251 results about "Aircrew" patented technology

A system for alerting the occupant of a vehicle that the vehicle is in or approaching a zone of awareness. For instance, the system may be used to alert the pilot or flight crew of an aircraft that the aircraft is on or approaching a runway, and may identify the specific runway. Thus, the invention also provides a method of reducing unintentional incursions of taxiing aircraft onto runways. The system generally includes a storage device or memory, a positioning system such as a GPS that typically repeatedly determines the location of the vehicle, an alerting device such as an alarm or display, and a processor, all of which are typically located on the vehicle. The processor typically compares the location of the vehicle with stored location information for various zones of awareness and initiates an alert when appropriate. The processor may take into consideration the velocity and direction of travel of the vehicle. Zones of awareness may be defined by coordinates, such as the end points of line segments. Audible alarms may include a voice warning, and may be able to be silenced until the vehicle leaves the zone of awareness. On aircraft, the system may reference the centerline of the runway, for example, alerting when the aircraft is within 150 feet of the centerline. The system may be disabled when the aircraft is in flight.

In an anti-hijacking system for autopilot equipped aircraft, a transceiver communicates with at least one remote guidance facility. A panic button is activated by flight crew in case of hijacking. A manager is coupled to the transceiver and the panic button, as well as existing avionics including the aircraft's master computer and autopilot. Optionally, a relay is coupled between the pilot controls and selected aircraft flight systems. The manager recognizes predetermined override inputs, such as activation of the panic button or receipt of override signals from the remote guidance facility. Responsive to the override input, the manager deactivates on-board control of selected aircraft flight systems and the autopilot system, and directs the autopilot to fly the aircraft to a safe landing. Flight routing and landing instructions are obtained from the remote guidance facility, or by self-evaluating nearby airports in view of the aircraft's position and various preestablished criteria.

An aircraft load management system that determines the position of an aircraft cargo hook for display to an aircrew. The cargo hook positional information may alternatively or additionally be communicated directly to a flight control system and a winch control system to automate and coordinate flight control inputs with winch operation to actively position the cargo hook. Data transfer from the cargo through a data link system also provides the load management system with exact position of the cargo load connection points even prior to attachment of the cargo hook to the load. The load management system also includes anti-sway algorithms for active load stability inputs to the flight control system and to alter flight control laws and automatically compensate for C.G. excursions.

This invention relates generally to the field of aircraft technology and systems utilized for protection of aircraft, occupants, and operators thereof from hijackers, terrorists, and other anomalous problems while in flight. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device used in conjunction with walls, floor, and ceiling of a cockpit's entry / exit passageway for protecting the cockpit crew from weapons, hostility, decompression, and / or physical intrusions. A light weight protective shield for the cockpit of an aircraft (i.e. bullet-proof door) along with a internal locking and release device, none of which is provided by prior art. The protective shield can absorb repeated blows, provide pressure relief in the event of aircraft decompression, resist penetration of firearms, knives, and explosive devices, and is compliant with FAA regulations. The protective shield provides a new level of protection for the crew of a passenger or cargo airplane and protects the cockpit of an aircraft from hijacking attempts as well as other anomalous events and is comprised of a light weight weapon-proof protective shield that when closed fits snugly with the flight deck's adjoining floor, walls, and ceiling. This protective shield system is intended to readily install inside existing aircraft (e.g. over-night retrofit installation) or be installed into new aircraft as they are assembled.

A method and device used to improve flying education, and reduce pilot student hazard when passing from simulators to the real aircraft, by introducing an intermediary stage where a simulator and a model radio-controlled aircraft with similar features as original is used in a system with many participants, an instructor, flight monitors, command center, mission control, audience located remotely and taking part in the same action via internet telecommunication. The simulator is used to measure biometric parameters of the pilots, certify them, and also for gaming, having fail-safe procedures embedded. System contains a flight-monitoring network, using both goniometry and radar devices, placed on surface and airborne, using these devices as signal repeaters for extensions of communication. The system may be used in missions dangerous to human crews, and by the complexity of simulation it improves the flying, as well as to improve the piloting of RC aircrafts.

The present invention is directed to increasing ight deck security in support of, and in conjunction with, the new FAA mandated bullet-proof cockpit door. This is accomplished by the Crupax Flight Deck Security System (FDSS), which provides a lightweight, flexible, mechanically strong isolation curtain which is mounted in the aircraft cabin at a predetermined distance from the cockpit door to act as a physical barrier that cannot be penetrated by unauthorized persons while the cockpit door is unlocked. The curtain forms a secure zone at the cockpit door whereby a person wanting to gain entry to the flight deck will stand so that the pilot can positively identify the person as bona fide aircrew member or as a person known to him / her. The pilot will also determine that the person is alone in the secure zone. The pilots have full control of the system, and must approve each entry or exit operation.

Integrated surveillance systems and methods for processing multiple sensor inputs and determining a best route for avoiding multiple hazards. An example method performed on a first aircraft includes generating a plurality of routes for avoiding a previously determined alert from a first advisory system. Then, probability of success information is generated at other advisory systems for each of the plurality of routes. The best route of the plurality of routes is determined based on the generated probabilities and output to the flight crew or other aircraft. The probability of success information includes a previously defined uncertainty value. The uncertainty value corresponds to quality of data provided to or provided by the respective advisory system.

An airborne processor is linked to a ground-based, vehicle based, or satellite-based supplier of approaching aircraft data and / or terrain data, including airfield structures. The processor also has access to the aircraft's state, e.g. position, speed, intended route, aircraft dimensional data, or the like. Algorithms within the processor calculate a zone of protection about the aircraft in light of aircraft type, turning radius, and other identifying data. The processor combines the present and estimated future positions of the aircraft with the approaching aircraft and / or airfield structure data, and creates an alert to the crew if a threat of a ground incursion is detected. The display provides a visual of the zone of protection about the aircraft, and approaching aircraft and / or airfield structure to draw the attention of the crew to the threat.

The present invention is directed to a virtual copilot system that includes a subscriber aircraft copiloting system configured to obtain at least one aircraft sensor parameter from the aircraft. The copiloting system also is configured to transmit an aircraft identifier and the at least one aircraft sensor parameter via a subscriber data link on a real-time basis. The aircraft copiloting system is further configured to provide two-way voice communications to an on-board user via a predetermined channel. A ground-based communications system includes at least one ground communications component configured to receive the aircraft identifier and the at least one aircraft sensor parameter from the subscriber data link. The ground communications component is also configured to provide voice communications to a ground-based user via the predetermined channel. A computer system is coupled to the ground communications component. The computer system is configured to integrate cockpit instrument panel display data corresponding to the subscriber aircraft and the at least one sensor parameter to obtain a real-time representation of the subscriber aircraft instrument panel. At least one display is coupled to the computer system and configured to display the real-time representation to the ground-based user.

The present invention lies in the field of embedded flight management systems on board aircraft. The invention relates notably to a system for managing alerts and procedures, and more precisely to a device for managing piloting tasks carried out by a crew of an aircraft. The device for managing tasks (1) according to the invention comprises:a module for managing alerts (4) generating alerts as a function of information originating from systems (2) of the aircraft, said module for managing alerts (4) being associated with a first display system (5) and with a first monitoring panel (7);a module for managing tasks (8) creating a task on receipt of an alert requiring at least one action on the part of the crew, creating a task associated with a procedure, said module for managing tasks (8) being associated with a second display system (11) and with a second monitoring panel (14);a module for managing a procedure (16) corresponding to a task selected by the crew, said module for managing a procedure (16) being associated with a third display system (17) and with a third monitoring panel (18).

The invention relates to methods and devices for aircraft's safe operation and is embodied in the form of a method and system for informing a user, for example an aircraft crew and / or a flight controller, on the probable penetration of the aircraft into dangerous areas of the vortex shedding of vortex generators which are located near the aircraft at a forecast time when the aircraft passes through a simulated control plane situated at a preventive distance in the direction of motion of the aircraft, said distance being calculated on a basis of a sufficient forecast period so that the aircraft carries out a flight evasive manoeuvre. The preventive system defines the trajectory and intensity of the vortex shedding of the vortex generators, the co-ordinates of intersecting points of the vortex sheddings with a control plane, the geometric parameters of the dangerous areas thereof (26, 27) according to danger criteria specified by a user, forms a warning area (28) in said control plane, an area of the forecast positions of the aircraft (25) and dangerous vortex shedding areas (26, 27) at a forecast time, follows up the events of crossing the warning area (28) and / or the area of the aircraft forecast positions (25) associated with the dangerous vortex shedding areas (26, 27) and draws attention of the user to said event with the aid of display devices (16, 17) and a visualisation device (18).

A computer based simulation system for virtual training for vehicle crews is disclosed. The vehicle crew training system (VCTS) simulates crew positions for different military vehicles. Two or more crewman modules are networked together to support a partial or full vehicle crew. The crewman modules are self-contained devices that are modular in hardware and software design, easily reconfigurable, and that require minimal facility space, allowing use in restricted environments such as trailers. The VCTS is modular at the crew position level; crewman modules are added or deleted as required to meet a particular training need. One of the crewman modules can be a gunner module, which provides an unrestricted view of the simulated environment to the gunner by means of a display and a simulated vehicle-mounted weapon.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a system and method for better conveying information to a pilot and / or other members of a flight crew present on the flight deck of an aircraft. Embodiments of the invention are of particular use in the briefings that precede various phases of the flight operations of an aircraft (such as start-up of the engines, take-off, ascent to cruise altitude, descent from cruise altitude and landing). The system and method provide a briefing output relevant to the particular phases of a flight in both of a visual form and an audio form, with the briefing output including data of most relevance to the particular flight phase.

A method and device aids in monitoring at least one turbine engine in an aircraft. The method includes determining a value illustrating a thermomechanical state of the turbine engine, and comparing the determined value with at least one threshold. The method also includes displaying in the cockpit of the aircraft, at least one indication related to the operation of the turbine engine, according to this comparison. As a result, conditions that could result in mechanical degradation or failure of the turbine engine are identified for a crew of the aircraft.

A system for alerting the occupant of a vehicle that the vehicle is in or approaching a zone of awareness. For instance, the system may be used to alert the pilot or flight crew of an aircraft that the aircraft is on or approaching a runway, and may identify the specific runway. Thus, the invention also provides a method of reducing unintentional incursions of taxiing aircraft onto runways. The system generally includes a storage device or memory, a positioning system such as a GPS that typically repeatedly determines the location of the vehicle, an alerting device such as an alarm or display, and a processor, all of which are typically located on the vehicle. The processor typically compares the location of the vehicle with stored location information for various zones of awareness and initiates an alert when appropriate. The processor may take into consideration the velocity and direction of travel of the vehicle. Zones of awareness may be defined by coordinates, such as the end points of line segments. Audible alarms may include a voice warning, and may be able to be silenced until the vehicle leaves the zone of awareness. On aircraft, the system may reference the centerline of the runway, for example, alerting when the aircraft is within 150 feet of the centerline. The system may be disabled when the aircraft is in flight.

A system and method for displaying in-trail traffic includes providing (402), on a display (200) of a base aircraft (202), a list (222) of identifying numbers of other aircraft (204, 206, 208, 210, 212, 214) transmitting in the ADSB system. One of the other aircraft (206) is selected (404) from the list (222) by the aircrew of the base aircraft (202) for trailing. At least a portion (204, 206, 208, 210) of the other aircraft are displayed (508) as determined (506) from flight information of each aircraft and the route of flight of the in-trail traffic. Flight information of the selected aircraft (206) is presented (512) for comparison with the base aircraft (202).

A coffee maker assembly particularly suitable for aircraft use delivers hot coffee into a decanter that can be removed from the assembly to serve the coffee to passengers and crew inside an aircraft cabin. The assembly includes an electronically controlled solenoid valve that controls the delivery of water from a reservoir into a coil heater. Electronic circuitry in the system controls the assembly's operation and provides various indications to a user of the system. Various automatic valves, couplings, and other features ensure safe and reliable operation with minimal maintenance.

Terrain anticollision equipment generally uses a display device showing a two-dimensional synthetic map of the terrain overflown by the aircraft and in which the relief is shown by superposed slices assigned false colors representative of the magnitude of the risk of collisions. The allocation of the false colors and / or the positions of the slices is referenced with respect to a reference display altitude related to the instantaneous altitude of the aircraft or to a short term forecast altitude for the aircraft, each of the referencings having its own advantages as a function of the situation in progress for the aircraft. Here it is proposed that the reference display altitude be made to vary, with gentle transitions, with no visible jerks on the screen, as a function of the aircraft's situation deduced from the flight parameters so as to have, at any moment for the crew, the most pertinent possible and the most useful possible map having regard to the instantaneous situation vis à vis the risks of collision.

A system and method for providing entry-point, boundary-line, and presence intrusion detection by means of an intelligent controller process capable of driving both field alert / alarm systems and security station monitoring devices and for providing occupancy warnings and critical status alerts, one embodiment providing runway occupancy warnings and critical runway status alerts to both flight crew approaching an airfield and air traffic controllers managing ground traffic, the system including: a detection system, airfield output devices (including all FAROS, GAROS and CTAF Runway Occupancy Radio Signals (RORS)), an airfield communications network, a centralized data processing unit that contains all of the algorithms to drive light control, logging, and an optional administrative network layer that hosts a graphical user interface.

A crew rest module for use in a mobile platform, particularly on commercial aircraft. The crew rest module in one implementation forms a pair of laterally adjacent crew rest compartments that each include a reclinable seat and a dedicated stairway for ingress and egress. The crew rest compartments are further elevated above a main floor of the cabin of a mobile platform to provide a degree of storage space underneath the crew rest compartments. Another embodiment provides a crew rest module having upper and lower crew rest compartments, with each compartment including a berth and a seat disposed laterally adjacent its associated berth. A stairway allows access to the upper crew rest compartment. Each of the modules provide a highly space efficient area that can accommodate a pair of crew members simultaneously and provide a degree of privacy for each crew member for rest and relaxation. The module further makes efficient use of the crown area of a commercial aircraft.

A rebreather system for aircrew that includes a double counter lung having a void between inner and outer bladders that allows selective pressurization of the inner bladder.

A method is present for flight crew training. Flight crew interactions are recorded during a lesson to form recorded flight crew interactions. Flight deck displays occurring during the lesson are recorded to form recorded flight deck displays. A flight training video is formed from the recorded flight crew interactions and the recorded flight deck displays.

A computer based simulation system for virtual training for vehicle crews is disclosed. The Vehicle Crew Training System (VCTS) simulates crew positions for different military ground and air vehicles. Two or more crewman modules are networked together to support a partial or full vehicle crew. The crewman modules are self-contained devices that are modular in hardware and software design, easily reconfigurable, and require minimal facility space, allowing use in restricted environments such as trailers. The VCTS is modular at the crew position level; crewman modules are added or deleted as required to meet a particular training need.

Methods for scheduling a transportation operation such as the operation of an airline. The method desirably selects a demand (100) for transportation specifying an origin, destination, and time of arrival or departure, and selects resources from a database of available resources such as aircraft (508), crew, and departure gates. The resource selection desirably is conducted so as to optimize a result function such as contribution to margin or other financial result from the particular operation specified in the demand. Upon developing a schedule fragment (108), the specified resources are committed, and the database of available resources is modified (110) to indicate that the resources are no longer available at the relevant times. The system then treats another demand and repeats the process so as to develop a full schedule. The system can develop a feasible schedule, even for a complex transportation operation in a brief time, typically in minutes or less. Schedules can be developed using alternative strategies and assumptions, and tested against one another.

An airborne processor is linked to a ground-based, vehicle based, or satellite-based supplier of approaching aircraft data and / or terrain data, including airfield structures. The processor also has access to the aircraft's state, e.g. position, speed, intended route, aircraft dimensional data, or the like. Algorithms within the processor calculate a zone of protection about the aircraft in light of aircraft type, turning radius, and other identifying data. The processor combines the present and estimated future positions of the aircraft with the approaching aircraft and / or airfield structure data, and creates an alert to the crew if a threat of a ground incursion is detected. The display provides a visual of the zone of protection about the aircraft, and approaching aircraft and / or airfield structure to draw the attention of the crew to the threat.

The present invention is a system for monitoring, storing, and reporting the accumulation of fatigue occurrences experienced by an aircraft. The system according to the present invention uses existing aircraft instrumentation to monitor fatigue occurrences. Data is collected on the magnitude and cycles of any turbulence encounters; magnitude and number of gloading accrued by aircraft maneuvering; the number of pressurization cycles that the aircraft has experienced; and the number of takeoffs / landing cycles that have occurred. These data are stored in electronic memory for later review by the flight crew or maintenance personnel. Additionally, the number of accumulated wing flap cycles and landing extensions / retractions may also be monitored to facilitate the maintenance operations of these two critical flight controls.

This device providing assistance to aircraft crew for a flight level change of the aircraft in air traffic, comprising means for viewing the position of the aircraft in the vertical plane, is wherein the viewing means comprise: display means capable of displaying an image comprising at least one zone corresponding to a target altitude (FL) for the aircraft, and in that it comprises: selection means for selecting said zone in the image.

A surveillance system for monitoring activity within at least the cabin portion of the aircraft in order to alert the flight crew within the cockpit of any emergency activity including, but not limited to, highjacking or terrorist activity. A viewing assembly in the form of one or more cameras is disposed to selectively capture images throughout the aircraft cabin interior and deliver the captured image data to a display assembly observable by the flight crew. Activation of the system is accomplished by controlled operation of one or more portable, wireless transmitters and at least one receiver which is operationally connected to the viewing assembly and the display assembly.

The present invention relates to a method and a device for centralized management of tasks to be carried out by a crew in the course of an aircraft flight. The method uses onboard navigation aid systems, such as a flight management system, a system for managing in-flight alerts for the implementation of the following steps: creation of a task by the flight management system; scheduling of the tasks by a system for managing alerts; and task execution by the system for managing alerts.