Patent ID: 8099202

Claim:
A method for providing a depiction of a landing area and of terrain proximal to the landing area via a flight deck situational awareness system of an aircraft, comprising: using a computer or processor to perform the steps of: when the aircraft is located beyond a threshold intercept angle for intercepting a prescribed approach path to the landing area: providing a vertical reference graphical indicator, the vertical reference graphical indicator indicating a prescribed glide path the prescribed glide path being a recommended angle of descent for the aircraft for causing the aircraft to land in the landing area, the prescribed glide path being an element of the prescribed approach path; providing a plurality of extended graphical indicators, the plurality of extended graphical indicators extending from the vertical reference graphical indicator and intercepting the depicted terrain; and connecting the plurality of extended graphical indicators via a horizontal reference graphical indicator, the horizontal reference graphical indicator forming an extension of a centerline of the landing area, the horizontal reference graphical indicator extending from the landing area and being overlaid onto the depicted terrain, wherein the vertical reference graphical indicator, the plurality of extended graphical indicators, and the horizontal reference graphical indicator form boundaries of a plurality of transparent panes, the plurality of transparent panes collectively forming a transparent approach curtain, the transparent approach curtain providing a graphical indication of the prescribed approach path and a graphical indication of a proximity of the aircraft to intercepting the prescribed approach path; and when the aircraft navigates within a threshold intercept angle for intercepting the approach path, updating the depiction by removing the vertical reference graphical indicator and replacing the plurality of extended graphical indicators with a centerline awareness trail, the centerline awareness trail including a plurality of a markers, each marker corresponding to an extended graphical indicator-terrain interception location.