Method and system for displaying an alignment symbol for indicating deviations between ownship runway course heading and tracking

A cockpit display system for use onboard an ownship, the cockpit display system comprising:

• a sensor system, configured to detect external conditions;
• a source of ownship flight data;
• a processor, communicatively coupled to the sensor system, the source of ownship flight data, and a cockpit display, the processor configured to process the external conditions and ownship flight data to:
• generate on the cockpit display an alignment symbol on a zero-pitch reference line (ZPRL) to aid in a first instance, to align to a tracking angle and a lateral course of the ownship with a runway course by a pilot, and in a second instance, to display as a cue of misalignment of the ownship from the runway course to the pilot;
• display on the cockpit display a heading bug to aid to align a heading of the ownship with a runway course for the pilot wherein the heading bug indicates, by an approximate position to the alignment symbol on the ZPRL of the cockpit display, a reference of a magnitude of lateral misalignment;
• display on the cockpit display a tracking bug to aid to align a track angle of the ownship with the runway course wherein the tracking bug indicates, by an approximate position to the alignment symbol on the ZPRL of the display, a reference of a magnitude of angular misalignment;
• and
• enable a pilot to use the alignment symbol, heading bug and track bug to maneuver the ownship to maintain first, an alignment of the heading with the runway course and second, to attempt to align the tracking angle of the ownship with the runway course by making adjustments in maneuvers of the ownship in a course of landing while viewing the alignment symbol, heading bug and track bug on the ZPRL of the cockpit display wherein a relative position of each other serves as an indicator to the pilot of adjustments needed to correct the lateral and angular misalignment in the course of landing.

A method for presenting information on a display system for use onboard an ownship, the method comprising:

• detecting, by a sensor system, external conditions;
• receiving, from a source of ownship flight data;
• and
• at a processor, communicatively coupled to the sensor system, the source of ownship flight data, and a display device, the processor configured to process the external conditions and ownship flight data to:
• generate on a cockpit display an alignment symbol to aid to align a track angle and lateral deviation of the ownship with a runway course by a pilot;
• generate a track bug and a heading bug on the cockpit display to aid to align to a track and a heading of the ownship with the runway course;
• and
• enable a pilot to view the alignment symbol, the track bug and the heading bug and to maneuver the ownship to maintain first, an alignment of the heading to the runway course and second, to attempt to align the track angle of the ownship with the runway course by adjustments made to maneuver the ownship in a course of landing by a view of a relative position of each of the alignment symbol, the track bug, the heading bug to each other to serve as an indicator to the pilot of adjustments needed in the course of landing.