Method and device to assist in the guidance of an airplane

1. A method for assisting guidance of an aircraft, the method comprising the steps of:

entering into a time constraint entry unit at least one time constraint relating to a passage time at a check-point in a flight of the aircraft;

determining, by an information source, values of first flight parameters relating to the flight of the aircraft;

determining, by a flight management system, guidance instructions including speed instructions to guide the aircraft to said check-point at said passage time, wherein said guidance instructions are determined from said values of first flight parameters and the at least one time constraint entered into the time constraint entry unit;

generating, by an accuracy generating unit, an accuracy level for complying with said time constraint, said accuracy level representing a maximum allowable difference between a required passage time and an actual passage time at said check-point and at least one error level for at least one of said first flight parameters;

determining, by a margin determining unit, an operating margin for at least one second parameter, which is representative of air speed level of the aircraft, said operating margin representing a range of air speed criterion values of the aircraft, wherein the operating margin is determined from said accuracy level and from said at least one error level;

determining, by a range determining unit, whether the operating margin representing the range of air speed criterion values is within an air speed envelope of the aircraft, said air speed envelope comprising air speeds at which the aircraft can fly between its current position and said check-point;

modifying said speed instructions, by a speed modifier, when said range of air speed criterion values is not within said air speed envelope, said speed instructions being modified to be within said air speed envelope;

determining a reliable time domain, by the flight management system, which corresponds to a passage time domain that the aircraft can observe at said check-point with said accuracy level, including a probability level; and

presenting, on a display screen, to a pilot of the aircraft at least one of the following:

a graph illustrating the reliable time domain; and

information that said reliable time domain cannot be attained.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein:

an operator enters the at least one time constraint into the time constraint entry unit;

the constraint value entered by the operator is compared to said reliable time domain; and

the operator is notified when a time constraint value is located outside of said reliable time domain.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2 , wherein, when the time constraint value is located within said reliable time domain, the guidance of the aircraft is servo-controlled so as to reach, at said check-point, with said accuracy and probability levels, said time constraint value entered by the operator.

4. A device for assisting guidance of an aircraft, said device comprising:

time constraint entry unit into which at least one time constraint relating to a passage time at a check-point in a flight of the aircraft is entered;

information source that determines values of first flight parameters relating to the flight of the aircraft;

accuracy generating unit that generates at least one error level for at least one of said first flight parameters and an accuracy level for complying with said time constraint, said accuracy level representing a maximum allowable difference between a required passage time and an actual passage time at said check point;

flight management system and flight computer, linked to one another, which determine from said values of said first flight parameters and said at least one time constraint, guidance instructions comprising speed instructions to guide the aircraft to said check-point at said passage time;

margin determining unit that determines, from said accuracy level and from said at least one error level, an operating margin for at least one second parameter, which is representative of air speed level of the aircraft, said operating margin representing a range of air speed criterion values of the aircraft;

range determining unit that determines whether the operating margin representing the range of air speed criterion values is within an air speed envelope of the aircraft, said air speed envelope comprising air speeds at which the aircraft can fly between its current position and said check-point; and

speed instruction modifier that modifies said speed instructions when the range of air speed criterion values is not within said air speed envelope, said speed instructions being modified to be within said air speed envelope, wherein:

the flight management system is configured to determine a reliable time domain which corresponds to a passage time domain that the aircraft can observe at said check-point with said accuracy level, including a probability level.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4 , further comprising at least one actuator that applies said guidance instructions to flight controls of the aircraft during a flight and as far as said check-point.

6. An aircraft, which comprises the device of claim 4 .