System and method for identification and assessment of abnormal behavior of nearby aircraft

A method of detecting abnormal flight behavior of a first aircraft in vicinity of a second aircraft, the method comprising:

• receiving, with a communication system on board the second aircraft, a message from the first aircraft, the message comprising an aircraft identification and real-time flight data of the first aircraft;
• detecting abnormal flight behavior of the first aircraft using a processor on-board the second aircraft, wherein the processor uses the aircraft identification and the real-time flight data from the first aircraft, terrain data and runway data obtained from a terrain database on board the second aircraft to determine whether the first aircraft is exhibiting abnormal flight behavior;
• and
• providing the real-time flight data of the first aircraft to a flight data recorder on board the second aircraft in response to the processor of the second aircraft detecting abnormal flight behavior.

A system for detecting abnormal flight behavior of a first aircraft in the vicinity of a second aircraft, the system comprising:

• a communication interface on board an the second aircraft for receiving real-time extended squitter messages from the first aircraft in vicinity of the second aircraft, the extended squitter messages comprising an aircraft identification and real-time flight data of the first aircraft, wherein the real-time flight data of the first aircraft comprises at least one of altitude, aircraft position, direction of flight, airborne velocity, vertical climb/descent, and identification of the first aircraft;
• a flight data recorder on board the second aircraft;
• and
• a processor on board the second aircraft configured to:
• determine whether the other aircraft is operating abnormally, based upon the real-time flight data contained in the extended squitter messages from the other aircraft, terrain data obtained from a terrain database aboard the second aircraft and runway information identifying any runway in proximity of the first aircraft;
• store, in the flight data recorder of the second aircraft, the aircraft identification and real-time flight data of the first aircraft that has been determined by the processor to be operating abnormally;
• and
• send a controller pilot down link (CPDL) indicating the first aircraft is operating abnormally and the extended squitter messages from the first aircraft are no longer being received by the second aircraft