DE3546116A1 - Method for displaying required and actual data on the flight conditions before and during landing, for a pilot - Google Patents

Abstract

In the case of a method for carrying out an absolute manual blind landing by a pilot, the phases of the landing approach are displayed as follows: 1. From the point (7.0 nm) remote from the airport to a point (0.5 nm) close to the runway and situated in front of the start of the runway, the screen (1) displays a part of the runway (3) and the associated centre line (CL) as well as a line (GS), which characterises the altitude situation, is at an angle to the centre line and crosses said centre line at the point where the runway starts, the scale of the imaging of the distance markings on the centre line and on the displayed section (3) of the runway becoming larger in proportion to the proximity of the aircraft to the runway. 2. From the point (0.5 nm) close to the runway to the start of the runway, the scale remains fixed and height lines (8) are merged in for GS. 3. After reaching the runway (2), the height lines (9) are displayed on an enlarged scale and an angle display (10) for the longitudinal inclination of the aircraft is merged in. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a method for displaying target and actual data of the flight status before and during landing for a pilot, in which a computer evaluates radio measurement data about approach baseline and distance-dependent glide altitude, and a display of the qualitative and quantitative storage with respect the course (Center Line CL ) as well as the altitude (Glide Slope GS ) and an indication of the longitudinal inclination of the aircraft relative to the horizontal.

Already in the thirties and forties of this century an attempt has been made to enable pilots to land if minimal visibility given is. Such data could be obtained by means of transmitted radio measurement data Landings are carried out. However, the prerequisite was an error-free interaction between a plurality by engineers, air traffic controllers, flight engineers and pilots, So from ground station and crew. The used here Methods are for the breadth of general aviation  not applicable.

The further development of the metrological possibilities through Radar caused the approach procedure to be controlled from the ground. There is a fundamental disadvantage of this method in that the pilot relied only on radio announcements is and therefore has no overview itself.

A method which in principle avoids this disadvantage is the ILS method, in which the aircraft is guided on two guide beams. One beacon CL indicates the landing course, ie the horizontal orientation, while the other beacon GS identifies the glide path, that is, the intended glide angle for the vertical component of the approach. The shelves are displayed using a multiple display instrument, which displays any shelves in a purely qualitative manner. The inevitable overloads lead to an approximation to the center line in serpentine lines. Integrated flight systems (IFS) ultimately avoided this disadvantage. An on-board computer continuously determines the quantitative storage values, so that asymptotic control of the target course is possible.

In practice, IFS is used for the approach. The However, performing a landing without visibility is not possible. To date, therefore, are among bad Visibility conditions (visibility range less than 0.75 to 1.0 nm or 200 to 300 ′ height) no landings, but Alternative airports flown to.  

Development efforts have been going on for several years towards eliminating people for a blind landing system and the landing fully automatic - ground-controlled or onboard control - to be carried out. It has been shown that the acquisition of the measurement data required for this is not problematic, but the control is extraordinary is complex and presents considerable difficulties. With experimental planes, fully automatic ones are successful Landings performed without pilot intervention been. An application for general aviation is far from being for cost reasons to think.

The present invention is based on the finding that that a practical and economically feasible Blind landing system for the foreseeable future without the complex Control capabilities of a pilot is not realizable. Through in-depth analysis and years of theoretical work and practical preoccupation with bad weather landings the knowledge could be gained that an absolute Blind landing without any view is possible if that Pilots get an impression with the help of the instruments that corresponds to his impressions during a visual landing and instinctively triggers correct reactions.

The invention is therefore based on the object of a method of the type mentioned at the beginning, using blind landing of devices on board manual control by the pilot enables.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in that the phases of the approach to land from reaching a point remote from the airport in the area of the guide beams CL and GS of the airport are shown as follows:

• 1. From the point away from the airport to a point near the runway located before the start of the runway, a part of the runway and the associated Center Line ( CL ) and a characterizing the altitude, which is at an angle to the CL and which is at the point, are shown on the screen represents the intersecting line of the landing runway ( GS ), the magnification of the distance markings on the CL and on the runway section shown increasing in proportion to the approach of the aircraft to the runway and wherein aircraft symbols standing on the CL and GS at the lower edge characterize the current position;
• 2. From the point close to the runway to the start of the runway, the scale remains fixed, and contour lines are displayed for GS , which enable the current altitude to be read, the aircraft symbol moving on the CL and on the GS ;
• 3. After reaching the runway, the aircraft symbol moves on the runway line to a fixed point, where the airplane symbol stops, so that then the runway markings on the aircraft symbol move, the contour lines in the enlarged Scale are shown and an angle display faded in for the longitudinal inclination of the aircraft becomes.

The method according to the invention creates an advertisement the screen, which gives the pilot similar impressions like a visual approach and therefore a ground one Pilot reaction possible. The present invention is based on the knowledge that the previous Instrument displays a blind landing for that reason alone made impossible because they translated from the pilot abstract data into his usual imagination. This translation happens too time consuming and imprecise and does not allow the pilot to react quickly, which is absolutely necessary in the landing phase.

The method according to the invention uses displays in three phases. The first phase begins from a point away from the aerodrome, which is already in the area of the guide beams CL and GS . The necessary airport data must be entered in the computer of the aircraft, namely
- Length and width of the runway
- Distance of the course path transmitter CL from the runway zero point
- the prescribed glide angle from the zero point
- The distance from radio beacons MM (Middle Marker), OM (Outer Marker) and possibly further radio beacons on CL from the zero point of the runway
- the prescribed approach height to the intersection with the glide path GS at the appropriate distance.

The latter point of intersection of the prescribed approach height with the guide jet GS is preferably - viewed in the direction of approach - behind the point remote from the aerodrome, at which the first phase of the display on the screen begins. In this phase, the scale increases continuously inversely proportional to the distance from the runway zero. The line GS , which is at an angle to the Center Line CL , and the continuous, preferably continuous, scale-up give an impression of a projective image at the start (zero point) of the runway. This impression is reinforced if, in a preferred embodiment, the GS line is faded in twice, symmetrically to the Center Line CL , so that the impression of a projective image is perfected.

The deviations of the actual value from the target value are shown in the illustration by the aircraft symbols Characters displayed qualitatively (left, right, plus, minus). The pilot wants to know the size of the deviation in a preferred embodiment show the quantitative data on the screen, at a point next to the illustration of a runway section and therefore through the representation described is not supported.

If the aircraft approaches a point near the runway in this way, for example 0.5 nm (nautical miles) from the runway zero point, the second phase of the image begins. In this phase, the scale is no longer changed, but the scale remains constant. This enables the display of contour lines in front of the runway zero point, preferably in the form of equidistant lines parallel to the Center Line CL . In this way, the pilot can immediately read on the GS line what height he is at the bottom when he follows the guide beam GS without deviation. Through the impression of the projective representation, the pilot can determine with great certainty the point at which he intercepts the aircraft from the descent and thus lets it glide over the runway with only a slight loss of height. In this way, the third phase of the display begins without changing the scale. In this phase, the scale of the contour lines behind the runway zero point is switched, preferably with a factor of 1:10, so that the altitude information can now be read in meters. In addition, an angle pointer display for the longitudinal inclination of the aircraft to the horizontal is shown in this phase via contour lines. Through the longitudinal inclination indicator combined according to the invention in direct connection with the displayed precision altitude, the pilot is relieved of an additional monitoring of the current flight speed including the angle of attack. In a preferred embodiment, a display of a precision gyroscope with a display accuracy of at least 1/10 ° is shown in the screen for the phase shortly before and during the landing. The required display accuracy can be achieved, for example, using a laser gyroscope. Therefore, a lead angle that is required due to cross winds can already be taken into account, but must be eliminated shortly before landing. With the brief display on the screen described in this way, the pilot has at a glance all the data required for the blind landing in an immediately clear manner. The recording of the data by the pilot therefore does not require any intermediate brain activity, but can also take place unconsciously and thus take place with a certain degree of automation. The pilot has the information that he also records during visual flight and that is required to make a landing.

To make the reading easier, it can be advantageous if a target display is also shown on the screen, in which the CL and GS target and actual data are superimposed as two mutually independent coordinate crosses.

With an underlying coordinate grid, this way both quantitative and qualitative information represented by the determined storage of the target data will.

It is readily apparent that the invention Method not just for an actual landing approach, but also suitable for a simulation to blind flights and Blind landings are more economical than before and completely risk-free to be able to train.  

The invention is based on the following in the drawing illustrated embodiments are explained in more detail. Show it:

Figure 1 - a representation of the start of the approach phase displayed on the screen for an approach to the airport Zurich in the position 7.0 nm distance from the runway zero.

FIG. 2 shows a representation according to FIG. 1 in the 3.0 nm position;

Fig. 3 - an illustration according to Figure 1 in the position of 0.5 nm;.

FIG. 4 - an illustration similar to FIG. 1, but in a generally valid form, with a shortened runway and with correction symbols shown;

FIG. 5 shows an image according to FIG. 4, but for the 3.0 nm position;

FIG. 6 shows an illustration according to FIG. 4, but for the position 0.5 nm, with correction symbols and contour lines shown;

Fig. 7 - an image of the representation on the screen for the position of 0.4 nm scale with exactly superimposed contour lines;

Fig. 8 - is an illustration of a position of the aircraft above the runway 0.1 nm behind the runway zero with the switched scale contour lines behind the runway zero point and an angle indicator for the longitudinal inclination of the aircraft.

Fig. 1 shows the display field of a screen 1 , the displays of which are controlled by a computer. In the present example, the data for Zurich Airport have been entered in the computer. These data are the length of the runway (12 139 ′), the width of the runway, the distance of the course path transmitter CL from the runway zero point (approx. 2 nm), the prescribed glide angle from the runway zero point (corresponds to the angle of the beacon GS (3.0 ° )), prescribed approach altitude (2 086 ′), intersection of the prescribed approach altitude with the guide beam GS at a distance of 6.547 nm on the Center Line CL from the runway zero point.

In Fig. 1, the entire length of the runway 2 is shown on the screen, in its extension forward the Center Line CL is shown. Symmetrical to the Center Line CL , which, like the runway, bears 2 distance markings in km and in nm, two lines GS are shown at an acute angle of 15 ° to the Center Line CL , which symbolize the Glide Slope.

Aircraft symbols 3 are shown in the screen 1 , which are in the position 7.0 nm in FIG. 1. Since the aircraft is still flying at the prescribed approach altitude 2 086 'in this position, it is located below the jet GS , which is correspondingly illustrated in FIG. 1. After reaching the distance of 6.547 nm, the aircraft symbols are on the lines CL and GS . This is shown in FIG. 2 for the 3.0 nm position. In accordance with the approach of the aircraft to the runway zero point, the scale has increased from 1: 85,000 in FIG. 1 (with a screen length of 200 mm) to 1: 48,000 in FIG. 2, that is to say 1.77 times. Accordingly, the distance markings on the Center Line CL and on the runway 2 are at a greater distance from one another. Due to the landing strip dimensions, which are often still officially specified in feet, it may be expedient to also specify the distance information on the runway or only in feet ( ft ), as was done in FIG. 2.

With a further approach, position 0.5 is reached on the center line, which is shown in FIG. 3. In the exemplary embodiment shown, the scale is now 1: 25,000, ie 3.4 times the scale from FIG. 1, as a result of which the runway 2 occupies a relatively large part of the screen 1 .

The individual phases of the display are illustrated with reference to FIGS. 4 to 8 with a representation that is generally applicable to all airports.

As in FIG. 1, the position 7.0 nm is shown in FIG. 4. In this case, it is assumed that the aircraft is 0.2 ° too high in relation to the guide beam GS and that there is a lateral deviation to the left of 0.30 ° on the center line. This deviation data can be displayed on the screen 1 by the pilot at the top left as a quantitative deviation display 4 . In addition to the information in degrees, this display also contains the absolute information in feet. Corresponding to the deviation adopted are the L icon for a deviation to the left and on the Glide Slope GS + symbol for a too large amount appears on the plane symbols 3 on the center line, which is preferably done in the form of on-screen blinks.

According to a preferred embodiment, a target system is also shown on the screen 1 , which has a fixed target coordinate cross 5 and a variable actual coordinate cross 6 written above it. This target display 7 enables both an immediate recognition of the qualitative placement of the aircraft from the target data and a quantitative reading of any placement values based on a displayed target coordinate grid 8 . Deviations to the left or right ( L or R ) or up or down (+, -) are immediately recognizable to the pilot on this target display 7 .

In Fig. 5 the screen is shown nm with the displays for the position 3.0. In this exemplary embodiment, there is no filing from the center line, ie the actual azimuth value corresponds to the target value. Only with regard to the altitude should there be a deviation of 0.10 ° upwards (corresponding to 32 ′). This data can be read on the display 4 that can be shown. They can be recognized qualitatively and quantitatively for the pilot at a glance on the target display 7 . A qualitative display also results from the superimposed + sign on the aircraft symbols 3 on the lines GS .

From position 0.5 nm onwards, a fixed imaging scale is used as shown in FIG. 6. In the area between the position 0.5 nm and the runway zero point, parallel, equidistant contour lines 8 are faded in in FIG. 6, which run parallel to the center line CL . Fig. 6 is with the contour lines and scale GS representations without any practical value and only serves to demonstrate that a scale solution with the fixed screen data 1.0 nm runway length and 0.2 nm screen edge according to FIGS. 4 and 5 is unusable and that a usable scale solution must look different.

Fig. 7 illustrates the display phase in the range between the distance 0.5 nm before the runway zero up to the range 0.1 nm behind the runway zero, ie above the runway. 3

While previously the aircraft symbols 3 were faded in at the bottom of the image and the markings on the center line and the runway zero point essentially moved towards the aircraft symbol 3 , the aircraft symbol on the center line now moves in the direction of the runway zero point and also on the GS line. Through the displayed contour lines 8 , the flight altitude can be read off directly in feet. In addition, the necessary correction data are made visible by displays 4 and 7 .

This phase of the display extends over runway 3 to point 0.1. The aircraft symbol remains there. The contour lines beyond the runway zero point, that is to say in the area of the runway 3, are switched in scale, for example by a factor of 10. These contour lines 9 enable the flight altitude to be read in a few meters.

Under the target display 7 is a display in Fig. 7 11 of a precision gyroscope, preferably a laser gyro, is displayed which has an accuracy of less than 0.1 °, and thus provides exact alignment of the aircraft just before and during landing.

Since the aircraft symbol remains at the point 0.1 in the display phase illustrated in FIG. 8, the runway stretches that count towards the landing or coasting and count from the zero point in feet or meters in the display 1 to the left of the runway display are now numerical displayed. As a result of the total runway length shown above, previously stored in the computer, the pilot then has precise control over how much runway route he has already used and how much remains until the end of the flight. The contour lines 9 , magnified ten times from the runway zero point, end at the point 0.1 nm above the runway 3 and allow the current altitude to be read off by an airplane symbol (in FIG. 8: 1.4 m). This contour line 9 is followed by an angle pointer representation 10 which illustrates the longitudinal inclination of the aircraft. As already explained above, it is possible in the last phase to have the distance marks of the runway 3 pass the aircraft symbol in accordance with the movement of the aircraft, in order to convey the impression known to the pilot when taxiing over the runway. It is necessary to show the runway sections (markings in feet or meters) that pass by when landing and rolling out because the entire length of the runway cannot be displayed on the screen 1 .

Since the essential readings must be made on the top right of the screen 1 in the display in FIG. 8, the display 11 of the laser gyroscope is shown in the area of the angle display. Since the target display 7 has lost its meaning for the height display due to the scale-up contour lines 9 shown in FIG. 8, a target display 7 ' which only characterizes the lateral deviation is shown on the display 11 .
FIGS. 7 and 8 contain respectively a second line GS ', which is steeper and therefore a steeper angle of descent, in this case 4.00 °, symbolized.

In order to position the aircraft symbol 3 in the representation of the first approach phase (position 7.0 to position 0.5 nm), a fixed addition value is entered into the computer, which causes the aircraft symbol to appear on the screen. Since the fixed addition value is also subject to an enlargement of the scale, the aircraft symbol continuously moves somewhat towards the center of the screen 1 in the course of the enlargement of the scale.

Claims (11)

1. A method for displaying target and actual data of the flight condition before and during landing for a pilot, in which a computer evaluates radio measurement data about approach baseline ( CL ) and distance-dependent glide altitude ( GS ) and a display ( R, L, +, -, 4, the qualitative and quantitative deposition of the course as well as the altitude, and a display (10) of the longitudinal inclination of the aircraft is made to the horizontal 7) with respect to, characterized in that on a screen (1) the phases of Approaches from landing to a point away from the airport in the area of the beacons ( CL ) and ( GS ) of the airport are shown as follows:

• 1 is by the airport distant point (7.0 nm) up to a date prior to the start of the runway runway near point (0.5 nm) on the screen (1) a portion of the runway (3) and the corresponding center line ( CL) and the height of characterizing properties at an angle to the CL and these intersecting at the point of the runway start line (GS), wherein the imaging scale of the distance markings on the CL as well as the illustrated runway portion (3) in proportion to the approach of the aircraft the runway is enlarged and the aircraft symbols at the bottom of the CL and GS characterize the current position.
• 2. From the point close to the runway (0.5 nm) to the start of the runway, the scale remains fixed, and for GS contour lines ( 8 ) are faded in, which make it possible to read the current altitude, with the aircraft symbol on the CL and on the GS moves.
• 3. After reaching the runway ( 2 ), the aircraft symbol ( 3 ) moves on the runway line ( 2 ) to a fixed point (0.1 nm) at which the aircraft symbol ( 3 ) stops and then the runway markings on the aircraft symbol move, the contour lines ( 9 ) are shown on an enlarged scale and an angle display ( 10 ) for the longitudinal inclination of the aircraft is shown.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that two lines ( GS ) are provided symmetrically to the CL . 3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that on the screen ( 1 ) the quantitative data ( 4 ) can be faded in to the target and actual values. 4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that on the screen ( 1 ) a target system ( 7 ) can be mapped, in which the target course and the actual course as two-dimensional coordinate crosses ( 5, 6 ) are superimposed. 5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the contour lines ( 8, 9 ) are shown as equidistant lines parallel to the CL . 6. The method according to claim 5, characterized in that the contour lines ( 8 ) are mapped before the start of the runway on a smaller scale than the contour lines ( 9 ) behind the start of the runway. 7. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the contour lines ( 9 ) extend behind the start of the runway to the point (0.1 nm) on CL , at which the aircraft symbol ( 3 ) stops, and that an angle pointer display follows ( 10 ) is displayed for the longitudinal inclination of the aircraft. 8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a display ( 11 ) of a precision gyroscope with a display accuracy of at least 1/10 ° is shown in the screen for the phase shortly before and during landing. 9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that a required lead angle in the display has been taken into account. 10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that on the aircraft symbols ( 3 ) characters ( R, L , +, -) for the qualitative storage of the relevant actual value of the target value are shown. 11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized characterized that the scale up for the display the first phase takes place continuously.