Abstract: A human machine interface linked to the throttle lever of an aircraft used to control the energy of an aircraft is disclosed. The HMI has upper part, which corresponds to the forward stroke of the lever, and a lower part, which corresponds to the rearward stroke of the lever. An upper shutter is positioned over the upper part, and a lower shutter is positioned over the lower part. A “cursor” acts as a visual representation in the HMI of the lever and its handle. The cursor moves forward or backward as the pilot acts on the lever/handle. The cursor indicates an ordered release of more or less aircraft energy, depending on its position on the display. The upper and lower shutters also indicate the ordered release of more or less aircraft energy, depending on the respective lengths of the two shutters.

Abstract: A human machine interface linked to the throttle lever of an aircraft used to control the energy of an aircraft is disclosed. The HMI has upper part, which corresponds to the forward stroke of the lever, and a lower part, which corresponds to the rearward stroke of the lever. An upper shutter is positioned over the upper part, and a lower shutter is positioned over the lower part. A “cursor” acts as a visual representation in the HMI of the lever and its handle. The cursor moves forward or backward as the pilot acts on the lever/handle. The cursor indicates an ordered release of more or less aircraft energy, depending on its position on the display. The upper and lower shutters also indicate the ordered release of more or less aircraft energy, depending on the respective lengths of the two shutters.

Abstract: A system for controlling an aircraft control parameter including a control interface including a mobile element configured to move on a travel, of which at least two portions are separated by a neutral position; a return element bringing the mobile element back to the neutral position when it is not actuated; and an interaction element, and a control unit configured to memorize an item of information corresponding to a first position of the mobile element at an instant of activation of the interaction element; and generate a setpoint of the aircraft control parameter, as a function of a control associated with the first position of the mobile element for which said information has been memorized; or a current position of the mobile element, when this current position is situated on the same portion of travel as the first position and is more remote than the latter from the neutral position.

Abstract: A method for assisting the piloting of an aircraft landing on a runway comprising determining current flight conditions of the aircraft, determining, with the help of the current flight conditions, the following distances between projections, in a horizontal plane, of the current position of the aircraft and a position of contact with the ground: a minimum approach distance; a standard approach distance; and a distance to destination according to a predetermined flight path. The method includes placing the three distances in order according to their respective values, and displaying, along a scale of a screen in the aircraft cockpit, a first, a second and a third symbol respectively associated with the minimum approach distance, with the standard approach distance and with the distance to destination, these three symbols being placed in order on the scale according to the order of the distances with which they are associated.

Abstract: A method for assisting the piloting of an aircraft landing on a runway comprising determining current flight conditions of the aircraft, determining, with the help of the current flight conditions, the following distances between projections, in a horizontal plane, of the current position of the aircraft and a position of contact with the ground: a minimum approach distance; a standard approach distance; and a distance to destination according to a predetermined flight path. The method includes placing the three distances in order according to their respective values, and displaying, along a scale of a screen in the aircraft cockpit, a first, a second and a third symbol respectively associated with the minimum approach distance, with the standard approach distance and with the distance to destination, these three symbols being placed in order on the scale according to the order of the distances with which they are associated.

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: Method and device for an optimal management of the energy of an aircraft. The device (1) includes means (5) for determining, in an iterative manner, according to a predicted energy state and according to a management strategy, optimal commands of means (S1,S2, S3, S4, S5, S6) for controlling the energy of the aircraft, which allow the aircraft to reach a given point of a trajectory in a given operational state.

Abstract: A system for controlling an aircraft control parameter including a control interface including a mobile element configured to move on a travel, of which at least two portions are separated by a neutral position; a return element bringing the mobile element back to the neutral position when it is not actuated; and an interaction element, and a control unit configured to memorize an item of information corresponding to a first position of the mobile element at an instant of activation of the interaction element; and generate a setpoint of the aircraft control parameter, as a function of a control associated with the first position of the mobile element for which said information has been memorized; or a current position of the mobile element, when this current position is situated on the same portion of travel as the first position and is more remote than the latter from the neutral position.

Abstract: A method and device optimize the vertical trajectory of an aircraft in flight along a predetermined approach trajectory. The method and device include the use of a calculator, which is structured to predict a predicted stabilization altitude at which the aircraft will reach a setpoint approach speed as a function of the current aircraft parameter values, a theoretical vertical trajectory, and predetermined models of aerodynamic efficiency of the aircraft. A comparator is structured to determine absolute value differences between the predicted stabilization altitude and the setpoint stabilization altitude and to compare the differences against a predetermined altitude threshold.

Abstract: The device comprises servocontrol means which automatically control, in a combined manner, an automatic thrust system of the aircraft and airbrakes of the aircraft, as a supplement to usual means for steering the vertical trajectory, so that the aircraft attains a speed setpoint and/or altitude setpoint, at the location defined by a geographical constraint.

Abstract: A method is described for optimized energy management of an aircraft upon a flight along a trajectory. The method allows the aircraft to join a given point of the trajectory in a given energy state, with a given position of the slats and flaps, and with a given position of the landing gear. The method includes determining current parameter values of the aircraft. The method also includes determining optimized command orders based on the current parameter values by performing a sequence of operations in an iterative way. The method further includes applying the optimized command orders to an automatic slats and flaps command device and an automatic landing gear command device for automatic control of the slats and flaps and the landing gear, respectively.

Abstract: The device comprises servocontrol means which automatically control, in a combined manner, an automatic thrust system of the aircraft and airbrakes of the aircraft, as a supplement to usual means for steering the vertical trajectory, so that the aircraft attains a speed setpoint and/or altitude setpoint, at the location defined by a geographical constraint.

Abstract: The device (1) includes means (21) for predicting a stabilizing altitude to which the aircraft will reach a setting approach speed, means (22) for comparing predicted stabilizing altitude to a setting stabilizing altitude and means (24) for establishing an optimized vertical trajectory when the difference between predicted stabilizing altitude and setting stabilizing altitude is more than a predetermined altitude threshold.

Abstract: Method and device for an optimal management of the energy of an aircraft. The device (1) includes means (5) for determining, in an iterative manner, according to a predicted energy state and according to a management strategy, optimal commands of means (S1,S2, S3, S4, S5, S6) for controlling the energy of the aircraft, which allow the aircraft to reach a given point of a trajectory in a given operational state.

Abstract: Method and device for an optimal management of the slats, the flaps and the landing gear of an aircraft. The device (1) includes means (5) for determining, in an iterative manner, according to a predicted energy state, optimal commands of means (10, 11) for controlling the slats, the flaps and the landing gear of the aircraft, which allow the aircraft to reach a given point of a trajectory in a given energy state with a given aerodynamic configuration and a given position of the landing gear.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and device for protecting an aircraft comprising at least one wing-mounted engine arranged on each of its wings against at least one of a low-energy situation and a high-energy situation during flight in which at least one engine is a failed engine. A control unit is triggered to activate a protection function, as a function of the number and position of failed engines. The control unit controls at least one non-failed engine, and the protection function is activated when activation conditions are met. The activation conditions indicate that the aircraft is either in the low-energy situation such that the total current power of the aircraft is less than a predetermined minimum power or that the aircraft is in the high-energy situation such that the total current power of the aircraft is greater than a predetermined maximum total power.

Abstract: A method of determining and utilizing a maximum stabilization height of a moving airplane includes: determining a nominal total height at any point of the nominal path of the airplane, determining a total height of the airplane, determining a nominal maximum total height that the airplane is able to reach from its current position corresponding to a nominal total height and according to an optimum total height variation law, determining the maximum stabilization height corresponding to the nominal maximum total height that the airplane is able to reach, and determining whether to continue or to interrupt a landing procedure during the final flight phase of the airplane based on the determined maximum stabilization height.

Abstract: A method to assist in the landing of an airplane in its final flight phase, following a current approach path toward a runway, includes determining at a given flight point, a landing delay margin, called MRAmax, corresponding to an estimated delay during which the braking actions must be undertaken, after the wheels touch down, to enable the airplane to stop on the runway. A device includes equipment for acquiring parameters necessary to perform the method of assisting the landing of the airplane, a computer to determine the landing delay margin MRAmax from the parameters, and a display for presenting the information to alert the crew.

Abstract: A landing assistance device and method for an aircraft according to the invention, based on the landing procedure rules attached to the runway, a lower threshold and an upper threshold of total energy acceptable for the aircraft are determined and the current total energy of the latter is compared with the thresholds.

Abstract: A method and device for predicting the stopping position of an aircraft while landing. The stopping position is predicted from the variation of total energy of the aircraft before the beginning of its flare out.