Patent ID: 11935420
Assignee: nan
Field: Control (Instruments)
Classification: CPC G  B | IPC B  G

Claim 24:
25. An aircraft, comprising:
(a) flight control,
(b) a communication system;
(c) an autopilot operatively connected to the flight control, the autopilot configured for flying said aircraft via the flight control;
(d) a sensor configured to detect at least one of a pitch or a bank of the aircraft;
(e) a navigation system operatively connected to said communication system and to said autopilot,
said navigation system including a memory having 1) flight procedures including at least one emergency procedure and 2) an onboard dataset including one or more landing sites,
said navigation system including a processor configured to initiate the emergency procedure, the emergency procedure comprising automatically:
identifying a plurality of potential landing sites from said onboard dataset;
determining a suitability of the plurality of potential landing sites based on at least one of runway length, weather, terrain, and obstacles;
selecting a first selected destination from the plurality of potential landing sites based on its determined suitability relative to other potential landing sites;
when the first selected destination is selected, squawking emergency and reporting a diversion to the first selected destination via said communication system;
calculating a route for flying said aircraft from the aircraft position to at least one opportunity gate associated with the first selected destination, the route accounting for at least one of the terrain or the obstacles;
directing said autopilot to fly said aircraft to said opportunity gate, wherein said autopilot is configured to control said aircraft according to the flight control instructions;
reevaluating the relative suitability of the first selected destination based on weather conditions while flying the route;
selecting a second selected destination if the relative suitability of the first selected destination changes based on at least the weather conditions, plotting a new route to the second selected destination, and directing said autopilot to fly said aircraft through said new route;
causing the aircraft to fly to at least one of the first selected destination or the second selected destination;

and
(f) a flight monitor configured to:
monitor the detected pitch or bank of the aircraft;
determine a deviation associated with the detected pitch or bank of the aircraft;
and
direct the autopilot to correct the deviation associated with the detected pitch or bank of the aircraft.