Flight Evaluation of Prototype Optical Landing System

Cockpit Computer Corporation, Inc., Saratoga, CA
1 March 1999 – 30 September 1999
Co-P.I.’s Donald T. Ward and Thomas C. Pollock
Total award $51,241

Block diagram of video landing system
This is a flight test research and demonstration program utilizing the Grumman American Commander 700 aircraft of the Texas A&M Flight Mechanics Laboratory Flight Test Facility. It is a cooperative effort between Cockpit Computer Corporation, and Texas A&M University, to develop an affordable video-based position sensor and associated cockpit display that should significantly improve the landing precision and safety of the new breed of high performance single-pilot General Aviation (GA) airplanes.

During the latter stages of an approach and landing, guidance commands for the initial approach segment, final approach segment, flare segment, and touchdown segment are displayed to the pilot as the approach is executed. The required accuracy is provided from six degree-of-freedom information processed from forward- and down-looking video imagery, integrated with GPS position data and a 3D Graphic Synthetic Vision Generator. An onboard database contains accurate position coordinates of runways, obstacles, and terrain.

This guidance scheme, even for VFR operations, has the potential to draw larger numbers of relatively low-time pilots into the GA aircraft market, while keeping accident rates at an acceptable level. With this system, relatively low time GA pilots should be able to land more precisely (on airspeed and at the desired touchdown point) than without the system.

Working with me on this program is Graduate Research Assistants:

  • Jennifer A. Georgie
  • Surya U. Shandy