A windshear guidance system for guiding an aircraft during a microburst windshear is provided. This system includes a time comparison subassembly, an airspeed comparison subassembly and a pitch command subassembly. The pitch command subassembly includes a calibrated air speed source, latch means connected to the calibrated air speed source, switch means connected to the latch means, and a pitch guidance command unit connected to the switch means.

Warning systems for aircraft that provide a warning to the pilot of an excessive altitude loss or an excessive descent rate after take-off as long as he is flying below a predetermined altitude have the problem that they require a valid radio altitude signal for proper operation, and tend to generate nuisance warnings when used in low flying aircraft. This problem is solved by comparing the accumulated altitude loss after take-off (12, 14, 62, 34) with the product of a barometrically derived alt...

A method and an apparatus for following a vehicle are disclosed by which the distance from a vehicle to a preceding target vehicle running ahead thereof can be exactly measured and, based on the thus measured distance, an appropriate vehicle following window can be automatically set with respect to a target image of the preceding vehicle at the start of vehicle following. Images of objects including the preceding vehicle are taken from two different points. The distance to the preceding vehicle ...

A traffic information display format, situated in a craft, for observing traffic in a volume about the craft, having one or more viewing grids that display traffic on the display in a three-dimensional perspective so that the observer of the display can conceptually and immediately perceive the traffic entities and their statuses, distances, altitudes, ascending rates, descending rates, closing rates, receding rates and other information. The formats are generated by situation and symbol compute...

A speed awareness device for allowing passing traffic to perceive from a source other than their own speedometers their true speed. A trailer supports a container within which a radar source is contained operatively connected to a display panel. A suitable source of power operates the radar and display and includes a battery, an optional photo voltaic source to power the battery and a plurality of instrumentalities to preclude or render less likely that the trailer will be moved by unauthorized ...

A power line carrier controlled lighting system connected to an AC power line. The system has: at least one motion detector for detecting at least one predetermined parameter in a detection zone of the motion detector, the motion detector outputting at least one detect signal in response to the predetermined parameter; at least one transmitter for transmitting during a first predetermined time period a power line carrier signal on the AC power line indicative of the detect signal; at least one r...

A docking target (10) includes three concentric circles (C1, C2, C3) each comprising a plurality of different color light emitting diodes (D1, D2, D3) spaced about the circumference of each circle (C1, C2, C3). During vehicle approach, each circle appears initially as a light spot, then a continuous ring of light and finally a plurality of independent light points at defined distances of the vehicle (14) from the station (12) so that the operator can determine distance of the vehicle (14) to the...

A device for indicating that an airplane has reached a safe speed for take-off rotation. The device indicates when both the airspeed equals or exceeds a preselected minimum airspeed and the ground speed equals or exceeds the preselected minimum airspeed less a preselected margin.

A windshear warning apparatus which separately compares a plurality of signals derived from horizontal and vertical inertial acceleration and air mass acceleration components to indicate incipient windshear. The compared signals are substantially equal under normal wind conditions but are significantly different under windshear conditions. A signal proportional to the product of the magnitude and rate of change of the total or resultant inertial acceleration of the aircraft is used to provide a ...

A system for warning the pilot of an aircraft flying at low level, particularly over rising terrain, of an excessive closure condition that could result in controlled flight into terrain if left uncorrected. Specifically a warning system is disclosed that monitors the terrain closure rate of an aircraft under certain conditions. These conditions relate to the weapons not being armed, the aircraft flying between 100 and 1800 feet and the air speed exceeding 200 knots. When these conditions are me...