Apparatus, methods, computer program products for generating a runway field clearance floor envelope about a selected runway

An apparatus for use in a ground proximity warning system for determining whether an aircraft is located at a desired position with respect to a selected runway, wherein said apparatus comprises a processor that:

• defines a runway field clearance floor envelope about the selected runway representing different preselected altitudes above the selected runway at respective distances from the selected runway;
• determines an inner boundary of the runway field clearance floor envelope at an inner position proximate to the selected runway by summing the runway position quality factor, altitude data quality factor, and aircraft position quality factor;
• determines an outer boundary of the runway field clearance floor envelope at an outer position by summing the runway position quality factor, the altitude data quality factor, the aircraft position quality factor, and a predetermined outer distance representing a predetermined distance from the selected runway;
• and
• compares the position of the aircraft to the runway field clearance floor envelope, wherein if the aircraft is positioned below the runway field clearance floor envelope, said processor provides an indication thereof.

An apparatus for use in a ground proximity warning system for determining whether an aircraft is located at a desired position with respect to a selected runway, wherein said apparatus comprises:

• a memory device comprising a data base containing position and elevation data for the selected runway,
• a processor in electrical communication with said memory device, wherein said processor;
• defines a runway field clearance floor envelope about the selected runway representing different preselected altitudes above the selected runway at respective distances from the selected runway;
• determines the altitude of the aircraft above the selected runway by accessing elevation data related to the selected runway from said memory device and subtracting the levitation of the selected runway from the altitude of the aircraft;
• compares a distance between the aircraft and selected runway to the runway field clearance floor envelope and determines a preselected altitude of the aircraft above the selected runway based on the runway field clearance floor envelope,
• wherein said processor compares the preselected altitude to the altitude of the aircraft above the selected runway, and wherein if the altitude of the aircraft above the selected runway is no more than the preselected altitude, said processor provides an indication thereof.

A method for use in a ground proximity warning system for determining whether an aircraft is located at a desired position with respect to a selected runway, wherein said method comprises the steps of:

• defining a runway field clearance floor envelope about the selected runway representing different preselected altitudes above the selected runway at respective distances from the selected runway;
• determining an inner boundary of the runway field clearance floor envelope at an inner position proximate to the selected runway by summing the runway position quality factor, altitude data quality factor;
• determining an outer boundary of the runway field clearance floor envelope at a second position by summing the runway position quality factor, the altitude data quality factor, the aircraft position quality factor, and a predetermined outer distance representing a predetermined distance from the selected runway;
• comparing the position of the aircraft to the runway field clearance floor envelope;
• and
• providing an indication if the aircraft is positioned below the runway field clearance floor envelope.

A method for use in a ground proximity warning system for determining whether an aircraft is located at a desired position with respect to a selected runway, wherein said method comprises the steps of.

• storing a database containing position and elevation data for the selected runway;
• defining a runway field clearance floor envelope about the selected runway representing different preselected altitudes above the selected runway at respective distances from the selected runway;
• determining the altitude of the aircraft above the selected runway by subtracting the elevation of the selected runway from the altitude of the aircraft;
• comparing a distance between the aircraft and selected runway to the runway field clearance floor envelope;
• determining a preselected altitude o f the aircraft above the selected runway based on the runway field clearance floor envelope;
• comparing the preselected altitude to the altitude of the aircraft above the selected runway;
• and providing an indication if the altitude of the aircraft above the selected runway is no more than the preselected altitude.

A method for use in a ground proximity warning system for determining whether an aircraft is located at a desired position with respect to a selected runway, wherein said method comprises the steps of.

• defining a runway field clearance floor envelope about the selected runway representing different preselected altitude above the selected runway at respective distances from the selected runway;
• comparing the position of the aircraft to the runway field clearance floor envelope;
• providing an indication if the aircraft is positioned below the runway field clearance floor envelope;
• defining a terrain clearance floor envelope about the selected runway representing different preselected minimum altitudes of the aircraft above terrain located below the aircraft for different distances between the aircraft and the selected runway;
• comparing the altitude of the aircraft above the terrain to the minimum altitude indicated by the terrain clearance floor envelope for the distance between the aircraft and selected runway;
• and
• providing an indication that the aircraft is below the terrain clearance floor envelope if the altitude of the aircraft above the terrain is no more than the minimum altitude.

An apparatus for generating a runway field clearance floor envelope for use in a ground proximity warning system, wherein said apparatus comprises a processor that generates a runway field clearance floor envelope about a selected runway representing a selected minimum landing pattern for landing an aircraft on the selected runway, wherein said processor defines the runway field clearance floor envelope having:

• different preselected altitudes above the selected runway at different respective distances from the selected runway, wherein each of the different preselected altitudes represent a selected minimum altitude above the selected runway that the aircraft should maintain at the respective distance from the selected runway for landing the aircraft on the selected runway;
• an inner boundary of the runway field clearance floor envelope located proximate to the selected runway, wherein the inner boundary location is determined by the sum of the runway position quality factor, altitude data quality factor, and aircraft position quality factor;
• and
• an outer boundary of the runway field clearance floor envelope located at an outer position from the selected runway, wherein the outer boundary location is determined by the sum of the runway position quality factor, the altitude data quality factor, the aircraft position quality factor, and a predetermined outer distance representing a predetermined distance from the selected runway.