Patent ID: 7899586
Filing Date: 2011-03-01
Classification: G01C

Abstract:
1. An aircraft guidance system, said guidance system comprising: a navigation database; an operable selection device, enabling a pilot of the aircraft to select a guidance mode; a computer determining, when the guidance mode is selected, guidance instructions depending on at least one data item obtained from said database and being employed for said selected guidance mode, the at least one data item comprising at least one parameter enabling the at least one data item to be defined; and a display unit comprising at least one display screen, wherein: said guidance system includes an auxiliary device to generate an identification characteristic of an alphanumeric type to identify said at least one data item employed for said selected guidance mode, and said display unit automatically presents said identification characteristic of said alphanumeric type on said display screen, when said guidance mode is selected, wherein: the aircraft is guided at least in an autonomous runway approach phase, along a virtual approach axis, said database includes, as data, at least said virtual approach axis which is defined by a plurality of parameters, and said computer forms an identification characteristic to identify said parameters which define said virtual approach axis, and said virtual approach axis is defined by the following five parameters: a magnetic orientation, a gradient, a latitude, a longitude and an altitude of an anchor point, and said computer forms an identification characteristic comprising five alphanumeric identification elements which respectively identify said five parameters.