Design of a Wake Encounter Avoidance and Advisory System (WEAA), Part I - Conceptual Design

Kurzfassung

The present report describes the conceptual design of a system supporting evasive flight manoeuvres to prevent encounters of hazardous small scale atmospheric phenomena.These evasive manoeuvres may be performed manually by the pilot or automatically by the flight control system. In both cases situational awareness of the pilots is a key issue. The system is intended as a safety net i.e.primarily to improve the existing level of safety. Although its principles can be readily applied to further phenomena such as local turbulence fields, emphasis is on wake vortices and the system is named "Wake Encounter Advisory and Avoidance" (WEAA) accordingly. The motivation for an avoidance system is explained and airspace and operational restraints are described. Further requirements are given for sensor measurements and a safe operation of such an evasion system. Based on these requirements a functional system architecture is developed and the inputs, outputs and functions of the subsystems are specified. This architecture is compatibe with but not tailored to current airliner flight guidance and control systems. The report gives a general overview of the intended system design; its functional elements will be investigated in more detail in dedicated studies and eventually a feasibility demonstration and a benefit analysis of the whole system are planned. This report has been elaborated in the DLR project "Wetter & Fliegen" (weather and flying) to describe the initial findings of work package F2.7 "Taktische Ausweichmanöver" (Tactical evasive manoeuvres). Work partially builds on results achieved in the 6th FP EC project FLYSAFE.