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

Claim 11:
12. An aircraft, comprising:
(1) flight controls;
(2) an autopilot;
(3) a navigation system, said navigation system including a memory having an onboard dataset including a plurality of landing sites, said navigation system including a processor configured to initiate at least one emergency procedure, said emergency procedure comprising automatically:
(a) identifying a plurality of alternate landing sites (ALS) having at least one published fix available to said aircraft from said onboard dataset;
(b) determining a suitability of each ALS based on at least one of runway length, weather, terrain, or obstacles;
(c) selecting as a first selected destination the identified ALS that was determined most suitable;
(d) calculating a flight path from said aircraft's position to an approach fix associated with the first selected destination, the flight path accounting for at least one of the terrain or the obstacles;
(e) directing said autopilot to fly said aircraft through said flight path by manipulating said flight controls;
(f) continuing to evaluate the suitability of the first selected destination based on weather conditions while flying along the flight path;
and
(g) selecting a second selected destination if the suitability of the first selected destination changes based on at least the weather conditions, calculating a new flight path to the second selected destination, and directing said autopilot to fly said aircraft through said new flight path by manipulating said flight controls;

(4) a sensor configured to detect at least one of a pitch or bank of the aircraft;
and
(5) a flight monitor configured to:
detect a deviation associated with the pitch or bank of the aircraft;
and
direct the autopilot to attempt to correct the deviation associated with the pitch or bank of the aircraft;

wherein the navigation system is further configured to initiate the emergency procedure in response to a failure to respond to a prompt associated with the deviation.