Thales

Guillaume Meulle

Christophe Pierre

Michel Roger

Xavier Blanchon

Sonia Vautier

Dorian Martinez

Amandine Audouy

Thomas Caussat

Guillaume Boyer

Arnaud Beaufils

Enrique Laso-Leon

Methods and systems for optimizing the flight of an aircraft are disclosed. The trajectory is divided into segments, each of the segments being governed by distinct sets of equations, depending on engine thrust mode and on vertical guidance (climb, cruise or descent). By assuming two, aerodynamic and engine-speed, models, data from flight recordings are received and a number of parameters from a parameter-optimization engine is iteratively determined by applying a least-squares calculation until a predefined minimality criterion is satisfied. The parameter optimization engine is next used to predict the trajectory point following a given point. Software aspects and system (e.g. FMS and/or EFB) aspects are described.

Optimizing a parametric model of aircraft performance

A method for assisting in a flight management of an aircraft calculates a local cost function CF(xi, hj) at various altitudes hj along a planned vertical reference flight trajectory over a discrete set of points P(xi, hj) which forms a two-dimensional grid in which the planned vertical reference flight trajectory varies, the local cost function CF(xi, hj) being calculated locally at each point P(xi, hj) according to aircraft data and environmental data predicted at said local point P(xi, hj). Then, for each point P(xi, hj) of the grid, the method determines a neighbourhood including the point P(xi, hj), and associates a colour K(xi, hj) therewith that is dependent on the value of the local cost function CF(xi, hj) using a predetermined bijective lookup transformation. Next, the method displays the coloured grid formed by the coloured neighbourhoods.

Method and system for assisting in the flight management of an aircraft in terms of optimizing the operating costs of said aircraft

A method for creating a vertical trajectory profile of an aircraft by optimization of a criterion representative of a flight cost, comprises: performing a first iterative computation of a profile free of altitude constraints as long as a condition dependent on the criterion is not reached, replacing each free level of the constraint-free profile with a permitted level so as to generate an initial constrained profile comprising a plurality of permitted levels, and, for each level, an altitude change point and a plurality of speeds, and performing a second iterative computation of a profile in which the altitude levels to be reached remain constant, equal to the initial permitted levels of the initial constrained profile, as long as a condition dependent on the criterion is not reached.

Method for creating a vertical trajectory profile comprising multiple altitude levels

A method and system for determining an airspeed of an aircraft, known as assisted aircraft, comprises: a) determining a position; b) measuring a ground speed; c) receiving a plurality of messages from a plurality of other assisting, aircraft, each message containing a first item of information, indicating a position of an assisting aircraft, and a second item of information, indicating a wind speed at the position; d) estimating a wind speed at the position of the assisted aircraft by interpolating the wind speed values at the positions of the assisting aircraft obtained in step c); and e) computing a true speed of the assisted aircraft by using the vector difference between its ground speed, measured in step b), and the wind speed estimated in step d). The method can check operation of an anemometric subsystem aboard an aircraft, to compensate for any malfunction and/or to enable automatic piloting.

Method and system for determining an airspeed of an aircraft

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Toulouse, France

Guillaume Meulle