Aircraft excessive descent rate warning system
AssigneeSundstrand Data Control, Inc.
InventorCharles D. Bateman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
In an aircraft excessive rate of descent warning system that utilizes barometric descent rate compared with aircraft altitude above ground to generate a warning, nuisance warnings at airports having terrain that slopes generally downwardly towards the runway can be substantially reduced by modifying either the descent rate signal or the altitude above ground signal as a function of radio altitude rate thereby having the effect of increasing the descent rate required to trigger a warning when the aircraft is descending essentially parallel to the ground.
Claims33
In a system for warning of an excessive rate of aircraft descent, having means for generating a signal representing the rate of descent of the aircraft, means for generating a signal representing altitude of the aircraft above ground, means for comparing long-term components of the descent rate signal with the altitude signal and for detecting a predetermined relationship between said signals to initiate an excessive descent rate warning, an improvement comprising:
- means for generating a terrain altitude rate signal representing the aircraft's rate of change of altitude with respect to the ground;
- and
- means, responsive to said terrain altitude rate signal, for varying the predetermined relationship between the long-term components of the descent rate and the altitude signals required to initiate the warning as a function of said terrain altitude rate signal.
A system for warning of an excessive rate of aircraft descent comprising:
- means including a barometric altimeter for generating a barometric altitude signal;
- means responsive to said barometric altitude signal for generating a barometric descent rate signal;
- means including a radio altimeter for generating a radio altitude signal;
- means, responsive to said radio altitude signal, for generating a radio altitude rate signal;
- computer means responsive to said descent rate signal, said radio altitude signal and said radio altitude rate signal, for generating an excessive descent rate warning initiate signal wherein a first value functionally related to said descent rate signal is compared to a second value functionally related to said radio altitude signal to generate said warning initiate signal whenever the long-term component of said first value exceeds said second value and wherein said first value is varied as a function of said ratio altitude rate signal to effectively increase the descent rate at which a warning initiate signal is generated as a function of decreasing radio altitude rate signals indicating aircraft approach to the terrain;
- and
- means responsive to said warning initiate signal, for generating a pilot warning.
A system for warning of an excessive rate of aircraft descent comprising:
- means including a barometric altimeter for generating a barometric altitude signal;
- means responsive to said barometric altitude signal for generating a barometric descent rate signal;
- means including a radio altimeter for generating a radio altitude signal;
- means, responsive to said radio altitude signal, for generating a radio altitude rate signal;
- computer means responsive to said descent rate signal, said radio altitude signal and said radio altitude rate signal, for generating an excessive descent rate warning initiate signal wherein a first value functionally related to said descent rate signal is compared to a second value functionally related to said radio altitude signal to generate said warning initiate signal whenever the long-term components of said first value exceeds said second value and wherein said second value is varied as a function of said radio altitude rate signal to effectively decrease the altitude above terrain at which a warning initiate signal is generated as a function of decreasing radio altitude rate signals indicating aircraft approach to the terrain;
- and
- means responsive to said warning initiate signal, for generating a pilot warning.
An aircraft excessive descent rate warning system utilizing a signal from a barometric altimeter representing aircraft barometric altitude and a signal from a radio altimeter representing aircraft altitude above the terrain, comprising:
- a first rate circuit responsive to the barometric altitude signal for generating a barometric descent rate signal;
- a second rate circuit responsive to the radio altitude signal for generating a radio altitude rate signal;
- a first summing junction operatively responsive to said first and second rate circuits for combining said descent rate signal and said radio altitude rate signal;
- a limit circuit operatively connected to the output of said first summing junction;
- a second summing junction operatively connected to said first rate circuit and said limiter circuit for combining said descent rate signal with the output of said limit circuit;
- a comparator circuit responsive to the radio altitude signal and responsive to said second summing junction for generating an excessive descent rate initiate signal;
- and
- a pilot warning device operatively connected to said comparator circuit and responsive to said initiate signal.
An aircraft excessive descent rate warning system utilizing a signal from a barometric altimeter representing aircraft barometric altitude and a signal from a radio altimeter representing aircraft altitude above the terrain, comprising:
- a first rate circuit responsive to the barometric altitude signal for generating a barometric descent rate signal;
- a second rate circuit responsive to the radio altitude signal for generating a radio altitude rate signal;
- a scaling circuit operatively connected to the output of said second rate circuit for converting said radio altitude rate signal into a scaled altitude signal;
- a first summing junction operatively connected to the radio altimeter and said scaling circuit effective to sum the radio altitude signal with said scaled altitude signal;
- a limit circuit operatively connected to the output of said first summing junction;
- a second summing junction operatively connected to the radio altimeter and said limiter circuit for combining the radio altitude signal with the output of said limit circuit;
- a comparator circuit operatively connected to said first rate circuit and said second summing junction for generating an excessive descent rate initiate signal;
- and
- a pilot warning device operatively connected to said comparator circuit and responsive to said initiate signal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.