Taxiing method and apparatus

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium comprising instructions, that when executed by one or more processors, cause a process to be carried out for assisting a pilot to navigate an aircraft when taxiing, the process comprising:

• causing display of, conformal to outside scenery, a centre line of a route on an eyes out screen associated with the pilot;
• causing display of, on the eyes out screen, a pictorial indication of an alignment of an undercarriage of the aircraft with the centre line and a stop or hold bar;
• causing display of, on the eyes out screen, graphical information related to navigation of the aircraft, the graphical information comprising a throttle indicator and an overhead map showing at least the route assigned to the aircraft, the position of the aircraft, and the stop or hold bar;
• and
• providing, via an active stick, a variable tactile feedback to the pilot based on a deviation of the alignment of the undercarriage of the aircraft from a path, the variable tactile feedback requiring more force to move the active stick to a position that would deviate the undercarriage of the aircraft from the path compared to a movement of the active stick that would keep the undercarriage of the aircraft on the path.

A navigation system comprising a processor, an eyes out screen operatively coupled to the processor, and an active stick operatively coupled to the processor, the processor configured to assist a pilot to navigate an aircraft when taxiing, by causing:

• display of, conformal to outside scenery, a centre line of a route on the eyes out screen associated with the pilot;
• display of, on the eyes out screen, a pictorial indication of an alignment of an undercarriage of the aircraft with the centre line and a stop or hold bar;
• display of, on the eyes out screen, graphical information related to navigation of the aircraft, the graphical information comprising an overhead map showing at least the route assigned to the aircraft, the position of the aircraft, and the stop or hold bar, the graphical information further comprising at least one of (i) a speed indicator, (ii) a throttle indicator, (iii) an acceleration indicator, and (iv) a bearing/heading indicator;
• and
• a variable tactile feedback to the pilot via an active stick based on a deviation of the alignment of the undercarriage of the aircraft from a path, the variable tactile feedback requiring more force to move the active stick to a position that would deviate the undercarriage of the aircraft from the path compared to a movement of the active stick that would keep the undercarriage of the aircraft on the path.