Patent ID: 9205915
Filing Date: 2015-12-08
Classification: B64C,G05D

Abstract:
1. A method for the guidance of a rotorcraft in relation to a landing point in accordance with a landing procedure, which method includes the following operations: with an approach route being selected from among a plurality of approach routes that are stored in an aeronautical database and that refer to identified landing points, with the selected approach route defining a ground slope that should not be exceeded toward the ground by the rotorcraft from a final approach fix toward a decision point; at least one in-flight operation for the calculation of an approach trajectory for the selected approach route, with the operation comprising the calculation of the approach trajectory taking into consideration a combination of various criteria, including at least the ground slope defined by the selected approach route; a current mass of the rotorcraft; and a low-noise or noise-abatement criterion relating to a forward-progress mode of the rotorcraft, the forward-progress mode having been identified as a source of low noise in relation to a predefined threshold for the noise produced by the rotorcraft; at least one operation for the identification of a current position of the rotorcraft by instrumentation present on board the rotorcraft; and an operation for guiding the rotorcraft along the calculated approach trajectory, with a correction of the position of the rotorcraft depending on how the rotorcraft forward progress is affected by a change in wind characteristics, as identified by the instrumentation on board the rotorcraft; wherein the rotorcraft is equipped with a supplemental database storing a plurality of standard trajectories that are defined for at least one reference rotorcraft having a given structure that corresponds to the structure of the rotorcraft that is on approach to the landing point, and with the standard trajectories being defined through the application of the low-noise or noise-abatement criterion in accordance with at least one given ground slope, based on a given mass of the reference rotorcraft and based on a wind criterion relating to the effects of a wind with given characteristics on an air mass within which the reference rotorcraft is performing maneuvers, and wherein the at least one in-flight operation for the calculation of an approach trajectory includes the following operations, which are performed while the rotorcraft is on approach toward the landing point;