Method and apparatus for guiding an aircraft through a cluster of hazardous areas
AssigneeRockwell Collins, Inc.
InventorsMary Beth Lapis, Karen L. Walling, Kevin M. Kronfeld
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus and method for displaying weather and other hazard information to a pilot with additional content which helps a pilot avoid no-fly-zones and to prepare a new flight path through a group of widely scattered thunderstorms. The display shows a no-fly-zone around the storm and the no-fly-zone is depicted differently, depending upon variables, such as distance from the aircraft, velocity of the storm being tracked and others.
Claims20
An avionics system comprising:
- a display showing a plurality of dynamic hazards disposed around a central point depicting a current location of an aircraft, where increased distance on the display corresponds to increased separation between a dynamic hazard and the aircraft;
- and,
- a line drawn around each of said plurality of dynamic hazards to create a no-fly-zone;
- WHEREBY, a flight crew member on said aircraft can readily see areas which are to be avoided.
A method of assisting a pilot with navigating an aircraft through a plurality of dynamic hazards, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a map display of weather information;
- providing a display of a zone line drawn around a dynamic hazard, where the zone line represents airspace within a predetermined distance of said dynamic hazard.
A system comprising:
- means for providing and processing weather information;
- means for displaying said weather information on-board an aircraft;
- wherein said means for providing and processing weather information being configured to determine a no-fly-zone around a tracked storm cell;
- wherein said no-fly-zone is sized, shaped, located and oriented in response to a size characteristic of said tracked storm cell, a velocity characteristic of said tracked storm cell, and a separation distance between said tracked storm cell and said aircraft;
- and,
- means for generating an alternate flight path of said aircraft in response to said tracked storm cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.