Least time alternate destination planner

US5842142A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• The Boeing Company · US

Inventors

• Daniel J. Murray · Mill Creek, US
• John Griffin · Phoenix, US
• Patricia Suzan Ness · Seattle, US
• Clement Val Paulson · Renton, US
• George W. Schraw · Federal Way, US
• Bruce L. Turner · Lynnwood, US
• Thomas E. Twiggs · Bellevue, US
• Henry V. VonJouanne · Woodinville, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 15, 1995
• Grant date: Nov 24, 1998
• Expiry date: May 15, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G08G5/58
• WIPO field: Control
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

An alternate destination planner for searching a navigation database in an aircraft and identifying a plurality of alternate destinations at which the aircraft can land in the event of an emergency. For each identified alternate destination, the alternate destination planner calculates an estimated time of arrival (ETA) and an amount of fuel remaining upon arrival at the destination. The calculation of the ETA and the remaining fuel is based on user-modifiable parameters of aircraft speed, aircraft altitude, wind direction and speed, outside air temperature, and the type of routing the aircraft will follow from a diversion point to the alternate destination. The plurality of alternate destinations are displayed to a pilot of the aircraft according to the ETA to each alternate destination, with the closest alternate destination by time listed first. The plurality of alternate destinations are also displayed to the pilot on a map of the surrounding region that is provided to the pilot on a navigation display. A pilot may select and divert to one of the plurality of alternate destinations using a minimal number of keystrokes on a control display unit.