IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0526099
(2008-02-22)
|
등록번호 |
US-8655506
(2014-02-18)
|
우선권정보 |
EP-07380053 (2007-02-23) |
국제출원번호 |
PCT/US2008/054663
(2008-02-22)
|
§371/§102 date |
20090806
(20090806)
|
국제공개번호 |
WO2008/118581
(2008-10-02)
|
발명자
/ 주소 |
- Gomez, Ramon
- Navarro, Francisco A.
- Figlar, Bastian
|
출원인 / 주소 |
|
대리인 / 주소 |
|
인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
5 인용 특허 :
4 |
초록
▼
The present disclosure relates to methods of calculating and flying continuous descent approaches to an airport or the like, and to aircraft navigation systems for implementing these methods. The present disclosure resides in the recognition that greater predictability in arrival times may be achiev
The present disclosure relates to methods of calculating and flying continuous descent approaches to an airport or the like, and to aircraft navigation systems for implementing these methods. The present disclosure resides in the recognition that greater predictability in arrival times may be achieved by flying continuous descent approaches by maintaining a constant aerodynamic flight path angle.
대표청구항
▼
1. A method of providing predictable flight time of an aircraft in a substantially idle continuous descent approach, comprising; determining an optimum coefficient of lift based on one or more parameters of the aircraft;determining a ground speed at a top of descent for the aircraft based on the opt
1. A method of providing predictable flight time of an aircraft in a substantially idle continuous descent approach, comprising; determining an optimum coefficient of lift based on one or more parameters of the aircraft;determining a ground speed at a top of descent for the aircraft based on the optimum coefficient of lift;guiding the aircraft along an aerodynamic flight path angle (γTAS) based on the ground speed at the top of descent; andmaintaining the aerodynamic flight path angle (γTAS) during the continuous descent approach. 2. The method of claim 1, comprising: guiding the aircraft to fly at a specified top of descent altitude at the determined ground speed; at a specified top of descent location, prompting the aircraft's engines to be set substantially to idle and guiding the aircraft such that its trim is adjusted to adopt the aerodynamic flight path angle; and, during the continuous descent approach, guiding the aircraft to ensure that the aircraft maintains the aerodynamic flight path angle. 3. The method of claim 2, comprising guiding the aircraft to ensure the aircraft levels off and maintains level flight when the aircraft reaches a specified bottom of descent altitude or specified bottom of descent location. 4. The method of claim 3, comprising prompting the engines to be kept at idle so that the aircraft decelerates to a specified airspeed. 5. The method of claim 3, comprising guiding the aircraft to maintain level flight until a glide-slope to the destination is intercepted. 6. A method of calculating a part of an aircraft flight plan that effects a continuous descent approach with the aircraft's engines set substantially to idle, the method comprising determining an aerodynamic flight path angle (γTAS) to be maintained while flying the descent part of the flight plan such that maintaining the angle while flying the descent part of the flight plan produces minimal variation in coefficient of lift, the aerodynamic flight path angle (γTAS) being determined based on a ground speed at a top of descent and the ground speed at the top of descent being determined based on an optimum coefficient of lift. 7. The method of claim 6, comprising running simulations to determine the aerodynamic flight path angle. 8. The method of claim 7, comprising running the simulations using inputted values of one or more of: a top of descent altitude, the ground speed to be flown at the top of descent, aircraft type, aircraft weight, wind speed, wind gradient, atmospheric pressure and atmospheric temperature. 9. The method of claim 8, comprising determining the aerodynamic flight path angle with reference to a table of data relating aerodynamic flight path angles to flight parameters. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the flight parameters comprise one or more of: a top of descent altitude, the ground speed to be flown at the top of descent, aircraft type, aircraft weight, wind speed, wind gradient, atmospheric pressure and atmospheric temperature. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the table is produced by running simulations to determine the aerodynamic flight path angle. 12. The method of claim 6, comprising receiving the location of the top of descent and using this location as the start point for the descent part of the flight plan. 13. The method of claim 12, comprising receiving the location of the bottom of descent and ending the descent part of the flight plan at this location. 14. A computer readable medium carrying a computer program that when executed on a computer, causes the computer to implement the method of claim 6. 15. A method of managing aircraft flying continuous descent approaches into an airport, the method comprising: determining aircraft types expected to fly into the airport; determining, for each aircraft type, an optimum coefficient of lift that provides maximum predictability in the time to fly the continuous descent approach and a resultant aerodynamic flight path angle (γTAS) to be maintained by the aircraft throughout the continuous descent approach; and calculating a common ground speed to be flown by the aircraft at the top of descent of their continuous descent approaches, wherein the common ground speed is calculated using the optimum coefficients of lift determined for the aircraft types. 16. The method of claim 15, wherein calculating the common ground speed comprises determining a ground speed for each aircraft type using the optimum coefficient of lift associated with each particular type, and calculating the common ground speed based on an average of the ground speeds determined for each aircraft type. 17. The method of claim 16, wherein calculating the common ground speed comprises calculating a weighted average of the ground speeds determined for each aircraft type based on the expected proportion of continuous descent approaches to be flown by that aircraft type. 18. The method of claim 15, wherein calculating the common ground speed comprises determining an average optimum coefficient of lift from the optimum coefficients of lift calculated for the different aircraft types and using this average optimum coefficient of lift to determine the common ground speed. 19. The method of claim 15, comprising passing the common ground speed to aircraft approaching the airport prior to them beginning their continuous descent approach. 20. An aircraft management system for use in managing aircraft flying continuous descent approaches into an airport, wherein the system is arranged: to determine aircraft types expected to fly into the airport; to determine, for each aircraft type, an optimum coefficient of lift that provides maximum predictability in the time to fly the continuous descent approach and a resultant aerodynamic flight path angle (γTAS) to be maintained by the aircraft throughout the continuous descent approach; and to calculate a common ground speed applicable to all aircraft types to be flown by the aircraft at the top of descent of their continuous descent approaches, wherein the common ground speed is calculated using the optimum coefficients of lift determined for the aircraft types. 21. An aircraft navigation system arranged to calculate a part of an aircraft flight plan that effects a continuous descent approach with the aircraft's engines set substantially to idle, the aircraft navigation system being arranged to determine an aerodynamic flight path angle (γTAS) to be maintained while flying the descent part of the flight plan such that maintaining the angle while flying the descent part of the flight plan produces minimal variation in coefficient of lift, the aerodynamic flight path angle (γTAS) being determined based on a ground speed at a top of descent and the ground speed at the top of descent being determined based on an optimum coefficient of lift.
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