Method and system for predicting the possibility of complete stoppage of an aircraft on a landing runway

1. A method for determining the possibility of an aircraft coining to a complete stop, during landing, on a landing runway, the determination being made while said aircraft is in flight and descending towards said landing runway at an inclined approach trajectory forming an angle of approach (α) with said landing runway, said landing runway comprising two end thresholds, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

a1) measuring altitude (H) of said aircraft,

a2) calculating horizontal distance (D) from said aircraft to a proximal end threshold of said landing runway, wherein said horizontal distance (D) is calculated based on positioning information for said aircraft delivered by a satellite positioning system and on information delivered by a database containing positioning of said proximal end threshold of the landing runway;

b) calculating an estimated finishing position of said aircraft on said landing runway based on the measured altitude (H), the calculated horizontal distance (D) and the angle of approach (α), such that the estimated finishing position is defined by a distance (X) from the proximal end threshold with

X =( H /tan α)− D,

wherein:

H is the measured altitude of the aircraft,

tan α is the tangent of the angle of approach (α), and

D is the calculated horizontal distance; and

c) determining the possibility of the aircraft coming to a complete stop on the landing runway according to said estimated finishing position, wherein said distance (X) is compared with a reference limit value (T), short of which said aircraft is determined to come to a complete stop on said landing runway and beyond which said aircraft is determined to not come to a complete stop on said landing runway.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said steps a1), a2) and b) are performed in a repetitive manner during at least part of the descent of the aircraft on said approach trajectory.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said angle of approach (α) is calculated aboard the aircraft.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein said angle of approach (α) is provided by a database containing information relating to said landing runway.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein step c) further comprises emitting an alarm for the attention of the crew of the aircraft.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein step c) further comprises a go-around and in an automatic re-takeoff of the aircraft.

7. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least step c) is disabled when the aircraft, while landing, is no longer in a state to take off again in complete safety.

8. The method as claimed in claim 1 , wherein, prior to step a1), a check is carried out to verify landing runways located closest to the aircraft.

9. A system that determines the possibility of an aircraft coming to a complete stop during landing on a runway, the system comprising a calculation device configured to implement the steps of the method of claim 1 ,

wherein the calculation device:

receives:

the altitude (H) of said aircraft descending towards said landing runway following said inclined approach trajectory forming the angle of approach (α) with said landing runway;

positioning information for said aircraft; and

positioning information for at least the proximal end threshold of said landing runway; and

calculates:

the horizontal distance (D); and

the distance (X).

10. An aircraft, comprising the system of claim 9 .

11. An aircraft, comprising a calculation device configured to implement the steps of the method of claim 1 .

12. A method for determining the possibility of an aircraft coming to a complete stop, during landing, on a landing runway, the determination being made while said aircraft is in flight and descending towards said landing runway at an inclined approach trajectory forming an angle of approach (α) with said landing runway, said landing runway comprising two end thresholds, wherein the method comprises the steps of:

a1) measuring altitude (H) of said aircraft,

a2) calculating horizontal distance (D) from said aircraft to a proximal end threshold of said landing runway, wherein said horizontal distance (D) is calculated based on positioning information for said aircraft delivered by a satellite positioning system and on information delivered by a database containing positioning of said proximal end threshold of the landing runway;

b) calculating an estimated finishing position of said aircraft on said landing runway based on the measured altitude (H), the calculated horizontal distance (D) and the angle of approach (α), such that the estimated finishing position is defined by a distance (X) from the proximal end threshold with

X =( H /tan α)− D,

wherein:

H is the measured altitude of the aircraft,

tan α is the tangent of the angle of approach (α), and

D is the calculated horizontal distance; and

c) determining the possibility of the aircraft coming to a complete stop on the landing runway according to said estimated finishing position, wherein an estimated landing distance (F) is added to said distance (X), and a sum of said distance (X) and said estimated landing distance (F), (X+F), is compared with a length (L) of the landing runway.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein said steps a1), a2) and b) are performed in a repetitive manner during at least part of the descent of the aircraft on said approach trajectory.

14. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein said angle of approach (α) is calculated aboard the aircraft.

15. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein said angle of approach (α) is provided by a database containing information relating to said landing runway.

16. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein step c) further comprises emitting an alarm for the attention of the crew of the aircraft.

17. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein step c) further comprises a go-around and in an automatic re-takeoff of the aircraft.

18. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein at least step c) is disabled when the aircraft, while landing, is no longer in a state to take off again in complete safety.

19. The method as claimed in claim 12 , wherein, prior to step a1), a check is carried out to verify landing runways located closest to the aircraft.

20. A system that determines the possibility of an aircraft coming to a complete stop during landing on a runway, the system comprising a calculation device configured to implement the steps of the method of claim 12 ,

wherein the calculation device:

receives:

the altitude (H) of said aircraft descending towards said landing runway following said inclined approach trajectory forming the angle of approach (α) with said landing runway;

positioning information for said aircraft; and

positioning information for at least the proximal end threshold of said landing runway; and

calculates:

the horizontal distance (D); and

the distance (X).