Height indicator having a piecewise linear height scale

A height indicator for an aircraft, the height indicator comprising a controller controlling a display means, the controller and the display means being configured to display a height scale and a pointer,

• wherein the height scale is able to move in relation to the pointer along an axis on the display means, the height scale being a piecewise linear scale, the piecewise linear scale comprising several graduated sections comprising graduations, each graduated section having its own linear scale, each graduated section having a scale factor different from a scale factor of another graduated section, each scale factor representing the quotient between a distance on the graduated section along the axis and a corresponding actual height, the several graduated sections comprising a low-height section having a first scale factor, the low-height section ranging from a reference height to a first height greater than the reference height, the several graduated sections comprising an intermediate-height section having a second scale factor, the second scale factor being less than the first scale factor, the intermediate-height section ranging from the first height to a second height greater than the first height;
• wherein the controller and the display means are configured to position at least one symbol opposite the height scale, the at least one symbol being integral with the height scale, the at least one symbol comprising at least one of the following symbols:
• a landing decision height symbol representing a threshold landing decision height, a mission decision height symbol representing a mission height floor, an autopilot symbol representing an autopilot setpoint height;
• and
• wherein, the at least one symbol comprising the landing decision height symbol and the mission decision height symbol representing a mission height floor, the controller and the display means are configured to position, in a second display zone of the display means separate from a first display zone displaying the height scale:
• a first mark when the current height is less than the mission height floor, and the first mark plus a second mark when the current height is less than the threshold landing decision height.

A height indicator for an aircraft, the height indicator comprising a controller controlling a display, the controller and the display configured to display a height scale and a pointer,

• wherein the height scale and the pointer are able to move in relation to each other along an axis on the display, the height scale being a piecewise linear scale, the piecewise linear scale comprising two graduated sections comprising graduations, each graduated section having its own linear scale, each graduated section having a scale factor different from a scale factor of another graduated section, each scale factor representing the quotient between a distance on the graduated section along the axis and a corresponding actual height, the two graduated sections comprising a low-height section having a first scale factor, the low-height section ranging from a reference height to a first height greater than the reference height, the two graduated sections comprising an intermediate-height section having a second scale factor, the second scale factor being less than the first scale factor, the intermediate-height section ranging from the first height to a second height greater than the first height;
• wherein the low-height section comprises major markers and minor markers of the graduations, the intermediate-height section having short markers and long markers of the graduations, the short markers being shaped differently to the minor markers.