Patent ID: 8271184

Claim:
Method of monitoring the pathway of a taxi plan of an aircraft comprising a monitoring system comprising a system for formulating a taxi plan comprising taxi elements of an airport and display devices for aiding taxiing; with each taxi element can be associated a taxi authorization and pathway constraints to be complied with, the taxi authorizations being stored in an “AUTH” and NOTAM database and the pathway constraints in an “AEROPORT” and “NOTAM” database, the databases being updatable by ground/on-board communication, wherein the method carries out subsequent to the formulation of the taxi plan provided to it a first phase of checking the pathway comprising at least one of the following steps: a) Testing the constraints of the pathway of the taxi plan with those contained in the AEROPORT and “NOTAM” database and displaying on the taxi aid information descriptive of the constraints; b) Testing the authorizations of the taxi plan with those contained in the “AUTH” database and “NOTAM” and displaying on the taxi aid missing authorizations, and then while the aircraft is executing the taxi plan, the method carries out throughout the taxi plan, a second phase of monitoring the taxi authorizations comprising the following successive steps: c) Determining the active taxi element and checking whether it belongs to the taxi plan; and d) Monitoring and signaling on the taxi aid display devices the waiting time for the next authorization to taxi ahead of the aircraft of the active taxi element, wherein the monitoring further comprises: i. Determination of the next taxi authorization of the active taxi element; ii. Announcement of the taxi authorization and the time required to reach it; and iii. Displaying on the taxi aid an overstepping alert signaling when the aircraft is in an immediate proximity to the taxi authorization.