Patent ID: 8723695

Claim:
A method for automatically detecting an erroneous height value supplied by a radio altimeter mounted on an aircraft, the method comprising: automatically performing the following operations during an approach phase of the aircraft with a view to landing: (a1) measuring, by an approach measurement device, a first measured duration between a first time when the aircraft reaches a first predetermined, constant altitude threshold and a second time when the aircraft reaches a second predetermined, constant altitude threshold by taking into account altitude measurements indicative of current height values supplied by the radio altimeter; (b1) comparing, by an approach comparison device, the first measured duration from step (a1) to a predetermined duration reference time, which is lower than a flight duration allowing the aircraft to descend from the first predetermined, constant altitude threshold to the second predetermined, constant altitude threshold at an approach of maximum vertical speed of the aircraft; and (c1) detecting an erroneous height value if the measured first duration from step (a1) is lower than the predetermined duration reference time, wherein the detection of the erroneous height value in step (c1) is performed solely on the basis of altitude measurements from the radio altimeter, and wherein the erroneous height value is indicative of the radio altimeter malfunctioning.