Integrated approach navigation system, method, and computer program product

Abstract

Systems, computer program products, and methods for displaying navigation performance based flight path deviation information during the final approach segment to a runway and during landing of non-precision flight modes are provided. Improved graphical depictions of navigation performance based flight path deviation information provide pilots and flight crew members with clear, concise displays of the dynamic relationship between ANP and RNP, mode and aspect of flight and related procedures, intersecting flight paths, and current actual flight path deviation from a predefined flight path during the final approach segment to a runway and during landing. For example, an enhanced IAN display may include NPS-type deviation scales to show RNP/ANP relationships and predetermined RNP markers to alert the pilots and flight crew members that the FMC has transitioned from an NPS display for RNAV (LNAV/VNAV) flight procedures to an enhanced IAN display for a non-precision (non-xLS) approach and/or landing.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An integrated flight deck display system for an aircraft, comprising:
 a flight management computer (FMC) configured to generate graphic presentations for a display screen, wherein the flight management computer (FMC) is further configured to generate a non-approach, non-landing procedures display during non-approach, non-landing flight modes, the non-approach, non-landing procedures display comprising an attitude director indicator and at least one of a lateral navigation guidance scale and a vertical navigation guidance scale corresponding to the aircraft flight operation, the at least one guidance scale comprising:   an actual flight path pointer indicating the actual flight path of the aircraft on the at least one guidance scale;   required navigation performance (RNP) index markings corresponding to predefined numerical values for the flight mode and operation of the aircraft; and   actual navigation performance (ANP) index markings corresponding to numerical values associated with the current aircraft guidance performance measurements and the position of the required navigation performance (RNP) index markings on the at least one guidance scale, wherein the size of the actual navigation performance (ANP) index markings correspond to a ratio of the actual navigation performance (ANP) numerical values to the required navigation performance (RNP) numerical values,   wherein the attitude director indicator is displayed across the entire non-approach, non-landing procedures display.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one guidance scale is graphically presented in a shadowed window overlaying the attitude director indicator. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the horizon of the attitude director indicator fully extends across the non-approach, non-landing procedures display. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the non-approach, non-landing procedures display comprises at least one of a horizontal flight path scale and a vertical flight path scale, and wherein at least one of the flight path scales is graphically presented in a semi-transparent shadowed window overlaying the attitude director indicator. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the required navigation performance (RNP) index markings and the actual navigation performance (ANP) index markings are visually distinguishable on the graphic presentation of the non-approach, non-landing procedures display. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the flight management computer (FMC) is further configured to generate, and the non-approach, non-landing procedures display further comprises, at least one predetermined required navigation performance (RNP) marker located on the at least one guidance scale equidistant between the actual flight path pointer and one of the required navigation performance (RNP) index markings.