The Reduction of Weather Minima and the Improvement of Scheduled Regularity

Extract

The inter-relationships between the application of such airborne devices as automatic landing, head-up instrument displays, flare-out computers, and the like, their effect on operating weather minima, and the consequential benefits that may be derived in scheduled regularity, are very involved. The purpose of this note is to set out in simple terms the more important factors so as to provide a framework for further discussion. A cardinal theme of this discussion is the close association between the techniques needed to improve regularity, and those needed to improve safety.

The landing of a transport type aircraft is a task of a routine and repetitive type. It takes place within a fixed envelope of conditions that can be fairly strictly defined, and a high order of precision is needed compared with other phases of normal flight. The repetitive consistency that can be achieved by automatic means makes it natural to consider such a solution. Once such a system has been developed to a satisfactory level, the accuracy and consistency of the landing manœuvre will undoubtedly be much better than can be achieved by a human pilot.