Navigational apparatus and methods for displaying aircraft position with respect to a selected vertical flight path profile

A method of generating an informational profile for guiding an aircraft flight, the method comprising the steps of:

• a. providing information concerning locations of an earlier position P.sub.1 and a later position P.sub.4, as well as aircraft first operating parameters for conducting a climb from the earlier position P.sub.1 and aircraft second operating parameters for conducting a descent to the later position P.sub.4 ;
• b. calculating a location of an upper descent position P.sub.3 from the later position P.sub.4 as a function of a projected distance to be flown by the aircraft when descending to position P.sub.4 in accordance with the aircraft second operating parameters;
• c. calculating a location of an upper climb position P.sub.2 from earlier position P.sub.1 as a function of a projected distance to be flown by the aircraft when climbing to the upper climb position P.sub.2 from position P.sub.1 in accordance with the aircraft first operating parameters;
• d. generating the informational profile which is defined by a climb portion including positions P.sub.1 and P.sub.2, a descent portion including positions P.sub.3 and P.sub.4, and an intermediate portion including positions P.sub.2 and P.sub.3 ;
• and
• e. guiding said aircraft based on the generated informational profile.