Patent ID: 8831799

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for providing guidance during a flare maneuver of an aircraft, the method comprising: determining a pre-flare flight path to a runway; calculating a flare engage altitude along the pre-flare flight path; calculating a flare command path comprising a linear path intersecting the runway at a desired touchdown location and having a slope associated with a desired altitude rate at the desired touchdown location, the calculation comprising: an intersection of an extrapolated aircraft flight path and the runway, the desired touchdown location, and the desired altitude rate at touchdown; calculating an aircraft flare trajectory that transitions the aircraft from a location on the pre-flare flight path at the flare engage altitude to the flare command path at the touchdown location; receiving current aircraft flight parameters associated with a current aircraft flight path; and providing a flight director command that aligns the current aircraft flight path with the aircraft flare trajectory.