Aircraft systems and methods to improve airport traffic management
An aircraft system includes a processing unit configured to identify an airport marker during a surface operation at an airport. The processing unit is further configured to automatically generate a reporting message based on the airport marker at a predetermined location relative to the airport marker. The aircraft system further includes a communications unit coupled to the processing unit and configured to send the reporting message.
1. An aircraft system, comprising:
a processing unit configured to identify an airport marker during a surface operation at an airport and evaluate an action associated with the airport marker, the processing unit further configured to automatically generate a reporting message based on the airport marker at a predetermined location relative to the airport marker only when the action associated with the airport marker requires reporting;
a transceiver coupled to the processing unit and configured to send the reporting message; and
enhanced vision sensors coupled to the processing unit and configured to supply sensor data to the processing unit, wherein the processing unit is configured to identify the airport marker based on the sensor data,
wherein the processing unit is configured to format the reporting message according to a controller pilot data link communication (CPDLC) standard, and
wherein the reporting message is a CPDLC message with a free text portion, and wherein the processing unit is configured to generate the reporting message with information about the airport marker as the free text portion.
2. The aircraft system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined location is a predetermined distance from the airport marker.
3. The aircraft system of claim 1 , wherein the predetermined location is at the airport marker.
4. The aircraft system of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is further configured to generate the reporting message with an aircraft identification and an aircraft location.
5. The aircraft system of claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is configured to send the reporting message over a Future Air Navigation Services (FANS) network or Aeronautical Telecommunications Network (ATN).
6. The aircraft system of claim 1 , wherein the transceiver is configured to send the reporting message over an Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System (ACARS) network.
7. The aircraft system of claim 1 , wherein the airport marker is a geographic position marking.
8. The aircraft system of claim 1 , wherein the processing unit is configured to extract alphanumeric identifying information from the airport marker to identify the airport marker.
9. The aircraft system of claim 1 , further comprising a database coupled to the processing unit and containing airport marker data, wherein the processing unit is configured to identify the airport marker and the action associated with the aircraft marker based on the airport marker data from the database.