Preliminary Results of Flight Test Program to Develop Curved Path Navigator, Set of New Curved Path Approaches to Landing Using GPS/LAAS and WAAS

This paper presents a new curved path navigation system for LAAS, developed at the University of Oklahoma. The curved path navigator is built around the existing OU LAAS program and is intended to explore the minimum display requirements for such a system. The pilot is provided with conventional localizer and glideslope information. In addition, the course indicator is automatically slewed to show the pilot the proper course as he maneuvers around the turn. This system enables pilots to make complex curved approaches with instrument guidance, using LAAS. This paper will explain the design, implementation, and testing of the system. The design utilizes a laptop PC for computation, and ARINC 429 PC card for communication, and an electronic HSI display for the output. Implementation of the system is primarily a software task and is performed in ANSI C. The system is evaluated in terms of its accuracy and flyability with statistical analysis of the navigational system error (NSE), flight technical error (FTE) and total system error (TSE).