Patent ID: 9120578
Filing Date: 2015-09-01
Classification: B64D,G01R,H05B

Abstract:
1. A guidance apparatus mounted on the belly of a tanker aircraft for providing visual indications to the pilot of the receptor aircraft with respect to the approaching operation to carry out the refueling by means of a refueling boom, the guidance apparatus comprising: light emitting devices including modules of light emitting diodes and control devices for supplying current to the light emitting diodes that include dimming control units for controlling the intensity of the light emitted by said light emitting devices by means of a dimming signal depending on a dimming voltage, the dimming control units being configured to provide to the light emitting devices a pulse-exponential amplitude modulated dimming signal in order for the pilot to properly control the light intensity in all visibility conditions, the dimming control unit comprising a dimming signal converter with an exponential response where an analog signal corresponding to the dimming voltage is generated and an output dimming unit where the pulse-exponential amplitude modulated dimming signal is generated.