based thereon. The systems and methods allow modification of and modify, or prevent modification of, the designated approach procedure with the A_GSA based on the determination of whether or not the A_GSA is compatible with the designated approach procedure.

Systems and methods for dynamic selection of advanced approach procedures

A method and apparatus includes strategies for improving required time of arrival reliability by an aircraft comprising determining a speed correction for one of AT speed constraints or an AT or ABOVE speed constraints, wherein the determining is selected from one or more of the mechanisms from the group consisting of continuous RTA speed management between constraints, padding of the AT speed constraints and the AT or ABOVE speed constraints; decelerating proactively; and using a variable guidance margin, wherein the guidance margin is a speed change not reflected in a flight plan prediction.

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Haute-Garonne, France

Dorothee De Villele