In a method and an apparatus for displaying flight management information for an aircraft, a three-dimensional display of the flight space with at least one horizon and the predicted flight path of the aircraft is effected by means of an image reproduction device. The predicted flight path is preferably displayed as a series of symbols which assume, within the flight space displayed, the predicted position and the predicted altitude of the aircraft with respect to the flight space at different points in time.
A process and system are disclosed for representing flight guiding information for an aircraft. A spatial representation of the air space with at least one horizon and the previously calculated flight path of the aircraft is represented by means of video equipment. The representation of the previously calculated flight path includes the previously calculated position and previously calculated attitude of the aircraft at different moments in time. The previously calculated flight path is represented by at least two bodies which extend along the flight path and of which at least one is represented to the left of the flight path and at least one is represented to the right of the flight path.
A landing aid device comprises processing means, which receive aircraft path data, and data regarding the position of at least one runway towards which the aircraft is steering. These processing means comprise calculation means which supply a state signal, comprising at least one condition which is dependent on the path data and on the runway data, this function being chosen so as to express the fact that the path of the aircraft converges towards the runway.
An electronic lateral acceleration indicator is provided that gives improved visual performance over previous electronic indicators. In a first embodiment, the lateral acceleration indicator includes a fine tuning element and a high level lateral acceleration element. The fine tuning element provides a precise reading of low level lateral acceleration. This allows a pilot to make small corrections to eliminate small amounts of lateral acceleration. The high level lateral acceleration element provides a strong visual indication when relatively high lateral acceleration is present. The strong visual indication provided by the high level lateral acceleration element increases the probability that the pilot will be made aware of the lateral acceleration. Thus, the lateral acceleration indicator of the present invention provides both fine tuning capability and a strong visual warning of large lateral acceleration to the pilot. In a second embodiment, the lateral acceleration indicator includes a lateral acceleration element that expands as lateral acceleration increases. This allows the pilot to quickly determine if lateral acceleration is occurring. Additionally, the rate of expansion in the lateral acceleration element relative to the increase in lateral mistrim can be tailored to provide improved visual scaling to the pilot.
This optoelectronic device is designed to provide assistance in the piloting of an aircraft under conditions of poor visibility, at the final approach stage, during taxiing and at take-off from a runway equipped with an ILS. The device consists of a collimator displaying a reticule symbolizing a runway centerline that is shown to the pilot during flight as well as on the ground, without any break between the in-flight final approach stage and the ground stage of taxiing on the runway. The device takes account of the pilot's off-centered position in the aircraft cockpit.
An aircraft flight instrument display panel (10) has a combined speed and heading indicator in the form of a central square (11) surrounded by a scaled matrix (12). Displacement of an aircraft (100), in which the display is installed, from a desired speed and heading being indicated by displacement of an aircraft symbol (14) in the y and x directions from the central square. The aircraft (100) has an attitude sensor system (102) and the flight instrument display (108) has a flight instrument control system (104), the attitude sensor system and the flight instrument control system having an interconnection (106) with control laws such that, when the aircraft (100) is displaced from its desired speed and heading, pilot adjustment of pitch and roll, respectively, in a manner tending to return the aircraft (100) to the desired speed and heading, causes the aircraft symbol (14) to move towards the central symmetrical square (11).