The Boeing Company

John E Cashman

Mithra M K V Sankrithi

John C Griffin, Iii

Gerhard E Seidel

Timothy C McRoberts

Robert E Chaney

Gary D Reysa

John Yeeles

Mannon L Wallace

Robert M Agate

David W McKenna

Ronaldo O Cabrera

Ronald Lilischkies

Charles A Hovland

Ronald J Bloom

Joseph M MacDonald

Frank P Santoni, Jr

Mithra MKV Sankrithi

Mannon Lee Wallace

A system for aiding ground maneuvering of an airplane. The system includes at least one camera mounted on the airplane for generating video images of at last one gear with tires, preferably a main or nose landing gear and the surrounding ground. The cockpit of the airplane includes a video display device that displays the generated video images and a user interface that allows selection of the format for displaying the generated video images. A camera mounted within a moveable component of the airplane is mounted on a movable device that compensates for component movement. The system also includes a display generator for generating in real-time superimposed oversteer targets on the displayed video images. The video images with oversteer targets assist the pilot in determining the airplane's actual position relative to runways, taxiways, obstacles and other ground features and to maneuver a plane with a wide wheel track long wheelbase, or both accordingly.

Airplane ground maneuvering camera system

An improvement to an autopilot flight director system allows the flight crew to make a late runway change without disengaging the autopilot. The improved system allows a transition to a new runway assignment if radio altitude is greater than 1500 feet. Control logic determines whether or not localizer and/or glideslope have been captured and enters predetermined modes as a function thereof to effect a transition to the new approach while enabling instrument landing system retuning while maintaining autopilot engagement. Flight crew workload during approach is significantly reduced as a result of implementation of the improved system.

Method and apparatus for an improved autopilot system providing for late

Growing community of inventors

Redmond, WA, United States of America

John E Cashman