Larry Stuart Bowe

US Patent:

40210090, May 3, 1977

Filed:

Jul 24, 1975

Appl. No.:

5/598904

Inventors:

Donald H. Baker - Phoenix AZ
Larry J. Bowe - Phoenix AZ
Kenzel P. Manning - Phoenix AZ
William C. Post - Scottsdale AZ

Assignee:

Sperry Rand Corporation - New York NY

International Classification:

G05D 108

US Classification:

244180

Abstract:

In the vertical path control of an area navigation system when the aircraft ascends or descends to a waypoint with an "at-or-above" or "at-or-below" altitude requirement, vertical steering is effected at a constant airspeed with regard to a reference airspeed. An alert device is included to provide a warning to the pilot when the aircraft flight path angle is less than the straight line flight path angle to the waypoint for "at-or-above" waypoints or when the flight path angle of the aircraft is greater than the straight line flight path angle to the waypoint for waypoints with an "at-or-below" altitude requirement. Altitude error is displayed on a vertical deviation indicator of an aircraft flight instrument in accordance with the difference between the actual aircraft altitude and the altitude of the next waypoint having a firm altitude requirement. When the aircraft ascends or descends to a waypoint through the pressure-barometric altitude transition, flight path angles are computed and utilized as the vertical steering reference to avoid a steering discontinuity at the transition altitude. When the aircraft is on a descent path to a waypoint and an airspeed reduction is required, vertical angles are computed and utilized for generating the vertical steering signal whereby a speed reduction transition zone is included in the flight path to effect the speed reduction and make good the desired waypoint altitude.

US Patent:

39984125, Dec 21, 1976

Filed:

May 29, 1975

Appl. No.:

5/581988

Inventors:

Donald H. Baker - Phoenix AZ
Larry J. Bowe - Phoenix AZ
William C. Post - Scottsdale AZ

Assignee:

Sperry Rand Corporation - New York NY

International Classification:

B64C 1320

US Classification:

244189

Abstract:

Control apparatus for an aircraft area navigation system provides a vertical path control signal to cause the aircraft to ascend or descend along a helical surface as the craft executes a transition laterally from the inbound course to the outbound course of a waypoint whereby the craft attains the waypoint altitude when crossing the course bisector thereof while maintaining a predetermined vertical flight path angle when steered on a predetermined lateral course transition path.