Thales

Manuel Gutierrez-Castaneda

François Coulmeau

Guy Deker

Jérôme Sacle

Xavier Blanchon

Nicolas Marty

Christophe Caillaud

Bertrand Caudron De Coquereaumont

Nicolas Simi

Stéphane Paris

Vincent Girardeau

Marie Rommel

Xavier Jeanjean

Alain Martinez

The invention relates to a method for inserting a segment (Tins) of flight plan into an initial flight plan (Pini) of an aircraft, performed by a flight management system (FMS) of the said aircraft,

Method for inserting a segment of flight plan in a flight plan

A method for determining a switch-over vertical point from which an aircraft, having a current position, and flying a current vertical trajectory according to a manual piloting mode having an altitude setpoint, denoted target altitude, loaded by the pilot, switches to a piloting mode guided by a flight management system, in order to rejoin a predefined flight plan having a set of initial altitude constraints, comprising: calculating a first predicted vertical trajectory, determining a first point of intersection between the first predicted trajectory and the target altitude, determining a second predicted trajectory, determining the switch-over vertical point belonging to the first predicted vertical trajectory, based on any incompatible constraints, and as the intersection between the first predicted vertical trajectory and a predicted vertical trajectory calculated by integration of the dynamic flight equations by applying calculation hypotheses for a piloting mode guided by a flight management system.

Method for determining the vertical point for switching from a manual piloting mode to a guided mode

The invention relates to a method for formulating the strategy of an aircraft, with a view to favouring adherence to a time constraint. With this aim, the method according to the invention consists in optimizing the margin available for the formulation of the aircraft's speed strategy, by calculating a first target required time of arrival (RTAtarget) which is higher, respectively lower, than the required time of arrival (RTA), in the case where said required time of arrival (RTA) is greater, respectively less, than the mean estimated time of arrival (ETAmean). According to the invention, the first target required time of arrival (RTAtarget) is used for the formulation of the aircraft's speed strategy. According to the invention, a second target required time of arrival (RTAtarget) can be determined subsequently, and used for the formulation of the speed strategy, with the aim of utilizing the margin, previously optimized, available for the formulation of the aircraft's speed strategy.

Method for aiding the formulation of the speed strategy of an aircraft with a view to adhering to a time constraint

The invention relates to a flight management system for aircraft which makes it possible to carry out tests of the results of the calculations of the main functions for formulating the flight plans and trajectories of the aircraft making it possible to anticipate errors in this formulation, to present them to the crew as a function of criticality criteria, to store them so as to be communicated and processed by the maintenance teams.

Functional monitor for flight management system

The present invention relates to a method of decoupling the mode of automatic following of the lateral profile and the mode of automatic following of the vertical profile of an automatic guidance system of an aircraft (A) flying on a reference trajectory (T). The mode of automatic following of the vertical profile is not disengaged immediately on disengaging the mode of automatic following of the lateral profile. After disengaging the mode of automatic following of the lateral profile, the mode of automatic following of the vertical profile is disengaged automatically only if at least one criterion of lateral separation between the current or short-term position of the aircraft and the lateral profile corresponding to the reference trajectory is satisfied, having regard to the position error.

Method of decoupling the mode of automatic following of the lateral profile and the mode of automatic following of the vertical profile

A method for providing for the optimized regulation of the relative spacing between aircraft is disclosed. This method can be implemented by a system whose physical architecture can rely mainly on existing computers on board most current aircraft. The method includes a main step of determining the changing trend of the relative spacing, in distance or in time, between a target aircraft (C) and a following aircraft (S).

Method and system for assisting in the management of the relative spacing between aircraft

The invention relates to a method for determining the speed of an aircraft that is subject to a time constraint. The invention consists no longer in calculating a single CAS/MACH pair during climb/descent but in adapting the speed in a continuous manner to the bounds of curves of minimum Vand maximum Vspeed defining a flight envelope of the aircraft. The calculation of these speeds is carried out on the basis of constant maximum and minimum speed setpoints and of a coefficient taking into account a deviation to the time constraint.

Method for determining the speed of an aircraft

The invention relates to a method and device to assist in navigation in an airport sector. The inventive method and device make it possible to automatically calculate the points of intersection between the path of the flight plan and the zones having speed limitations all around an airport and calculate a speed profile conforming to these limitations. The inventive method and device also make it possible to use an automatic guidance automatically defining flight instructions corresponding to the calculated speed profile. Furthermore, the invention calculates predictions concerning the flight parameters.

Method and device to assist in navigation in an airport sector

A method of detecting the misalignment of a first point () in space is disclosed. The method includes a trajectory of an aircraft flight plan, wherein the flight plan has two points () in succession and preceding the first point () and two points () in succession and subsequent to the first point (), A first acute angle (&#x3b8;) is calculated which is formed by a first segment (LEG-) joining the points () and a second segment joining the third () and the fourth () points. A second acute angle (&#x3b8;) is calculated which is formed by the second segment and a third segment (LEG-) joining the fourth () and the fifth () points. A polygon is calculated which is dependent on a first distance (DH) defined between the fourth point () and the straight line including the first segment (LEG-) and on a second distance (DD) defined between the projection (') of the fourth point () on the straight line comprising the first segment (LEG-) and the third point ().

Methods of detecting misalignment of points belonging to an aircraft flight plan

A method is disclosed for plotting a trajectory portion (&#x2033;), using flight management means of an aircraft, and linking a known position () of the aircraft to a point in space (), denoted the 'exit point'. A circular arc is defined, the coordinates of whose centre () are known, comprising two ends () of known coordinates, one end of which is the exit point (). The position of a transition point () is determined which is situated on the arc. The trajectory (&#x2033;) by the flight management means of the aircraft is automatically plotted. The trajectory is successively linking the known position () of the aircraft, and the transition point () and the exit point ().

Method of plotting a portion of trajectory of an aircraft comprising a circular arc of constant radius

The method of optimizing the exit of an aircraft traversing for a known duration (D) a holding circuit forming a racecourse comprising two parallel branches of the same distance, the branches being traversed in a first time (t), and two arcs of the same radius linking respectively the ends of each branch, the two arcs being traversed in a second time (t), the holding circuit comprising an exit point situated at the end of one of the branches is characterized in that the distance of the branches of the holding circuit for the last two loops performed are adjusted so that the aircraft is substantially in proximity to the exit point when the duration (D) has elapsed.

Method for optimizing the exit of an aircraft in a holding circuit

The invention relates to a device for formulating a flight plan ensuring sufficient safety margins for a duration of a few minutes in relation to the set of flight constraints that could arise and comprising means for:

Device for calculating a flight plan of an aircraft

A method of applying a 'Heading Then Merge Behind' (HTMB) guidance directive sent by an air traffic control center to an aircraft comprising a flight management system, the flight management system making it possible to automatically follow the trajectory of an active flight plan. The method includes reception and validation of the directive by the flight management system, confirmation by the pilot of the aircraft of the application of the directive, creation by the flight management system of a flight plan incorporating the directive, activation by the pilot of the flight plan incorporating the directive, so that the directive is executed automatically by the flight management system while following the trajectory of the flight plan incorporating the directive.

Growing community of inventors

Toulouse, France

Manuel Gutierrez-Castaneda