Project description
Planning safe trajectories in adverse weather
A flight management system (FMS) is a fundamental component of a modern airliner's avionics. As a specialised on-board multi-purpose navigation, performance, and aircraft operations computer, it automates a wide variety of in-flight tasks, reducing the workload of the flight crew. The EU-funded SafeNcy project aims to develop an advanced FMS on-board function to help the pilot take efficient and effective decisions in emergency situations and adverse conditions. In particular, researchers will develop a site selection algorithm for emergency landing, using a database of possible landing sites that will be constantly updated with up-to-date meteorological information. An on-board trajectory generation prototype will compute the best emergency trajectory to the selected landing site.
Objective
SafeNcy project aims at designing, developing, testing and validating a TRL5 on-board function for the FMS capable to support the pilot in the decision making process following an emergency situation with degraded and adverse conditions.
Firstly, an emergency landing site selection algorithm will be developed, using a database of possible landing sites that is constantly updated via data-link connection with the airline Operating Control Centre (OCC) and which takes into account updated meteorological information and potential hazards. This landing site will minimize also the collateral effect of the emergency landing by selecting landing sites with a minimum population density and low risk propagation.
Secondly, an on-board trajectory generation prototype will be developed in order to compute the best emergency trajectory from the aircraft to the selected landing site(s). This algorithm will also take into account the most up-to-date meteorological information, consider the degraded dynamics of the aircraft resulting from some failures, and will have a robust design allowing real-time capabilities.
Finally, a thorough verification and validation campaign will be performed, developing an ad-hoc simulator for testing purposes and integrating it with a fault detection and identification external block provided by the Topic Leader.
The consortium has been structured to gather and organise complementary expertise and capabilities to answer the project objectives. It is formed by two SMEs, CGX AERO (coordinator) and Metsafe; DSNA Services, the expertise and consultancy office of the French civil aviation; two universities, ENAC and UPC; and Eurocontrol, all supported by an internal advisory board composed of active pilots from large and low-cost airline, Aviation, Accident and Investigation, Human Factors and ATM experts, from the French Civil Aviation Authority, and Military pilots, human factors and flight dynamics experts from the French Air Force Academy.
Fields of science
Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
IA - Innovation actionCoordinator
31055 Toulouse
France