Patent ID: 6992597

Claim:
A symbology system for programming information relative to an aircraft's flight position to create symbology representing the flight position in the visual field of a pilot, the system comprising: a programmable means for gathering flight position information in real time about an aircraft from a number of instruments on the aircraft and using the flight position information to create symbology representing the flight position information in the visual field of a pilot of the aircraft; the symbology comprising an image representing a virtual figure surrounding the aircraft and traveling with the aircraft and maintaining a particular orientation to the actual landscape, the symbology providing information to the pilot regarding distances and orientations of the aircraft relative to the virtual figure so that movements of the aircraft are viewed by the pilot as taking place within the virtual figure, the symbology assuming a recognizably different imagery when the virtual figure theoretically comes into contact with an external surface upon landing so that the pilot is capable of viewing the position of the aircraft relative to the external surface using the symbology, the virtual figure appearing in the visual field of the pilot in a heads up display so that the pilot sees the virtual figure that would actually be visible out the window of the cockpit if the virtual figure were actually there surrounding the aircraft providing an instantaneous visual reference of aircraft orientation and position relative to the virtual figure.