Negative climb rate after take-off warning system with predetermined loss of altitude inhibit
AssigneeSundstrand Data Control, Inc.
InventorsCharles Donald Bateman, Hans Rudolf Muller
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In a warning system for aircraft that generates a warning signal when the aircraft is descending during a take-off or missed approach phase of operation, the warning is inhibited for a predetermined loss of altitude in order to allow the aircraft to descend a short distance without triggering a nuisance warning. Specifically, a circuit is provided to integrate a signal representing the aircraft's rate of descent until the integrated signal is equal to a predetermined drop in altitude whereupon the warning signal is triggered.
Claims27
In an aircraft instrument for warning the pilot of an excessive descent following a climb during a takeoff or a missed landing approach maneuver, said instrument having a source of signal representing the vertical motion of the aircraft, improved means establishing a warning criteria, comprising:
- means responsive to said vertical motion signal for establishing a signal representing the net altitude loss of the aircraft from the high point of the flight path;
- means for establishing an excessive altitude loss signal;
- means for comparing said net altitude loss signal with said excessive altitude loss signal, the comparing means output indicating whether the net altitude loss which has occurred is excessive;
- and
- means responsive to an output of the comparing means indicating an excessive net altitude loss for initiating a pilot warning.
A negative climb warning system for use in aircraft in a nonlanding configuration comprising:
- rate means responsive to a barometric altimeter and including an electronic circuit to differentiate the signal from the barometric altimeter with respect to time for generating a signal representing the rate of change in aircraft altitude;
- configuration means responsive to signals indicating the operative condition of the aircraft flaps and landing gear for generating signals representing the aircraft flight configuration;
- measuring means responsive to said rate means for measuring the descent of the aircraft;
- and
- warning means responsive to said measuring means and said configuration means for generating a warning signal indicating that the aircraft is descending after descending a predetermined distance.
A negative climb warning system for an aricraft having a barometric and radio altimeter comprising:
- means for measuring the aircraft's net loss in barometric altitude;
- means for comparing said net loss of altitude with the radio altitude;
- means responsive to said comparing means for generating a warning signal when said net loss exceeds a predetermined amount for a predetermined altitude.
A system for warning of aircraft descent while in a non-landing configuration comprising:
- a circuit for generating a signal representing the rate of change in the aircraft's barometric altitude;
- configuration means for generating a plurality of signals representing the aircraft's flight configuration;
- a warning signal generator, responsive to said configuration means and said rate of change in barometric altitude signal, for generating a warning signal when the aircraft is descending in a predefined configuration;
- inhibit means for inhibiting said warning signal;
- and
- an integrating circuit for integrating said barometric rate of change signal and removing said warning signal inhibition after a predetermined descent.
An electronic circuit, responsive to rate of change in barometric altitude signals and altitude signals from a radar altimeter, for generating a negative climb warning signal in an aircraft comprising:
- an integrating amplifier for integrating the rate of change in barometric altitude signal thereby producing a signal representing the descent of the aircraft;
- a clamp circuit operatively connected to said integrating amplifier for preventing the output of said descent signal from said integrating amplifier;
- a first comparator circuit responsive to said rate of change in said barometric signal and said descent signal for activating said clamp circuit;
- a summing junction for combining the radar altitude signal with a biasing signal;
- a second comparator circuit, operatively connected wtih said integrating amplifier and said summing junction, to generate a logic signal indicating that said descent signal has exceed a predefined value with respect to said biased altitude signal;
- a first logic circuit, operatively connected to said second comparator circuit and responsive to the altitude signal, to inhibit said logic signal above and below predefined altitudes;
- to inhibit said logic signal above and below predefined altitudes;
- and
- means responsive to said logic signal for generating the negative climb warning.
An aircraft warning instrument for alerting the pilot of an aircraft to a condition of excessive descent following takeoff or a missed landing approach, comprising:
- a source of signal representing the rate of change of altitude of the aircraft;
- a source of signal representing the altitude of the aircraft above the ground;
- means responsive to the rate signal for generating a signal representing the net loss in aircraft altitude from the high point of the flight path;
- means for directly comparing the aircraft altitude net loss signal with the altitude above ground signal;
- and
- means responsive to said comparing means to actuate a pilot warning device when the net distance which the aircraft has descended is excessive for the aircraft altitude above ground.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.