AIRCRAFT WAKE VORTEX PREDICTOR AND VISUALIZER

• Main Authors: PEARLMAN, JAY S, MESEROLE, JERE S, LEWIS, MICHAEL S, SINGLETON, MARISSA K
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 07.08.2008
• Subjects: AEROPLANES; AIRCRAFT; ARRANGEMENTS OR MOUNTING OF POWER PLANTS OR PROPULSIONTRANSMISSIONS IN AIRCRAFT; AVIATION; CONTROLLING; COSMONAUTICS; EQUIPMENT FOR FITTING IN OR TO AIRCRAFT; FLYING SUITS; HELICOPTERS; PARACHUTES; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; REGULATING; SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES; TRANSPORTING

A method to predict a location, intensity and movement of wake vortexes, and to detect wake vortexes, comprises collecting one or more ground-based measurements related to predicting the location, intensity and movement of wake vortexes; collecting one or more airborne-based measurements related to predicting the location, intensity and movement of wake vortexes; integrating the ground-based and the airborne-based measurements to predict the location, intensity and movement of wake vortexes using a wake vortex prediction model selected from a plurality of wake vortex prediction models based on a group of inputs or parameters including the ground-based and the airborne-based measurements; and detecting wake vortexes by use of tracer material or substance emitted by an aircraft generating the wake vortexes. The step of detecting the wake vortexes comprises directing a tracer from a first aircraft into a vortical flow generated by the first aircraft, the tracer being visually indistinguishable from its surroundings to an unaided observer on the ground or in a following aircraft whilst the tracer is in the vortical flow; detecting a characteristic corresponding to the presence of the visually indistinguishable tracer directed into the vortical flow; and based at least in part on the detected characteristic, directing the flight of the first aircraft, or a second aircraft following the first aircraft, or both.