Aircraft turbulence detection

Abstract

A warning method for an aircraft includes receiving a first parameter indicative of an aircraft's flight path, calculating a stable approach value based on the first parameter, receiving a second parameter indicative of the aircraft's turbulence, calculating a turbulence factor based on the second parameter, calculating a safe landing value based on the stable approach value and the turbulence factor, comparing the safe landing value to a threshold value, and providing an aircraft warning when the safe landing value fails to meet the threshold value.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A warning method for an aircraft comprising:
 receiving a first parameter indicative of an aircraft's flight path,   calculating a stable approach value based on the first parameter,   receiving a second parameter indicative of the aircraft's turbulence,   calculating a turbulence factor based on the second parameter,   calculating a safe landing value based on the stable approach value and the turbulence factor,   comparing the safe landing value to a threshold value, and   providing an aircraft warning when the safe landing value fails to meet the threshold value.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first parameter comprises the aircraft's vertical speed and the aircraft's height above the ground. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second parameter comprises the aircraft's pitch rate and the aircraft's vertical acceleration rate. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the aircraft's pitch rate comprises a frequency of a pitch's oscillation. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the aircraft's vertical acceleration rate comprises a maximum vertical acceleration over a period of time. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second parameter comprises a frequency of a vertical acceleration rate of the aircraft. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second parameter comprises an acceleration of the aircraft about an axis, a rate of change of an acceleration of the aircraft about an axis, a yaw rate of the aircraft, or a roll rate of the aircraft. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein calculating the safe landing value comprises normalizing the stable approach value and the turbulence factor. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein calculating the safe landing value comprises adding the stable approach value and the turbulence factor or multiplying the stable approach value and the turbulence factor. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the aircraft warning comprises a go-around instruction, tailstrike warning, a hard landing warning, a long landing warning, or a bounce landing warning. 
     
     
         11 . An aircraft warning system comprising:
 a first module that receives multiple first parameters indicative of an aircraft's flight path,   a second module that calculates a stable approach value based on the multiple first parameters,   a third module that receives multiple second parameters indicative of the aircraft's turbulence,   a fourth module that calculates a turbulence factor based on the multiple second parameters,   a fifth module that calculates a safe landing value based on the stable approach value and the turbulence factor,   a sixth module that compares the safe landing value to a threshold value, and   a seventh module that provides an aircraft warning when the safe landing value fails to meet the threshold value.   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the multiple first parameters comprise the aircraft's vertical speed and the aircraft's height above the ground. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11  wherein the multiple second parameters comprise the aircraft's pitch rate and the aircraft's vertical acceleration rate. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the aircraft's pitch rate comprises a frequency of a pitch's oscillation. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the aircraft's vertical acceleration rate comprises a maximum vertical acceleration over a period of time. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the multiple second parameters comprise a frequency of a vertical acceleration rate of the aircraft. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the multiple second parameters comprise an acceleration of the aircraft about an axis, a rate of change of an acceleration of the aircraft about an axis, a yaw rate of the aircraft, or a roll rate of the aircraft. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the fifth module normalizes the stable approach value and the turbulence factor. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the fifth module adds the stable approach value and the turbulence factor or multiplies the stable approach value and the turbulence factor. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the aircraft warning comprises a go-around instruction, tailstrike warning, a hard landing warning, a long landing warning, or a bounce landing warning. 
     
     
         21 . A warning method for an aircraft comprising:
 receiving multiple first parameters indicative of an aircraft's flight path,   calculating a stable approach value based on the multiple first parameters,   receiving multiple second parameters indicative of the aircraft's turbulence,   calculating a turbulence factor based on the multiple second parameters,   calculating a safe landing value based on the stable approach value and the turbulence factor,   comparing the safe landing value to a threshold value, and   providing an aircraft warning when the safe landing value fails to meet the threshold value.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the multiple first parameters comprise the aircraft's vertical speed and the aircraft's height above the ground. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the multiple second parameters comprise the aircraft's pitch rate and the aircraft's vertical acceleration rate. 
     
     
         24 . A warning method for an aircraft comprising:
 receiving a stable approach value,   receiving a parameter indicative of the aircraft's turbulence,   calculating a turbulence factor based on the parameter,   calculating a safe landing value based on the stable approach value and the turbulence factor,   comparing the safe landing value to a threshold value, and   providing an aircraft warning when the safe landing value fails to meet the threshold value.