Apparatus and method for controlling an optimizing aircraft performance calculator to achieve timeconstrained navigation

摘要

A Flight Management Systems for aircraft whereby time-constrained flight can be achieved while maintaining predetermined input parameters selected for minimizing cost of flight, wherein arbitrary points in the flight plan can be designated as time-constraint points, and wherein flight segments can be arbitrarily selected for exclusion from any speed variation. A speed generator (10) derives an initial speed schedule for each segment of a flight plan from inputs of a predetermined cost index, the flight plan, and aircraft performance parameters. The speed schedule is modified by wind data, constant speed segments, and predetermined speed limits. When applied to a profile generator (18) an estimated time of arrival is computed, as well as predicted distance and velocity values for each segment of flight. The predicted values are used to compute a total time of arrival. When compared with a given arrival constraint time and the estimated time of arrival, a speed correction factor is derived which, when fed back to the profile generator, results in adjusting the estimated time of arrival to coincidence with the arrival constraint time.