RU2193508C2 - Light warning system for categorical airfields and light for this system - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: aviation; light warning systems for airfield. SUBSTANCE: proposed light warning system includes center-line, barrier, edge and threshold lights of runway, touchdown zone lights and lead-in lights; touchdown zone lights are made in form of rows of lights mounted along side edges of runway and outside it, as well as along it in its initial part and additional lights on outer side at extension of 80 to 150 m at each end. Edge lights and touchdown zone lights have vertical elongated transparent bodies equipped with reflector in upper portion. EFFECT: enhanced informative capacity and visual information on aircraft position at final stage of landing. 4 cl, 4 dwg

Description

 The invention relates to aviation, and more particularly to aerodrome equipment, and can be used in light-signal equipment of an aerodrome to increase its information content and improve the perception of the pilot to increase the safety of landing aircraft in low visibility conditions.

 The airdrome aerodrome lighting system is known for providing ICAO category I landings, which is the most common and accepted as standard (see Yu.G. Basov. Lighting devices. - M.: Transport, 1993, p. 113.). The system contains center line lights, restrictive, side, entrance lights of the runway (runway), lights of the end safety strip and lights of the proximity zone.

 A known light-signal system of a categorized airdrome (to ensure landing on ICAO II and III categories), which includes, in addition to the indicated lights, landing zone lights that are located on the first 900 meters of the runway, in the form of rows of three lights, perpendicular and symmetrical with respect to the axis of the runway and located at a distance 9-11 meters from its axis with a distance between rows of lights of 30 meters (see Yu.G. Basov. Lighting devices. - M.: Transport, 1993, pp. 216-218).

Such a system is quite complex and cumbersome and at the same time does not give the pilot sufficiently complete visual information about the flight altitude due to the fact that on most modern aircraft, including the F / A-18, Boeing-767, Su-21, Il-96, etc. ., a significant part of the landing zone lights is not visible to the pilot due to the limited visibility at the pitch landing angles. At this most difficult stage of landing, piloting an aircraft is carried out by the pilot manually and visually. Therefore, at this time, the pilot needs visual information about the position of the aircraft relative to the runway in direction, height and speed of descent. When landing at night, aircraft headlights illuminate a terrain in the direction of the pilot's gaze: 15-20 ^o to the side and 10-15 ^o down (before leveling). But in foggy conditions, the light from the headlights of the aircraft creates a halo from them, which worsens the already poor visibility on the runway. Therefore, landing in the conditions of the II and III categories of ICAO is made with the aircraft headlights turned off and in the recommended direction of the pilot's view the landing area is an unlit area, and a significant part of the lights of the landing zone is not visible to the pilot due to the limited view at the landing pitch angles. In addition, in the pilot’s field of view there is not a single object of known sizes, guided by which he could determine the altitude of the flight at landing. Therefore, the accuracy of perceiving altitude and speed of descent depends either on the qualification of the navigator, reading the height from the pointer of the radio altimeter, or on the speech machine that replaces the navigator at this stage.

 Thus, the known lighting system does not have sufficient information and does not provide sufficient safety landing, especially in difficult weather conditions.

 Known NASA spectrally balanced chromatic light signal system, including center line lights, runway side and entrance lights, touchdown zone lights and proximity zone lights (see US Pat. No. 4,291,294, CL 64 F 1/20, 1981). In it, the rows of lights of the approach and landing zones located on both sides of the runway axis are made in the form of red and blue flickering lights, chromatically balanced. Such a system can improve the perception of lights, especially in fog. However, the system retains the above disadvantages, which do not allow to ensure sufficient landing safety at its final stage.

 A known method and installation for the directional orientation of an aircraft during an approach by Britec (France) (see US patent 5136288, CL 64 F 1/18, 1992), comprising installing at least three lights on each side of the runway at its the input edge, made in such a way that during their work they create three light zones in the direction of the aircraft approaching, allowing it to occupy the correct position. However, this system only solves the problem of ensuring the correct approach with good visibility and does not provide sufficient safety for the aircraft landing at its final stage.

 Thus, the known light-signal systems of aerodromes do not have sufficient information content and do not ensure the safety of the final stage of aircraft landing, especially in conditions of atmospheric interference.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The objective of the invention is the creation of such a light-signal system of the airfield, which would allow the pilot to obtain visual information about the position of the aircraft relative to the landing point in range and height relative to the runway at the final stage of landing - alignment and landing.

 In addition, the system should provide ease of perception by the pilot of visual information in fog, rain.

 Thus, the system should provide a higher degree of safety landing aircraft.

 In accordance with the invention, the task is achieved in that in the light signal system of a categorized airfield, including center line lights, restrictive, side and entrance runway lights, landing zone and approach zone lights, landing zone lights are made in the form of at least one row of lights installed on each side of the runway outside and along it in its initial part.

 In addition, the installation of fire for light-signal systems, including ground-based projection-type fire, is equipped with a vertically elongated transparent hollow body that carries a reflector at the upper end, and installation elements for fixing it on the fire at the lower end, while the fire itself is made with vertical radiation.

 Moreover, the lights of the landing zone are made in the form of ground installations of lights with vertically directed upward radiation, equipped with circular reflectors mounted above the ground.

 In addition, it is expedient to make the runway side lights in the form of ground-based installations of lights with vertical radiation pointing upward, equipped with reflectors mounted above the ground that direct light to the runway.

 This implementation of the lights of the landing zone allows the pilot to determine the distance to the permissible point of landing of the aircraft and the height above the runway by the light poles formed by the lights. In addition, the best lighting of the strip contributes to this. This allows the pilot to more confidently and accurately control the aircraft, especially at the final stage of landing - leveling and landing, which in turn increases the safety of landing in all weather conditions.

The invention is illustrated by drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 shows a diagram of a light-signaling equipment of an input section of a runway of a categorized airfield equipped in accordance with the invention;
figure 2 - installation of lateral fire runway in the context;
figure 3 - installation of fire of the touchdown zone in the context;
4 is a schematic view from the cockpit before alignment over the runway.

Information confirming the possibility of carrying out the invention
The ICAO Category I aerodrome, equipped with light-signal lights in accordance with the invention, contains a runway (runway) 1 with the axis of the runway 2 (see figure 1). Lighting equipment includes:
- side lights 3, placed along both longitudinal edges of the runway and used to indicate the width of the runway;
- input lights 4, made with a green filter, are installed along the threshold of the runway and are designed to indicate its beginning.

 In addition, the system is equipped with restrictive lights with a red filter located along the end of the runway and designed to indicate its end (not shown), proximity lights 6, located in front of the runway, between the nearest driving beacon and the beginning of the runway.

 The lights of approach zone 6 are made installed along two converging lines forming an acute angle (in this case, the bisector of the convergence angle coincides with the axis of the runway).

 The lights of approach zone 6 extend from the entrance edge of the runway in the direction of approach at a distance of ~ 900-1000 m. From the other end, the lights of the approach zone are located up to the side lights of the runway. In addition, the plane of location of the approaching lights is usually located horizontally at the level of the landing zone of the runway. The lights themselves are made in the form of spotlights of a ground location, placed in increments of ~ 30 m and deployed towards the approach.

 The airfield is equipped with additional light-signaling equipment - landing zone lights. The lights of the landing zone can be made in the form of at least one row of lights 5 installed on each of the sides of the runway outside and along it in its initial part. The distance from the start of the runway to the start of the lights of the touchdown zone X1 can be 0-150 m, and their length along the runway, which determines the zone of acceptable landing, X2 can be 900-1100 m.

 It is advisable to supplement the rows of lights 5 with rows of lights 7 and 8, located on the outer sides of the rows of lights 5, but having a smaller length of ~ 80-150 m, respectively, from each end. This arrangement of landing zone lights allows the pilot to identify the start and end sections of the landing zone.

 The installation of fire for landing zone lights and side lights includes a spotlight type ground fire and is equipped with a vertically elongated transparent hollow body that carries a reflector at the upper end, and installation elements at the lower end for fixing it to the fire. In this case, the fire itself is made with vertical radiation.

 The installation of side fire (see figure 2) includes a fire 9 with vertical radiation installed by its body 10 in the ground at the level of the surface of the runway 1. Fire 9 is closed from above by a transparent protective cover 11 attached to the body 10. On the cover 11 using installation elements vertically elongated housing 12 is mounted, made of a transparent material - plastic or glass. The mounting elements include a mounting ring 15 mounted inside the housing 12, and a balancing ring 14 on the outside. At its upper end, the housing 12 carries an inclined reflector 13 that converts the vertical radiation 16 of the fire 9 into the radiation 17 directed towards the runway to illuminate it. This embodiment and installation of a transparent elongated case 12 provides better runway lighting, and in the case of an aircraft hitting a fire, the case will overturn at a set (normalized) tipping moment determined by the mass of the balancing ring 14. Subsequently, the installation of the fire is easily restored.

 The setting of the fire of the touchdown zone is carried out in a similar manner - see FIG. 3. Unlike lateral fire, setting the fire of the landing zone contains an elongated transparent hollow cylinder 12 that converts vertical radiation 16 into circular radiation 19 to illuminate the earth's surface 20. The spherical reflector is closed by a lid 21.

 The landing of the aircraft at aerodromes equipped in accordance with the invention is as follows.

 When approaching the runway, upon detecting the signal lights, the pilot refines his position relative to the runway and glide path using tools. Then the pilot continues the approach visually, directing his plane to the supposed convergence point of the approach zone lights. The view of the converging approaching lights and the runway center line lights enables the pilot to accurately assess the position of the aircraft relative to the runway, changes in the roll angle and pitch of the aircraft. By the angle of convergence of the approaching lights, by its change, the pilot gets the opportunity to judge the speed of deviation from the set glide path of descent.

 The presence of landing zone lights allows the pilot to assess his position relative to the intended touchdown point. When viewed from the cab (see Fig. 4), the side lights 3 well illuminate the edges of runway 1, and the lights of the touchdown zone 5, 7, 8 clearly indicate the touchdown zone. In addition, the implementation of the side lights and the lights of the landing zone with vertical cylindrical lamps gives the pilot a large-scale landmark that allows him to estimate the flight altitude. Such lights cannot be confused with any other random lights that could lead to an incorrect assessment of the pilot and landing outside the runway.

 Moreover, in the presence of fog, rain, vertical lamps create a halo around the fire, and reflectors allow you to see more clearly the earth's surface and the runway.

 Such implementation of the side and landing zone lights will allow the pilot to determine his position in space and flight altitude in the fog, and together with the runway center line lights, he will be able to accurately maintain the direction of travel.

 Thus, the proposed system of light-signaling equipment of the airfield allows the pilot to receive additional visual information about his position in space and flight altitude at the final stage of landing in difficult weather conditions, which makes it possible to make a more confident and clear landing. This, in turn, leads to increased safety landing, especially in conditions of limited visibility.

 In addition, the placement of landing zone lights outside the runway will simplify their installation and maintenance.

Claims (4)

 1. The light signal system of a categorized airfield, including center line lights, restrictive, side and entrance runway (runway) lights, landing zone lights, approach zone lights, characterized in that the landing zone lights are made in the form of at least one row of lights installed on each side of the runway outside and along it in its initial part, and additional rows of lights on the outside of these lights, which are shorter by ~ 80-150 m from each end.  2. The light-signaling system of a categorized airfield according to claim 1, characterized in that the lights of the landing zone are made in the form of ground-based installations of lights with radiation vertically directed upwards equipped with circular reflectors mounted above the ground.  3. The light-signaling system of the categorized airfield according to claim 1, characterized in that the runway side lights are made in the form of ground-based installations of lights with vertically directed upward radiation, equipped with reflectors mounted above the ground that direct light to the runway.  4. Fire installation for aerodrome lighting systems, including a searchlight ground light consisting of a body and a protective cover, characterized in that the ground light with vertical radiation is installed in the ground by its body in the ground at the level of the runway surface and is equipped with an additional vertical elongated transparent hollow body carrying on the top of the reflector, and on the bottom - mounting elements for movable fastening it to the protective cover.

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