Patent ID: 8112188

Claim:
A device to assist with flying an aircraft during an approach phase with a view to landing, said approach phase exhibiting: an initial phase defined between a first transition point and at least one second transition point, during which phase the aircraft is guided according to a predetermined flight plan observing a required navigation performance; and a terminal phase defined between this second transition point and the landing, during which phase the aircraft is guided along a line of approach, said device comprising: a collection of information sources capable of supplying information relating to the aircraft and particularly relating to its current position; a navigation database; a calculation system capable of determining: a flight path relative to said flight plan; first lateral and vertical deviations between the current position of the aircraft and said flight path; said line of approach; and second lateral and vertical deviations between the current position of the aircraft and said line of approach; a guidance system capable of assisting with guiding the aircraft; and a display system, wherein: said device additionally comprises a control system comprising at least one actuatable control means allowing a pilot of the aircraft to instigate a hybrid approach mode comprising a first guidance mode for guiding the aircraft during said initial phase and a second guidance mode for guiding the aircraft during said terminal phase; said calculation system is formed in such a way as to determine, as soon as said control means is actuated, both said first and second deviations relative to said instigated hybrid approach mode and to do so as soon as all the information needed to do so becomes available onboard the aircraft; said guidance system is formed in such a way as to assist with guiding the aircraft, if said control means is actuated, both during said initial phase between said first and second transition points in accordance with said first guidance mode, and during said terminal phase from said second transition point onwards, according to said second guidance mode, the transition between said first and second guidance modes being performed automatically by said guidance system; and said display system is formed in such a way as to display, on at least one display screen, as soon as said control means is actuated, at least: an indication means indicating said hybrid approach mode instigated; an indication means indicating, as appropriate, at least the current guidance mode of said instigated hybrid approach mode; and indication means respectively representative of said first and second deviations, this being as soon as these become available.