Patent ID: 6499005
Filing Date: 2002-12-24
Classification: B64F

Abstract:
A system for enabling an operator to select a signal indicative of an air mode and a ground mode of an airplane, the air mode being a state of the airplane when the airplane is in the air and the ground mode being a state of the airplane when the Airplane is on the ground, the system comprising:means for sensing parameters indicative of whether the airplane is sensed in the air or sensed on the ground, the sensing means including a plurality of sensors; means for determining whether the airplane is sensed in the air or sense on the ground, the determining means being responsive to the sensing means, tie determining means generating a signal indicative of a sensed ground mode when at least two sensors indicate the airplane is sensed on the ground, and the determining means generating a signal indicative of a sensed air mode when less than two sensors indicate the airplane is sensed on the ground; means for interfacing with an operator, an operator selectable air mode and an operator selectable ground mode being selectable via the interface means; and means for overriding the signal generated by the determining means, the overriding means outputting a signal indicative of the ground mode when either the determining means generates a signal indicative of a sensed ground mode or the operator selectable ground mode is selected and the operator selectable air mode is not selected, the overriding means outputting a signal indicative of the air mode when either the determining means generates a signal indicative of a sensed air mode or the operator selectable air mode is selected and the operator selectable ground mode is not selected.