The
focal of this research paper is the Automatic Take-off and Landing system on
both manned and unmanned aircraft. The
ATLS allows the aircraft to take-off and land without pilot interference. This system can be very beneficial allowing safe
landing in precarious situations.
Situations that include poor visibility or any form of adverse weather
(Larson, 2012). This may be an ideal technology
for commercial airliners but that day has not come yet. To believe that commercial airliners
currently have the capability to “take-off” and “land” automatically is a
misconception, but is a technological aspiration of future flight. BBC Future’s Jon Stewart wrote an article “Pilotless passenger planes prepare for take-off”. The article spoke of the gradual move in
technology that could actually remove the necessity of a pilot from the commercial
airliner cockpit. The article also mentioned
that the phrase “this is your captain speaking” may soon become a thing of the
past, thanks to a new generation of robotic, passenger aircraft that will take
to the skies by themselves” (Stewart, 2013).
Unfortunately, automatic take-off
for manned commercial aircraft is nonexistent at the moment. 100 years earlier the first autopilot feature
was introduced. The technology was
designed for steadying a plane during flight, providing a way to pre-program
the aircraft‘s attitude and heading (Stewart, 2013). The advantage of stepping away from the
cockpit responsibilities allowed the commercial pilot’s a chance to do
something we take for granted, something as simple as use the lavatories. Yes, restroom privileges are important not to
mention mental breaks. The Boeing 777
commercial aircraft is equipped with autopilot function that will allow the
aircraft to fly and land automatically. Boeing
777’s autopilot feature can be turned off and the pilot can use the manual
controls for landing. Boeing 777’s are equipped with a remote
piloting featured called the “Boeing Honeywell
‘Uninterruptible’ Autopilot System” (Helton, 2014). The main
purpose of this system is to counteract any terrorist attempt by hijackers. It will also stop any other unauthorized
persons’ from gaining the ability to control the aircraft. However the ILS – Instrument Landing System
acts as a guide for the aircraft in correcting runway and landing. This is
not to be confused with auto-piloting, but is considered as an aid of such. Heading, airspeed, altitude and even a specific
rate of climb are controlled by the auto-piloting system. The Instrument
Lansing System receives data from the flight director system and data from an
aerodrome. Using this data received from
each source, the Boeing 777 determines its position in respect to the runway.
The human pilot, however, is still there as another link in the chain. The
combination of systems allows the pilot a very accurate and safe way to land. In addition to anti-hijacking, auto landing
features the Uninterruptible Autopilot System the pilot calls out altitudes and
flap angles. If those data calls are not
correct the copilot must take control and abort the landing sequence. The
copilot is also responsible for the aircraft if the pilot is incapacitated. Additional safeguards include preflight
briefings, and easy autopilot disengagement.
According to what are the main
differences piloting Boeing vs. Airbus aircraft, if an over excessive
amount of pressure is applied to the controls this should automatically shut off
autopilot.
The Global Hawk Unmanned Aerial
System has a pilot just like any other aircraft. The difference is those pilots are not collocated
with the aircraft. It is remotely
controlled. The RQ-4 Global Hawk is equipped
with autonomous take-off and landing abilities.
The launch and recovery element (LRE) autonomous flight mission plans are
loaded by pilots pre-flight. The pilots
also monitor the operations during automatic take-off and landings. The Global Hawk’s flight control system
includes GPS and INS which play a part in the automatic take-offs and landings
of the UAS. The RQ-4 uses SATCOM
satellites to transfer information from the inertial navigation system and GPS
data to the Ground Control Systems to determine the location of the UAV within
airspace. Global Hawk has a
forward-looking infrared camera for takeoff and landing, the pilot relies on
graphic displays to maintain situational awareness. The pilot has to visualize
the three dimensional model (Colucci, 2004). Safety
of flight consideration some issues might need tweaking. If the RQ-4 receives a transmission to end
its mission, it will automatically start the termination sequence. Also, if the vehicle receives a set of
instructions that go against its programming, the Global Hawk has the ability
to block those instructions. “The
aircraft's self-control goes well beyond simply following the orders of a
human-programmed mission plan” (Weed & Schorr, 2002). It
doesn’t have the ability to completely replace humans in the loop but it does
have some situational adaptabilities programmed into the system. Single launch and recovery element crew
handles takeoff and landing with benefit of a rest period (Colucci, 2004).
Training for UAV pilots and sensor
operators are concurrent three-and-a-half month training courses. Each course enrolls 10 to 12 students per
class. Although pilots are chosen from
all facet from military to civilian sectors, their training is reasonably different.
UAV pilots receive extensive training –Predator,
etc. Training for lethal UAV provide
pilots with at least 20 days of classroom instruction and 50 to 60 hours of
flying time (Colucci, 2004). Initial
training for LRE crews consists of takeoff and landing, plus basic handling.
Following UAV training incorporate mission reconnaissance, surface attack
tactics, and strike coordination (Colucci, 2004).
References
Colucci,
F. (2004). Air Force Refines Training Programs for UAV Operators, National
Defense (NDIA). Retrieved 20 February, 2015, from http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/archive/2004/May/Pages/Air_Force_Refines3555.aspx
Helton,
S. (2014, August 7). FLIGHT CONTROL: Boeing’s ‘Uninterruptible Autopilot
System’, Drones & Remote Hijacking. Retrieved from 21st Centtury Wire -
News for the Waking Generation:
http://21stcenturywire.com/2014/08/07/flight-control-boeings-uninterruptible-autopilot-system-drones-remote-hijacking/
Lim,
K. H. (2007, December 11). How does a pilot execute an auto landing during bad
weather in a Boeing 777? Retrieved from Ask Captain Lim:
http://www.askcaptainlim.com/flying-on-the-boeing-777-flying-91/439-how-does-a-pilot-execute-an-auto-landing-during-bad-weather-in-a-boeing-777.html
Stewart,
J. (2013). Pilotless passenger planes prepare for take-off. BBC Future.
Retrieved February 20, 2015, from http://21stcenturywire.com/2014/08/07/flight-control-boeings-uninterruptible-autopilot-system-drones-remote-hijacking/
automatic takeoff and landing.
Verver,
G. (2013, December 7). Aircraft Accidents & Incidents. Retrieved from A
Photographic History of NAF & VX-5 at NOTS China Lake:
http://www.chinalakealumni.org/Accidents.htm
Weed,
W. S., & Schorr, C. (2002, August). Flying Blind | DiscoverMagazine.com.
Retrieved from About Discover Magazine | DiscoverMagazine.com:
http://discovermagazine.com/2002/aug/featflying
What
are the main differences piloting Boeing vs. Airbus aircraft? (2013, December
13). Retrieved from Aviation Stack Exchange:
http://aviation.stackexchange.com/questions/149/what-are-the-main-differences-piloting-boeing-vs-airbus-aircraft
No comments:
Post a Comment