Systems and methods are provided for integrated control, access, and customizable presentation of navigation related, flight information data on a multifunction display (MFD) within a cockpit. The MFD includes a bezel having controls located thereon which are adapted for controlling display formats, communication devices, navigational devices, and equipment sensors. A display is located adjacent to the bezel. The display is adapted to include at least one display region having navigation related data. At least one of the controls is operable to variably select a display format for the at least one display region.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to the following co-pending, commonly assigned U.S. patent applications: "Cockpit Instrument Systems and Methods of Presenting Cockpit Instrument Data," U.S. Ser. No. 10/086,951; "Cockpit Control Systems and Methods of Controlling Data on Multiple Cockpit Instrument Panels," U.S. Ser. No. 10/086,929; "Cockpit Display Systems and Methods of Presenting Data on Cockpit Displays," U.S. Ser. No. 10/086,598; "Cockpit Control Systems and Methods with Redundant Flight Data Display," U.S. Ser. No. 10/086,783; and "Customizable Cockpit Display Systems and Methods of Customizing the Presentation of Cockpit Data," U.S. Ser. No. 10/086,996 each of which is by the same inventors and of which the disclosure is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety.
A method for displaying attitude, heading, and navigation data on a single display is described. The method comprises configuring the display with terrain data, overlaying the terrain display with a compass rose display, and superimposing an attitude direction indicator with the compass rose display, the attitude direction indicator referenced to a center of the compass rose.
The present invention provides an aircraft navigational system including a graphical user interface that is capable of displaying navigational information in a split-screen format. The split-screen format includes displaying multiple graphical user panels, each depicting different traffic information. For example, one of the panels displays a plurality of air traffic symbols corresponding to airborne obstacles and another of the panels simultaneously displays ground traffic symbols representing ground obstacles. The obstacles can include other aircraft in the air and on runways as the pilot's aircraft approaches for a landing. The navigational system also is capable of switching between a single graphical user panel and multiple panels in response to a triggering event, such as a change in the course of the aircraft.
One embodiment of the present invention includes an aircraft instrumentation system for a cockpit instrument panel having a first device associated with a first pilot of an aircraft and positioned on the instrument panel substantially in front of the first pilot. The first device may include a first display and a first controller, which may have a set of controls for controlling the first display and aircraft systems. The instrumentation system may also include a second device associated with a second pilot of the aircraft and positioned on the instrument panel substantially in front of the second pilot. The second device may include a second display and a second controller, which may have a set of controls for controlling the second display and the aircraft systems. The instrumentation may be configured such that at least one of the first display and the second display presents attitude, altitude and airspeed at all times.
A flight instrument displays azimuth information in combination with horizon information and other optional information such as altitude and/or airspeed. Azimuth information is displayed using an elliptical pattern placed below a horizon line displaying horizon information. The horizon information may be based on gyro enhanced vertical speed and/or vertical axis information. The elliptical pattern may be representative of a horizontal circular heading indicator viewed from above and behind the circular indicator. In one embodiment, the elliptical azimuth pattern moves in response to movement of the horizon line to maintain position below the horizon line. Airspeed and/or altitude information may be displayed at the sides of the screen area using a circular arc display pattern.
A flight instrument and associated method where vertical speed information is combined with gyro information to produce gyro enhanced vertical speed information that is displayed to a pilot. The gyro information may include a pitch rate gyro and may include an azimuth rate gyro. The pitch rate gyro and azimuth rate gyro may be combined to yield a corrected pitch rate in turns. In one embodiment, the display is an airplane symbol that moves relative to a horizon line responsive to the gyro enhanced vertical speed information. The horizon line may also tilt in response to the azimuth rate gyro.
