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EP-4258244-B1 - SYSTEM AND METHOD OF RESPONSE TO AN UNSTABLE APPROACH DURING AN APPROACH TO LANDING FOR AN AIRCRAFT

EP4258244B1EP 4258244 B1EP4258244 B1EP 4258244B1EP-4258244-B1

Inventors

  • ZELMAN, SETH MICAH
  • RUPNIK, Brian Kenyon
  • YOO, JEFF D.
  • CORLEIS, JASPER PATRICK
  • GOSLING, KEVIN LESLIE
  • MCGIVERN, MICHAEL RICHARD

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20230314

Claims (15)

  1. A method comprising: determining (502), at a computing system (104) of an aircraft (100), a target path (202) for an approach to landing based on flight plan data (134); determining (504), at the computing system based on real-time aircraft data, an approach phase of approach phases (206, 208, 214-220) for the approach to landing; determining (506), at the computing system, a real-time operational region of the aircraft for each monitored condition of monitored conditions for the approach phase based on the real-time aircraft data, the target path, and operational regions (304-310) for each monitored condition, wherein the operational regions for a monitored condition of the monitored conditions for the approach phase include a target region (304) defined by one or more first thresholds (312), a first end region (306) defined by a second threshold (314), and at least one intermediate region (308) between the target region and the first end region; indicating an event when a monitored condition is outside of a corresponding target region for the monitored condition; identifying, when there is a single event, the single event as a notification event; identifying, when there are multiple events, an event of the multiple events as a notification event, giving higher priority to events associated with corresponding operational regions farther away from the corresponding target regions, with a highest priority given to the first end regions; accessing (508), at the computing system, notification content (406-410) for a monitored condition for the approach phase corresponding to the notification event; and sending (520) one or more notification signals based on the notification content from the computing system to one or more output systems (112).
  2. The method of claim 1, wherein the approach phases include a descent (206), an initial approach (208), a final approach above a predefined point (214), and a final approach below the predefined point (216).
  3. The method of either of claims 1 or 2, further comprising automatically initiating, by the computing system, a go-around responsive to the approach phase corresponding to a particular approach phase and a real-time operational region for a first monitored condition being in an end region (306) of one or more end regions for the first monitored condition, and wherein an altitude of the aircraft for the particular approach phase is below a critical altitude (224).
  4. The method of any of claims 1-3, wherein accessing the notification content comprises retrieving content of a notification signal from an approach database (140) based on the real-time operational region for the particular monitored condition and the approach phase.
  5. The method of any of claims 1-4, wherein the operational regions for a first monitored condition include a target region (304), a first end region (306), a first intermediate region (308) between the first end region and the target region, and a second intermediate region (310) between the first intermediate region and the target region.
  6. The method of any of claims 1-5, wherein the one or more notification signals include a text notification for one or more displays, an aural tone, a voice notification, a haptic sensation, or combinations thereof.
  7. The method of any of claims 1-6, wherein the real-time aircraft data comprises aircraft condition data and aircraft state data.
  8. The method of claim 7, wherein the aircraft condition data comprises warnings and failure indications for aircraft systems, alerts from external systems, position indicators for one or more adjustable aircraft components, or combinations thereof.
  9. The method of either of claims 7 or 8, wherein the aircraft state data comprises information indicative of altitude, position, course, attitude, airspeed, and vertical speed.
  10. The method of any of claims 1-9, wherein the monitored conditions comprise speed, path, attitude, aircraft energy, aircraft configuration, runway status, or combinations thereof.
  11. An aircraft (100) comprising: a plurality of sensors (116); and a computing system (104) to receive real-time aircraft data from the plurality of sensors, flight plan data (134), and thresholds associated with operational regions for monitored conditions, wherein the computing system is configured to execute instructions to: determine (502) a target path (202) for an approach to landing based on the flight plan data; determine (504) an approach phase of approach phases (206, 208, 214-220) for the approach to landing; determine (506) a real-time operational region of the aircraft for each monitored condition based on the real-time aircraft data, the target path, and the operational regions for each monitored condition of monitored conditions, wherein the operational regions for a monitored condition of the monitored conditions for the approach phase include a target region (304) defined by one or more first thresholds (312) of the thresholds, a first end region (306) defined by a second threshold (314) of the thresholds, and at least one intermediate region (308) between the target region and the first end region; indicate an event when a monitored condition is outside of a corresponding target region for the monitored condition; identify, when there is a single event, the single event as a notification event; identify, when there are multiple events, an event of the multiple events as a notification event, giving higher priority to events associated with corresponding operational regions farther away from the corresponding target regions, with a highest priority given to the first end regions; access (508) notification content (406-410) for a monitored condition for the approach phase, corresponding to the notification event; and send (520) one or more notification signals based on the notification content to one or more output systems (112).
  12. The aircraft of claim 11, wherein a determination of the real-time operational region for a first monitored condition includes satisfaction of one or more persistence thresholds associated with a transition from a first operational region to a different operational region, optionally, wherein the one or more persistence thresholds comprise a first persistence threshold associated with a time that the first monitored condition remains in a first operational region after transitioning from a second operational region to the first operational region.
  13. The aircraft of claim 12, wherein the one or more persistence thresholds are not applied for transitions into end regions of the operational regions.
  14. The aircraft of any of claims 11-13, wherein the computing system is further configured to execute instructions to, in response to a determination that the approach to landing is an emergency approach to landing, inhibit the one or more notification signals from including a go-around warning.
  15. A computer-readable storage device (608) comprising instructions (616), wherein the instructions are executable by one or more processors (604) during an approach to landing of an aircraft (100) to cause the one or more processors to: perform the method according to any of claims 1 to 10.

Description

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE The present disclosure is related to systems and methods for responding to an unstable approach during an approach to landing for an aircraft. BACKGROUND An aircraft can include a flight management system to provide information to an operator of the aircraft (e.g., a pilot or a member of a flight crew), to perform tasks, or both, during flight phases of a flight. The flight phases include flight planning, pre-flight, engine start, taxi-out, take-off or reject take-off, initial climb, en route climb, cruise, descent, approach or go-around, landing, taxi-in, arrival and engine shut down, and post-flight. The approach of the aircraft should be stable. A stable approach is an approach where particular flight parameters are controlled to within a specified range of values before the aircraft reaches a predefined altitude above a runway threshold where the aircraft is to land (e.g., 1000 feet, 500 feet, or other altitude) and the aircraft maintains the particular flight parameters within the specified range of values until the aircraft lands. The particular flight parameters include attitude, flight path trajectory, airspeed, rate of descent, engine thrust, and aircraft configuration. An unstable approach is an approach that is not a stable approach. When the approach is an unstable approach, a subsequent landing can be a rough landing, can cause injury to one or more people on the aircraft, can cause damage to cargo on the aircraft, can cause damage to the aircraft, or combinations thereof. Above the predefined altitude, an operator of the aircraft can use controls to change one or more flight characteristics to establish, or reestablish, a stable approach. If an approach is not stable by the predefined altitude, or if the approach becomes unstable below the predefined altitude, the operator of the aircraft should initiate a go-around instead of landing. The operator can initiate a go-around at any time above or below the predefined altitude until the aircraft lands and the speed of the aircraft is reduced below a speed sufficient to support flight of the aircraft (e.g., until thrust reversers are applied to reduce the speed of the aircraft). US2020258404A1 describes, in accordance with its abstract, a go-around system for an aircraft. The go-around system includes a controller, an alert system, an auto flight system, and an auto throttle system. The controller is configured to receive flight path information, airspeed information, and runway information from one or more avionic systems, determine, based on the flight path information, airspeed information, and runway information, a go-around advisory, and output an alert signal regarding the go-around advisory. The go-around advisory is a directive to perform a go-around. The alert system is configured to provide at least one of a visual alert, an aural alert, and a detailed information alert to a user in response to receiving the alert signal from the controller. The auto throttle system is configured to automatically adjust a speed of the aircraft for a go-around based on the go-around advisory. WO2021154522A1 describes, in accordance with its abstract, an aircraft flight assistance method constituted of: receiving values of a plurality of parameters associated with the aircraft flight, the plurality of parameters selected from a predetermined list of parameters; comparing the received values to respective parameter thresholds associated with the plurality of parameters; responsive to an outcome of the comparison, identifying one of a plurality of stored scenarios, each of the plurality of stored scenarios comprising a respective set of scenario thresholds, each of the respective set of scenario thresholds associated with a respective parameter from the predetermined list of parameters; and responsive to the identified scenario, outputting a respective first alert associated with the identified scenario. US2001052562A1 describes, in accordance with its abstract, a method, apparatus and computer program product for assisting the pilot of an aircraft in making a go-around decision. Various aircraft parameters are monitored during the approach to land and a risk level assessed. When the risk level exceeds a specified threshold, an alert is provided. US2017015434A1 describes, in accordance with its abstract, method that detects an impendent situation of an operating aircraft. The method comprises receiving data corresponding to a plurality of parameters related to an operation of the aircraft. It is determined if any of the plurality of parameters is at or beyond at least a first respective threshold by comparing the plurality of parameters with the first respective thresholds. If at least one of the parameters is an outlier parameter at or beyond its first respective threshold, another or others of the plurality of parameters associated to the at least one outlier parameter is identified, the at least one other parameter being selected ba