Abstract: An automated taxi system for an aircraft includes a mapping module configured to generate a collaborative map that identifies traffic within the airport environment, a path trajectory module configured to receive digital taxi clearance from an Air Traffic Control (ATC) identifying a destination within the airport environment, such as a designated take-off runway, and to generate a taxi path trajectory to the destination, a guidance module configured to compute guidance instructions based on the taxi path trajectory, and an aircraft protection module configured to identify obstacles or incursion risks on the collaborative map in the taxi path trajectory and to modify the guidance instructions to avoid the obstacles or incursion risks.

Abstract: A method and system for monitoring a safety level of a trajectory followed by a flying aircraft. The system selects, from among a set of integration points, the integration point at the position farthest from the current position of the aircraft on the trajectory. The system checks whether part of the trajectory extending from the current position of the aircraft to the position of the selected integration point is safe if no conflict is detected, and a contingency trajectory exists. These steps are repeated for each integration point, one step at a time until a safe trajectory is found. This results in a safety level dependent on the integration point from which the trajectory is considered to be safe. It is possible to anticipate any conflicts and, if necessary, to seamlessly carry out operations for diverting the aircraft.

Abstract: An aircraft with a unit to transmit information on ability/inability of pilots to fly the aircraft. Guidance avionics include guidance architecture and a flight controller to fly the aircraft. The guidance architecture has two dissimilar guidance chains and a selection unit connected thereto, to the flight controller and to the unit for measuring physical ability/inability, a first guidance chain to compute a main path for the aircraft towards a destination airport based on a current state of the aircraft by following a flight plan and to compute main guidance instructions for following the main path, a second guidance chain to compute an emergency path for the aircraft towards a diversion airport based on an initial portion of the common path with the main path and to compute emergency guidance instructions for following the emergency path. The selection unit receives the main and emergency guidance instructions and transmits either one to the flight controller.

Abstract: An automatic trajectory generation method for an aircraft in flight to exit a meteorological alert situation which: obtains polygons representative of meteorological obstacles; defines two circles centered to the right and to the left with respect to a current in-flight position, of a minimum radius in accordance with the operational state of the aircraft; identifies, for each polygon, candidate external sides for the aircraft to exit; defines straight lines perpendicular to the candidate external sides and tangent to one or both of the circles; determines, for each straight line, a candidate safety position, which is located at a margin distance outside any polygon; forms candidate exit trajectories between the current in-flight position and each candidate safety position; and selects the candidate trajectory which minimizes a time of exposure of the aircraft to any meteorological obstacle. Also a system and an aircraft with such a system.

Abstract: An aircraft with a unit to transmit information on ability/inability of pilots to fly the aircraft. Guidance avionics include guidance architecture and a flight controller to fly the aircraft. The guidance architecture has two dissimilar guidance chains and a selection unit connected thereto, to the flight controller and to the unit for measuring physical ability/inability, a first guidance chain to compute a main path for the aircraft towards a destination airport based on a current state of the aircraft by following a flight plan and to compute main guidance instructions for following the main path, a second guidance chain to compute an emergency path for the aircraft towards a diversion airport based on an initial portion of the common path with the main path and to compute emergency guidance instructions for following the emergency path. The selection unit receives the main and emergency guidance instructions and transmits either one to the flight controller.

Abstract: A method for assisting in the piloting of an aircraft during a landing on a landing area on the ground. The method includes the following steps: (1) during a landing phase, while the landing area on the ground is visible from the aircraft: displaying, on a screen of the cockpit of the aircraft, a target corresponding to this landing, overlaid on a view outside the aircraft; receiving from a pilot a command to modify this target and displaying the duly modified target; and receiving a command to validate a value of the target by a pilot; (2) automatically determining an aircraft flight trajectory as a function of the aircraft's current position and of the value of the target validated by the pilot and storing this trajectory; and (3) guiding the aircraft along the stored trajectory. Also a piloting assistance system suitable for implementing this method is disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for automatic landing of an aircraft on a landing runway, including an on-board video camera intended to take images of the ground, image processor to extract from these images visual features of the landing runway, guidance system determining guidance commands of the aircraft to bring it into a nominal approach plane and to align it with the axis of the landing runway, from the respective positions of the visual features of the landing runway, in at least one of the images, where the guidance commands are supplied to a flight control computer.

Abstract: The display device comprises display means which highlight on a screen, preferably of PFD type, the information useful to the pilot relating to at least one flight parameter, especially while reducing the corresponding scale on said screen.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for more easily controlling energy of an aircraft. A control interface includes a movable element configured to move along a path, where the path includes two path portions. The path portions are respectively associated with at least two combinations of actuators which affect the energy of the vehicle. At least one of the two combinations of actuators is associated with a current phase of movement of the aircraft. A control unit is configured to generate an energy instruction according to a command associated with a current position of the movable element on one of the two path portions. According to the current phase of movement of the vehicle, the energy instruction is for one of the two combinations of actuators.

Abstract: A method for controlling the piloting of an aircraft comprising the steps of receiving at least one first instruction for modification of a current velocity vector of the aircraft, determining a target velocity vector of the aircraft, on the basis of said at least one first instruction received, and determining, on the basis at least of said target velocity vector, at least one actuation command intended for at least one actuator of the aircraft in order to modify the movement of the aircraft according to said at least one first instruction received.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for automatic landing of an aircraft on a landing runway, including an on-board video camera intended to take images of the ground, image processor to extract from these images visual features of the landing runway, guidance system determining guidance commands of the aircraft to bring it into a nominal approach plane and to align it with the axis of the landing runway, from the respective positions of the visual features of the landing runway, in at least one of the images, where the guidance commands are supplied to a flight control computer.

Abstract: A method for assisting in the piloting of an aircraft during a landing on a landing area on the ground. The method includes the following steps: (1) during a landing phase, while the landing area on the ground is visible from the aircraft: displaying, on a screen of the cockpit of the aircraft, a target corresponding to this landing, overlaid on a view outside the aircraft; receiving from a pilot a command to modify this target and displaying the duly modified target; and receiving a command to validate a value of the target by a pilot; (2) automatically determining an aircraft flight trajectory as a function of the aircraft's current position and of the value of the target validated by the pilot and storing this trajectory; and (3) guiding the aircraft along the stored trajectory. Also a piloting assistance system suitable for implementing this method is disclosed.

Abstract: The display device comprises display means which highlight on a screen, preferably of PFD type, the information useful to the pilot relating to at least one flight parameter, especially while reducing the corresponding scale on said screen.

Abstract: A method for controlling the piloting of an aircraft comprising the steps of receiving at least one first instruction for modification of a current velocity vector of the aircraft, determining a target velocity vector of the aircraft, on the basis of said at least one first instruction received, and determining, on the basis at least of said target velocity vector, at least one actuation command intended for at least one actuator of the aircraft in order to modify the movement of the aircraft according to said at least one first instruction received.