Title :
Time controlled navigation and guidance for 737 aircraft
Author :
DeJonge, Michael K.
Author_Institution :
SLI Avionics Syst. Corp., Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Abstract :
Specified time-of-arrival navigation and guidance control laws have been developed for the 737 flight management computer system. A required time of arrival can be specified at any geographical point in addition to altitude and airspeed. The earliest and latest arrival times within aircraft limits are computed along with the most cost-economic arrival time. Upon designation of a specified time, as may be requested by ATC for traffic spacing, the most fuel efficient speed is computed and automatically controlled as flight progresses to ensure that the aircraft meets the specified time. A variable time control window is provided to reduce unnecessary control activity when some time tolerance is permissible. The time control law uses the accurate time prediction capability of the flight management software. The control law can be retrofitted in existing 737 aircraft through software updating. The pilot interface requirements for time-controlled navigation and guidance are discussed, and the control laws used in this implementation are described
Keywords :
aerospace computer control; aerospace computing; air-traffic control; aircraft instrumentation; computerised navigation; user interfaces; 737 aircraft; ATC; airspeed; altitude; cost-economic arrival time; flight management; flight management software; fuel efficient speed; pilot interface; time-controlled navigation; time-of-arrival navigation and guidance control; traffic spacing; variable time control window; Aerospace control; Aerospace electronics; Air traffic control; Aircraft navigation; Automatic control; Computer industry; Cost function; Electrical equipment industry; Fuels; Industrial control;
Conference_Titel :
Aerospace and Electronics Conference, 1988. NAECON 1988., Proceedings of the IEEE 1988 National
Conference_Location :
Dayton, OH
DOI :
10.1109/NAECON.1988.195060
