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US 8,352,104 B2Granted
Method and device for servocontrolling an aircraft speed-wise in an approach phase
AssigneeAirbus Operations GmbH
InventorsMaxime Wachenheim, Jean-Louis De Menorval
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and device for servocontrolling an aircraft speed-wise in an approach phase. The device can adapt to the estimated time of passage of the aircraft at a particular point of the approach trajectory, the position of the start of deceleration of the aircraft in the approach phase.
Claims9
A method for servocontrolling speed-wise an aircraft that is guided along an approach trajectory, in an approach phase for a landing on a landing runway, said approach phase being a phase during which the aircraft decelerates from a descent speed (Vdes) to an approach speed (Vapp), the method comprising:
- A/ determining via a processor a speed profile (PV) which illustrates a variation of the speed (V) of the aircraft along the approach trajectory as a function of the horizontal distance (D) of said aircraft relative to a fixed point (PF) that is linked to said landing runway used for the landing, said speed profile (PV) comprising a reference deceleration point (Pd) which corresponds to the point where the aircraft has to begin to decelerate from the descent speed (Vdes), this reference deceleration point (Pd) being situated at a reference horizontal distance (DR) from said fixed point (PF);
- B/ calculating via a processor speed set points to enable the aircraft to observe said speed profile (PV);
- and
- C/ during the approach phase, applying via a processor said speed set points to the aircraft, while guiding the aircraft along said approach trajectory, wherein guiding the aircraft along said approach trajectory comprises:
- α) calculating via a processor an auxiliary horizontal distance by adding a first horizontal margin (M1) to said reference horizontal distance (DR), and defining an auxiliary deceleration point (P1) which is located upstream of said fixed point (PF) of said auxiliary horizontal distance along said approach trajectory;
- β) during the approach phase, when the aircraft reaches a control point (Pc) of the approach trajectory, which is situated upstream of said auxiliary deceleration point (P1) at least by a second horizontal margin (M2), carrying out via a processor a check to determine if said aircraft is able to reach an auxiliary fixed point downstream of the approach trajectory, at a required time of passage, within a time difference, if the aircraft observes said speed profile (PV);
- and a processor
- γ) defining via a processor, according to the check, an effective deceleration point (PE), at which the aircraft must effectively begin deceleration as defined on the speed profile (PV) at said reference deceleration point (Pd) in order to make the aircraft follow this speed profile (PV), this effective deceleration point (PE) which is used for servocontrolling the aircraft speed-wise corresponding:
- to said auxiliary deceleration point (P1) if, according to said check, said aircraft will pass said auxiliary fixed point at said required time of passage;
- or
- at a first offset point (P4) which is situated upstream of said auxiliary deceleration point (P1) if, according to said check, the aircraft will be upstream of said auxiliary fixed point at said required time of passage;
- or
- at a second offset point (P3) which is situated downstream of said auxiliary deceleration point (P1) if, according to said check, the aircraft will be downstream of said auxiliary fixed point at said required time of passage,
- wherein at least one of the first offset point and the second offset point (P3, P4) is offset, relative to said auxiliary deceleration point (P1), by a distance D1 which satisfies the following equation:
- D
-
-
- 1
- =
- Δ
-
-
- T
- 1
- Vapp
- -
- 1
- Vdes
- in which:
- Vapp is the approach speed;
- Vdes is the descent speed;
- and
- ΔT represents a time adjustment to be made for the aircraft to reach said auxiliary fixed point at said required time of passage.
30 more elements
A device for servocontrolling speed-wise an aircraft that is guided along an approach trajectory, in an approach phase for a landing on a landing runway, said approach phase being a phase during which the aircraft decelerates from a descent speed (Vdes) to an approach speed (Vapp), said device (1) comprising:
- a flight management system (4) that determines a speed profile (PV) which illustrates a variation of the speed (V) of the aircraft along the approach trajectory as a function of the horizontal distance (D) of said aircraft relative to a fixed point (PF) that is linked to said landing runway used for the landing, said speed profile (PV) comprising a reference deceleration point (Pd) that corresponds to the point where the aircraft must begin to decelerate from the descent speed (Vdes), this reference deceleration point (Pd) being situated at a reference horizontal distance (DR) from said fixed point (PF);
- a speed computation unit (7) configured to compute speed set points enabling the aircraft to observe said speed profile (PV);
- and
- a guidance system (9) which, during the approach phase, applies said speed set points to the aircraft, while guiding the aircraft along said approach trajectory, wherein the guidance system also comprises:
- a distance computation unit (15) configured to compute an auxiliary horizontal distance, by adding a first horizontal margin (M1) to said reference horizontal distance (DR), and defining an auxiliary deceleration point (P1) that is situated upstream of said fixed point (PF) by said auxiliary horizontal distance along said approach trajectory;
- a checking unit (16) configured to check, during the approach phase, when the aircraft reaches a control point (Pc) of the approach trajectory, which is situated upstream of said auxiliary deceleration point (P1) at least by a second horizontal margin (M2), if said aircraft is able to reach an auxiliary fixed point downstream of the approach trajectory, at a required time of passage, within a time difference, if it observes said speed profile (PV);
- and
- a defining unit (17) configured to define, according to the check implemented by said checking unit (16), an effective deceleration point (PE), at which the aircraft must effectively begin the deceleration as defined on the speed profile (PV) at said reference deceleration point (Pd) in order to make the aircraft follow this speed profile (PV), this effective deceleration point (PE) which is used for servocontrolling the aircraft speed-wise corresponding:
- to said auxiliary deceleration point (P1) if, according to the check, said aircraft will reach said auxiliary fixed point at said required time of passage;
- or
- to a first offset point (P4) that is situated upstream of said auxiliary deceleration point (P1) if, according to said check, the aircraft will be upstream of said auxiliary fixed point at the required time of passage;
- or
- to a second offset point (P3) that is situated downstream of said auxiliary deceleration point (P1) if, according to said check, the aircraft will be downstream of said auxiliary fixed point at the required time of passage,
- wherein at least one of the first offset point and the second offset point (P3, P4) is offset, relative to said auxiliary deceleration point (P1), by a distance D1 which satisfies the following equation:
- D
-
-
- 1
- =
- Δ
-
-
- T
- 1
- Vapp
- -
- 1
- Vdes
- in which:
- Vapp is the approach speed;
- Vdes is the descent speed;
- and
- ΔT represents a time adjustment to be made for the aircraft to reach said auxiliary fixed point at said required time of passage.
30 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.