Patent ID: 7522977
Filing Date: 2009-04-21
Classification: G01C

Abstract:
1. A method for assisting the piloting of an aircraft, during an approach phase, for the purpose of landing on a landing runway, wherein the following series of successive steps is carried out in an automatic and repetitive manner: a) determining a first angular deviation which corresponds to an angular deviation in a horizontal plane between: (1) a straight line passing through the actual position of the aircraft and through a point of origin of a first approach path and (2) said first approach path which depends on the landing runway; b) determining a second angular deviation which corresponds to an angular deviation in a vertical plane between: (1) a straight line passing through the actual position of the aircraft and through a point of origin of a second approach path and (2) said second approach path which also depends on the landing runway; c) determining, based on the first and second angular deviations, a first point that defines the location of the aircraft relative to the first and second approach paths; d) displaying on a display screen of a head-up display device of the aircraft, superimposed on the environment seen in front of the aircraft, a first straight line passing through this first point and through a second point, said second point illustrating the orientation on the ground of said first approach path, seen from the aircraft, and which is placed on a horizon line provided with a heading scale, relative to the heading of the aircraft, said first straight line representing in a true manner the plot on the ground of said first approach path; e) displaying on the display screen a first assistance gate such that said first straight line passes through this first assistance gate when the aircraft is aligned on said first approach path; f) displaying on the display screen a second straight line, parallel with the horizon line and passing through said first point, this second straight line representing in a true manner the plot on the ground of the origin on the ground of said second approach path; g) displaying on the display screen a second assistance gate placed under the horizon line and representing the slope of said second approach path, seen from the aircraft; and h) displaying on the display screen a synthetic runway, defined around said first point, this synthetic runway representing in a true manner the plot on the ground of the sides of the landing runway where said first and second approach paths originate.