Patent ID: 7690603

Claim:
A method to assist the piloting of an aircraft in a non-precision approach during a landing phase, wherein a series of successive steps is carried out automatically, the series of steps comprising: a) verifying, according to respective standards of operation, conditions relating to the correct functioning of a plurality of equipment of the aircraft and to the integrity and precision of measurements of parameters used for implementing the non-precision approach, based on information coming from the plurality of equipment; b) selecting, on the basis of the verified conditions, one of a plurality of different non-precision approach categories; and c) presenting the selected approach category on a display screen, wherein: each non-precision approach category defines the approach mode or modes that are possible from among a plurality of approach modes including a plurality of assisted approach modes and a selected approach mode, in step b) a first approach category is selected when the following conditions are verified simultaneously in step a): two flight management computers of the aircraft are functioning correctly; satellite positioning functions of two multimode landing assistance receivers of the aircraft are functioning correctly; at least two inertial reference systems of the aircraft, integrating aerodynamic data, are functioning correctly; at least one assisted approach mode function of at least one of the multimode landing assistance receivers is functioning correctly; an altitude value of the aircraft has a precision that is greater than a predetermined value; the integrity and precision of a position value of the aircraft are achieved; and a position of the aircraft, calculated by at least one of the flight management computers, and a position of the aircraft, received from a satellite positioning system, are consistent, and if the selected approach category is the first approach category, a pilot may choose any one of the various possible assisted approach modes as the approach mode for landing the aircraft.