The Boeing Company

Leonard R Anderson

Melville D McIntyre

Timothy Allen Murphy

Steven Barry Krogh

Ronald W DeCamp

Steven B Krogh

Melville D Mcintyre

The present method and apparatus consists of storing past values of estimated IRU error and using these past values to update the coasting filter when switching from GPS to inertial mode. Through the storage of past IRU error estimates, it is possible to avoid misdirected guidance from an erroneous GPS signal. The MMR and ground station can require up to 6 seconds to identify a failed GLS signal.

Skipping filter for inertially augmented landing system

An airplane precision approach guidance system and method. The airplane precision approach guidance system includes: (i) GPS landing system (GLS) components (,) for receiving and processing signals from GPS satellites (,) and a GPS ground station (,) and generating a first set of velocities; (ii) an inertial reference system (IRS)(,) for generating a second set of velocities; and (iii) guidance software (,) for generating a cross-runway velocity and a lateral distance from runway centerline based on received runway centerline information and the generated first and second set of velocities. The airplane precision approach guidance system also includes flight instruments (,) and an autopilot system (,) for receiving and processing the information produced by the guidance software. The guidance software may be executed by a conventional airplane processor, such as the GLS processor, the IRS processor or the airplane's autopilot processor, or by a separate stand-alone processor. The runway centerline information may be stored at the ground station or in local memory. The ground station can also provide differential GPS information. In airplanes that include redundant systems, voting is used to determine which IRS supplies the second set of velocities.

Inertially augmented GPS landing system

A system and method for adjusting the camber of an airfoil extending from an aircraft for optimum flight performance. In the method, a velocity signal is produced that represents the longitudinal velocity of the aircraft. Utilizing the velocity signal, it is determined if a change in camber of the airfoil can increase the aircraft's flight performance. Thereafter, the camber of the airfoil is changed until an optimum flight performance is achieved.

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Lynnwood, WA, United States of America

Leonard R Anderson