The Boeing Company

John C. Griffin III

Daniel J. Murray

Bruce L. Turner

Henry V. Vonjouanne

Ann M. Tracy

George W. Schraw

Peter D. Gunn

Thomas E. Twiggs

Thomas E Twiggs

Daniel J Murray

John C Griffin, Iii

Henry V VonJouanne

Bruce L Turner

George W Schraw

Peter D Gunn

Patricia Suzan Ness

Clement Val Paulson

Ann M Tracy

John C Griffin Iii

Henry V Vonjouanne

An alternate destination planner for searching a navigation database in an aircraft and identifying a plurality of alternate destinations at which the aircraft can land in the event of an emergency. For each identified alternate destination, the alternate destination planner calculates an estimated time of arrival (ETA) and an amount of fuel remaining upon arrival at the destination. The calculation of the ETA and the remaining fuel is based on user-modifiable parameters of aircraft speed, aircraft altitude, wind direction and speed, outside air temperature, and the type of routing the aircraft will follow from a diversion point to the alternate destination. The plurality of alternate destinations are displayed to a pilot of the aircraft according to the ETA to each alternate destination, with the closest alternate destination by time listed first. The plurality of alternate destinations are also displayed to the pilot on a map of the surrounding region that is provided to the pilot on a navigation display. A pilot may select and divert to one of the plurality of alternate destinations using a minimal number of keystrokes on a control display unit.

Least time alternate destination planner

An improvement to an aircraft flight management system allows the flight crew to enter a predetermined position, which may be either the aircraft's current position or a defined waypoint, and a course line, or vector from the predetermined position. The system responds by displaying to the flight crew the predetermined position and course line, and then proceeds to link the course line to the existing flight plan. The flight crew may then either execute the modified flight plan or erase the modification and enter an alternate plan. The procedure of entering the predetermined position and course line, and linking to the existing flight plan may all be done with the autopilot activated, whereby appropriate lateral navigational signals are generated and supplied to the autopilot flight director to direct the aircraft along the newly specificed route. In addition, accurate performance data, such as distance to go, estimated time of arrival, and fuel remaining at each waypoint are displayed to the flight crew.

Method and apparatus for an improved flight management system providing

Growing community of inventors

Bellevue, WA, United States of America

Thomas E Twiggs