Apparatus, method, computer program products for generating a runway field clearance floor envelope about a selected runway

摘要

The present invention provides apparatus, methods, and computer program products that monitor the altitude of an aircraft with respect to a selected runway. If the altitude of the aircraft is below a minimum glideslope with respect to the selected runway, the apparatus, methods, and computer program products of the present invention alert the flight crew, such that the altitude of the aircraft can be increased. This, in turn, increases time for reaction to abrupt changes in elevation near the selected runway. Specifically, the apparatus, methods, and computer program products of the present invention define a runway field clearance floor envelope about the selected runway that represents different preselected altitudes above the selected runway at respective distances from the selected runway. The apparatus, method, and computer program products of the present invention compare the altitude of the aircraft with respect to the selected runway to the runway field clearance floor envelope. If the altitude of the aircraft is less than the minimum altitude indicated for the aircraft at the given distance, the apparatus, method, and computer program products of the present invention provide an indication to the flight crew. Since the runway field clearance floor envelope is constructed relative to the runway by defining minimum altitude values that should be maintained relative to the elevation of the runway, the indications generated to the flight crew should provide a desired reaction time for the flight crew to adjust the aircraft to abrupt changes in elevation at or near a selected runway.