Rockwell International Corporation

Rockwell Collins, Inc.

Kenneth W McElreath

Gordon R Fabian

John P Centala

Cris W Johnson

Donald A Happel

Scott A Pingsterhaus

Display panel with icon

An aircraft formation positioning system lead aircraft transmits a continuous RF signal and a periodic data burst with lead aircraft position. A follower aircraft receives the continuous RF signal and the periodic data burst. A follower aircraft resolver determines bearing, distance and elevation relative to the lead aircraft from the continuous RF signal. The follower aircraft transmits an intermittent RF signal and a periodic data burst with its relative position determined from the continuous RF signal. The lead aircraft receives the intermittent RF signal and the periodic data burst from the follower aircraft. A lead aircraft resolver performs an independent measurement of the lead aircraft position relative to the follower aircraft from the intermittent RF signal. A lead aircraft Kalman filter connected to the lead aircraft resolver and receiver correlates the independent measurement of the lead aircraft position relative to the follower aircraft with the received periodic data burst.

System and method for improving aircraft formation flying accuracy and integrity

An aircraft formation/refueling guidance system guides a follower aircraft relative to a leader aircraft. A datalink provides a position hold and a bias command from the leader aircraft to the follower aircraft. An optical tracker onboard the follower aircraft takes an image of the leader aircraft when receiving the hold command, tracks the leader aircraft using the image, and provides optical tracker movement outputs. A resolver resolves the optical tracker movement outputs to provide resolver control signals. A vernier control receives the bias command to change a position of the follower aircraft by biasing the resolver control signals with a bias signal. A sum circuit connected to the resolver and to the vernier control receives the resolver control signals and the bias signal to provide a sum circuit output signal. An autopilot and autothrottle receives the sum circuit output signal and the position hold command to control the follower aircraft.

Aircraft formation/refueling guidance system

An aircraft FMS/guidance system which provides for automated and immediate calculation of a preferred flight path and full heading, pitch-and-roll guidance along that path for paths of random origins, such as during late-occurring missed approaches and circling-to-land maneuvers.

Method and system for guiding an aircraft along a preferred flight path having a random origin

A system and method for processing information on an aircraft in an economically efficient manner, in which a non-FAA certified removable laptop PC is intermittently coupled to and integrated with FAA certified avionics equipment on-board the aircraft, and the laptop is used to perform tasks which are not mandated by the FAA.

Method and system for integrating a laptop PC in a cockpit

An integrated navigation system includes a prime mission navigation system (e.g., a military code GPS-based flight management system), a second navigation system (e.g., a civil code GPS-based navigation system) and an integrity check system. The first navigation system receives first positioning signals and generates a first navigation solution based on the first positioning signals. The second navigation system receives second positioning signals and generates a second navigation solution based on the second positioning signals. The integrity check system receives the first navigation solution and the second navigation solution, compares the first navigation solution to the second navigation solution, and generates a validity signal based on the comparison.

Integrated navigation system

A baro altitude and terrain warning system with an integrity monitoring function which uses a radar altimeter to generate instantaneous altitude signals used to confirm the validity of a baro altitude signal, generated by a baro altimeter and an expected terrain clearance signal, provided by the terrain warning system, and for generating an alert when insufficient correlation exists between such signals.

Method and apparatus for using statistical data processing in altimeter and terrain awareness integrity monitoring systems

An integrated vertical situation display (IVSD) for an aircraft, and method of displaying vertical situation information, are disclosed herein. The IVSD includes an electronic display for displaying the vertical situation of the aircraft, input interfaces for receiving vertical profile information signals, and a processing circuit for reading the information signals and generating display signals applied to the display therefrom. The display has a vertical profile view area to display the vertical situation in front of, above, and below the aircraft. The information sources may include a flight management system, traffic alert and collision avoidance system (TCAS) and a ground proximity warning system. Vertical situations are displayed by visual indicia representing, for example, aircraft position, path angle, flight path, waypoints, TCAS targets, altitude preselect, decision height, runway, ground contour, and vertical speed. The integrated display minimizes the cognitive workload of the operator in assessing the total vertical situation.

Integrated vertical situation display for aircraft

Data from long range aids such as the global positioning system (GPS) and an inertial navigation system (INS) and short range aids such as a microwave landing system (MLS) are used to smoothly and automatically transition an aircraft from the long range aids to the short range aids. During cruise a Kalman filter combines data from the global positioning system and the inertial navigation system to provide accurate enroute information. When the aircraft arrives in the vicinity of the airport and begins to acquire valid data from the microwave landing system, the Kalman filter is calibrated with the MLS data to permit Precision landing with GPS/INS data alone in case the MLS system subsequently fails. In addition, navigation information begins to be derived from a weighted sum of the GPS/INS and MLS data, the weighting being determined by distance from the airport. In a first region farthest from the airport, the GPS/INS data is given a 1.0 weighting factor; and in a second region nearest the airport, the MLS data is given a 1.0 weighting factor. In a third region intermediate the first and second regions, the GPS/INS data and MLS data are proportionately and complementarily weighted as a function of the distance from the airport. If the MLS system fails, the weighting system is disabled and navigation data is again derived from the GPS/INS combination. In addition, the data from both systems are monitored, and a cockpit alarm is sounded if the data diverges beyond a specified amount.

Integrated enroute and approach guidance system for aircraft

An improved system and technique is disclosed which enables an aircraft control system to bring an aircraft to hover with no direct measurement of ground speed. The system includes a device for numerically calculating a value for ground speed based on a differentiation of aircraft position as measured from conventional ground reference navigational aids. The computed value of ground speed is compared with values representing heading and true air speed to generate a computed value of wind. The computed value of wind is then resolved into vector components of headwind and crosswind and the headwind component and air speed are summed to provide a signal used to control aircraft speed until zero ground speed is achieved.

Use of headwind and airspeed to achieve a transition to a hover in a

There is disclosed a system and technique which enables an aircraft (helicopter or VTOL) to be more easily controlled for maintaining precise position or velocity in a hover condition. The system includes operational logic and decision making circuitry which reduces pilot workload by sensing pilot intent based upon the control stick movement and mode selection of the aircraft. The system will automatically hold a given hover position, automatically hold a given hover velocity (ground speed), or allow the aircraft to be manually maneuvered to a new desired hover position or velocity. The system also enables the aircraft to either hold a new velocity or return to a previous velocity. This is all controlled through the automatic flight control system and by sensing the force or displacement of a pilot's control stick in the aircraft. Upon release of the manual force applied by the pilot to the control stick, the stick returns to a neutral position and the control logic recognizes pilot intent to maintain a given hover velocity or position.

Automatic flight control system

A system and technique is disclosed which enables an aircraft to naturally respond to pilot inputs during automatic flight control of aircraft attitude or course and to smoothly return to that attitude or course following pilot maneuvers. The aircraft attitude control channels of an aircraft control system are held at a predetermined attitude reference by an automatic flight control system or programmed to follow a particular navigational course by a flight director guidance system. The aircraft control stick is coupled to disconnect the predetermined pitch and roll attitude from flight control following a stick movement of a predetermined distance or the application of a predetermined force to the stick so that the AFCS or flight director guidance system no longer attempts to hold the set attitude or navigational course. The control stick commands an angular rate of change proportional to the magnitude of the pilot's stick displacement or force. Upon release of the force and return of the aircraft control stick to a neutral position, a 'fly through' fading circuit smoothly returns the aircraft to its original attitude or navigational course.

Automatic flight control with pilot fly-through

An attitude indicator provides a display which combines the motion of an aircraft symbol with that of a background/horizon symbol to achieve the best features of conventional 'inside-out' and 'outside-in' types of attitude displays. The present invention is featured in the provision of a cueing control circuitry which, in response to inputted pitch and bank attitude indicative signals, effects the positioning of at least one of the aircraft symbol and the horizon indicating symbol of an attitude indicator as a function of at least one of the magnitude and rate of change characteristics of pitch and bank attitude signals inputted thereto.

Combined motion cueing attitude indicator

Automatic flight control apparatus, preferably for use in a helicopter, comprises a parallel connected servosystem which allows the apparatus to discern manual input forces and to respond naturally to them. The manual forces are sensed internal the parallel servosystem by monitoring the corrective error drive signal to the parallel servomotor. A signal indicative of excess manual force is used to develop other signals, one of which aids in temporarily defeating the command signal generated by the autopilot in trying to do its job, and another of which temporarily contributes positive feedback within the parallel servosystem so as to cause the servomotor to aid the pilot's manual input force. Another preferred embodiment includes a series connected servosystem.

Automatic flight control pilot assist system

A flight control system increases the automatic control authority over, preferably, a helicopter yaw axis. A limited authority series servo is complemented with a full authority parallel servo. The parallel servo is driven by a combination of a trim command signal and a signal representing the excess of the yaw command signal over the amplitude limited drive signal to the series servo.

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Cedar Rapids, IA, United States of America

Kenneth W McElreath