초록 ▼

A display panel of selectively operated pilot guiding lights is mounted on the belly of a fuel tanker aircraft for guiding a piloted receiver aircraft into proper orientation for an in-flight refueling link-up in which a fuel dispensing boom that projects rearwardly and downwardly from the belly of

A display panel of selectively operated pilot guiding lights is mounted on the belly of a fuel tanker aircraft for guiding a piloted receiver aircraft into proper orientation for an in-flight refueling link-up in which a fuel dispensing boom that projects rearwardly and downwardly from the belly of the tanker aircraft is coupled to a complimentary, refueling receptacle mounted above the cockpit of the receiver aircraft. The guidance-lights are selectively and automatically operated by computer processed position signals developed by an optical position sensor system that continuously monitors the position of the receiver aircraft relative to the boom. A first set of guidance-lights are disposed lengthwise of the aircraft to form a fore-aft position indicating array, and a second set of lights are disposed in a cross-shaped array for providing a coordinated visual display of elevational and azimuthal position. In addition to these position indicating lights, the fore-aft array includes a series of longitudinally spaced lights which are sequentially strobed toward the nose or tail of the tanker aircraft to respectively indicate that the receiver aircraft is either closing on or falling behind the target refueling position and the frequency of such strobing is varied to indicate to the receiver pilot the rate at which he is closing on or falling behind such target position.

대표청구항 ▼

A guidance-light display apparatus for mounting on a lead aircraft so as to be visible by a pilot of a trailing aircraft for guiding such pilot in flying the trailing aircraft into a predetermined in-flight link-up position with respect to the lead aircraft, comprising: sensor means for producing an

A guidance-light display apparatus for mounting on a lead aircraft so as to be visible by a pilot of a trailing aircraft for guiding such pilot in flying the trailing aircraft into a predetermined in-flight link-up position with respect to the lead aircraft, comprising: sensor means for producing an electrical signal representing the instantaneous position of the trailing aircraft relative to the lead aircraft and associated means responsive to said sensor means for producing an electrical signal representing the relative velocity between the lead and trailing aircraft along a fore-aft axis that is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the lead aircraft; an array of spaced apart guidance lights arranged on the body of the lead aircraft along a line extending parallel to said longitudinal axis; light operating means responsive to said associated means for sequentially strobing said lights lengthwise of said array at a strobing frequency that varies as a function of said signal representing said relative velocity.