초록 ▼

According to the invention, a terrain avoidance maneuver is engaged when the alerts of a given pair of alerts are emitted simultaneously, the triggering of one of the alerts depending on the information provided by a first measurement chain and the triggering of the other alert of the pair relying o

According to the invention, a terrain avoidance maneuver is engaged when the alerts of a given pair of alerts are emitted simultaneously, the triggering of one of the alerts depending on the information provided by a first measurement chain and the triggering of the other alert of the pair relying on information provided by a second measurement chain, distinct from and independent of the first chain.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A terrain avoidance method for an aircraft, the method comprising receiving a first alert, wherein the first alert indicates that the aircraft risks colliding with terrain if at least one current flight characteristic is maintained,wherein the first alert is emitted based on information provided

1. A terrain avoidance method for an aircraft, the method comprising receiving a first alert, wherein the first alert indicates that the aircraft risks colliding with terrain if at least one current flight characteristic is maintained,wherein the first alert is emitted based on information provided by a first measurement chain;receiving a second alert, wherein the second alert indicates that the aircraft risks colliding with terrain if at least one current flight characteristic is maintained,wherein the second alert is emitted based on information provided by a second measurement chain;wherein the first measurement chain is independent and distinct from the second measurement chain;engaging a terrain avoidance maneuver only when an engagement condition is validated,wherein the engagement condition is validated only when the first alert and the second alert are emitted simultaneously. 2. The method as claimed in claim 1, said aircraft being equipped with at least one radioaltimeter, wherein the first alert is a Mode 2 reactive alert, the triggering of which depends on the height of said aircraft above the terrain as determined by said radioaltimeter and also on the temporal derivative of this height; andwherein the second alert is an FLTA predictive alert, the triggering of which relies on information contained in at least one topographic database giving the altitude of the terrain. 3. The method as claimed in claim 1, said aircraft being equipped with at least one radioaltimeter, with inertial platforms and with positioning means of GPS type, wherein the first alert is a Mode 1 reactive alert, the triggering of which depends on the height of said aircraft above the terrain as determined by said radioaltimeter, and also on the vertical speed of said aircraft as provided by said inertial platforms;wherein the second alert is an independent Mode 1 alert, the triggering of which depends, on the one hand, on the height of said aircraft above the terrain as determined by said GPS positioning means and also on a topographic database giving the altitude of the terrain and, on the other hand, on the vertical speed of said aircraft as provided by said GPS positioning means. 4. The method as claimed in claim 1, further comprising receiving a third alert, wherein the third alert indicates that the aircraft risks colliding with terrain if at least one current flight characteristic is maintained,wherein the third alert is emitted based on information provided by a third measurement chain;receiving a fourth alert, wherein the fourth alert indicates that the aircraft risks colliding with terrain if at least one current flight characteristic is maintained,wherein the fourth alert device is emitted based on information provided by a fourth measurement chain;wherein the third measurement chain is independent and distinct from the fourth measurement chain;wherein the engagement condition is validated only when the first alert and the second alert are emitted simultaneously and when the third alert and the fourth alert are emitted simultaneously. 5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the engagement condition is validated only when at least one of said alerts is emitted continuously, by said collision alert device, for at least one predetermined duration threshold. 6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein, when the engagement condition is validated, a predefined lag is waited before engaging said terrain avoidance maneuver. 7. A terrain avoidance system for an aircraft, said system comprising: a collision alert device which monitors the flight of said aircraft with respect to the surrounding terrain and which is able to emit at least a first alert, indicating that the aircraft risks colliding with terrain if at least one current flight characteristic is maintained, wherein the first alert is emitted based on information provided by a first measurement chain, anda second alert indicating that the aircraft risks colliding with terrain if at least one current flight characteristic is maintained, wherein the second alert is emitted based on information provided by a second measurement chain;wherein the first measurement chain is independent and distinct from the second measurement chain; an automatic piloting device that engages a terrain avoidance maneuver only when an engagement condition is validated, wherein the engagement condition is validated only when the first alert and the second alert are emitted simultaneously. 8. The system as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a comparison means, able to compare the duration of continuous emission of alerts, emitted by said collision alert device, with a predetermined duration threshold, so that said engagement conditions are validated when at least one of the first alert and the second alert is emitted continuously for a duration at least equal to said threshold. 9. The system as claimed in claim 7, wherein when said engagement conditions are validated, said automatic piloting device waits a predefined lag before engaging said terrain avoidance maneuver. 10. An aircraft, which is provided with a terrain avoidance system such as specified under claim 7.