MLS: keeping pace with the future

It is argued that the instrument landing system (ILS) is now at its operational limit in terms of radio frequency availability, approach flexibility, and technology. The operational requirements for a microwave landing system (MLS), which will overcome key limitations of the ILS and provide growth to meet future requirements of precision landing systems, are discussed, John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport and LaGuardia Airport in New York City are discussed as examples to demonstrate the capabilities of MLS     

Microwave Landing System Area Navigation

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS) states that the Time Reference Scanning Beam (TRSB) Microwave Landing System will supplant the existing Instrument Landing System (ILS) as the recognized international standard as early as 1995. The MLS provides the ability to determine the aircraft's position in three dimensional space over a large coverage volume in the airport terminal area. This affords the capability to navigate and execute approaches throughout this volume of coverage. This technique is known as Microwave Landing System Area Navigation (MLS RNAV). In order to assess and further develop the potential capabilities of MLS RNAV, the FAA Technical Center has undertaken the tasks of performing analytical studies, as well as the development of a prototype MLS RNAV system.     

High accuracy navigation and landing system using GPS/IMU systemintegration

In this paper, the accuracy, integrity and continuity of function requirements for automatic landing systems using satellite navigation systems are discussed. Such a landing system is the integrated navigation and landing system (INLS) developed by Deutsche Aerospace (DASA/Ulm, Germany). The system concepts of the INLS are presented. It is shown how an INLS, based on system integration of a satellite navigation system (e.g., GPS) in realtime differential mode with an inertial measurement unit (IMU) in the accuracy class of an attitude and heading reference system (AHRS), can meet the requirements: the results given are mainly devoted to the accuracy issues. Using Kalman filter techniques, an in-flight calibration of the IMU is performed. The advantage of system integration, especially in dynamic flight conditions and during phases of flight with satellite masking, is explained. The accuracy, integrity and continuity of function of the INLS were proven by means of flight tests in a commuter aircraft using a laser tracker as a reference. These flight tests have shown that the short-term accuracy (<60 seconds) of the AHRS used within the INLS has been improved from low cost sensor quality to the accuracy of a high quality laser inertial navigation system (LNIS). With the presented INLS, a landing at any airfield, not equipped with conventional Instrument Landing System (ILS) or Microwave Landing System (MLS), is possible by using a very cost effective system. The INLS is a high accuracy navigation and landing system designed to be used instead of conventional landing systems at small airfields and to fill operational gaps of conventional navigation and landing systems in cruise and approach on large airports     

Flight safety performance of the microwave landing system

The microwave landing system (MLS), which is scheduled to be implemented progressively over the next 10 years, is intended to supply the instrument landing system (ILS) as the international standard landing aid. MLS has been demonstrated to be superior to ILS from both performance and reliability standpoints, yet considerable debate persists on its relative merits. Although tolerance criteria for flight safety are embedded in these comparisons, flight safety has not been a major component of these discussions. The reasons why flight safety has not been an issue are addressed, and observations on the flight safety of MLS are related from a systems point of view. The effect of MLS on airport capacity is identified as a central issue. Observations are derived from a review of available documentation and operational results to date as well as discussions with the participants     

The case for ILS

In response to the interest and activity in microwave landing systems (MLSs), the capability of instrument landing systems (ILSs) is examined and a case for their continued implementation is made. The changes that have been made with respect to electronic hardware, monitoring, and antenna systems in response to more stringent demands are reviewed. It is argued that there is no technical impediment to the installation of additional and upgraded ILS installations over the 1990s and that these installations would be cost effective and pay back the investments before being displaced by MLS     

System Considerations for the New DME/P International Standard

The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has completed technical standards for the precision distance measuring equipment (DME/P). The DME/P is an integral element of the microwave landing system (MLS) and will provide the precision ranging function to complement the already standardized azimuth and elevation guidance functions of the system. In 1978 an ICAO meeting concluded that the DME/P should be integrated into the existing standards for the conventional DME (DME/N) as a compatible service. The motivation for this was economic. It was reasoned that a single L-band airborne unit could satisfy the need for both existing enroute and the new precision approach and landing services, thereby avoiding unnecessary duplication of on-board ranging equipment. Furthermore, this approach would permit existing conventional airborne equipment to obtain service from the new DME/P ground facilities at least during the initial stages of MLS implementation. These compatibility requirements were later incorporated into the DME/P statement of operational requirements which was accepted at an ICAO meeting in April 1981. Further, they have been a primary focus in the DME/P standardization effort which has been actively pursued since late 1980. The conceptual design of the DME/P that evolved from the ICAO process is discussed here. The comptability issues are highlighted, and it is shown how they are accommodated in the system synthesis which also treats the obvious need for a guidance function of high integrity and robust performance in the severe multipath environment encountered in approach and landing operations.     

飞机着陆系统的现状与发展

论述了仪表着陆系统(ILS)、微波着陆系统(MLS)的作用及应用前景和主要优缺点。提出在未来MLS系统逐步取代ILS系统的过程中,ILS／MLS组合着陆系统导航设备的应用与发展。     

基于成本效益分析的ILS/MLS过渡决策

本文在对民航几个具有代表性的机场和航空公司进行调研基础上，提出了ＩＬＳ／ＭＬＳ成本计算和未来机队预测方法，从我国目前应用ＩＬＳ现状出发，列举了由ＭＬＳ可能获得的效益。根据成本计算结果的比较和分析，提出了我国ＩＬＳ／ＭＬＳ过渡方案参考的结论和建议，供领导机关作决策选择。     

最小生理噪声进场航迹飞行管理方法

 微波着陆系统MLS的最优航迹计算以减小居民最敏感的生理噪声为基本优化性能准则,用感觉噪声级Sone为单位。计算了考虑了噪声传播时温度、风梯度、沿进场航迹附近区域生活居民区分布位置及密度等影响。通过对杜塞尔道夫-罗奥申航空港计算结果证实,使航空港附近居民的平均有效感觉生理噪声级(Sone)较原有Jeppesen标准方式降低了20％以上。     

微波着陆地面设备维护计算机软件系统研究

维护计算机是微波着陆系统（MIS）地面设备的重要附属设备。针对微波着陆系统地面设备维护计算机的具体需求,详细分析了微波着陆系统地面设备维护计算机与相关台站的信息交互关系,介绍了维护计算机软件模块组成、通信协议、实现流程及实现的主要关键技术。该软件已成功运行于某微波着陆系统中。     

ILS-past and present

Insight is provided into the evolution of VHF/UHF instrument landing system (ILS) equipment and the role of the US Civil Aeronautics and Federal Aviation Administrations in its development. The discussion covers the ILS localizer, glide slope (image arrays and nonimage arrays), marker beacon, reliability, and avionics     

MLS: a total system approach

A typical approach and landing operation is described. The microwave landing system (MLS) is then examined, its design characteristics and how it works are shown, and how the MLS design fulfils the user's operational requirements by protecting the guidance signal from reflected signal interference is highlighted. MLS angle system accuracy is discussed in great detail, and its reliability, integrity, and coverage volume are briefly considered. MLS availability at any runway to all aircraft types and their landing scenarios, which is accomplished using narrow scanning beam antennas, is examined     

民用飞机着陆系统安全性评估的故障树分析

飞机着陆系统是保障飞机安全进近着陆的关键系统,如何评估着陆系统满足安全性设计要求是系统设计的重要环节之一。阐述民用飞机安全性评估的基本流程,以微波着陆系统为例,针对给定的微波着陆系统框图,通过故障树分析方法,对完全丧失两侧微波着陆信息的失效状态进行定量评估,重点详述建树过程和建树方法。结果表明:故障树分析对系统架构的设计具有重要的指导作用,二者紧密结合、相互反馈;特别是当失效状态所对应的概率要求无法满足时,借助故障树分析产生的割集报告,能找出系统架构存在的薄弱之处和关键部位,从而采取有效的应对措施,完成对系统架构的优化设计。     

Applications of slotted cable antennas in the instrument landingsystem

The use of slotted waveguides in the instrument landing system (ILS) is discussed, and applications of slotted cable antennas to the ILS localizer and glide slope are described. Examples are given of both existing and prospective designs intended to provide solutions for specific siting problems. Important applications are to the end-fire glide slope and category-III localizers     

ILS-a safe bet for your future landings

An argument is presented in favor of the ILS (instrument landing system), the principal components of which are the localizer, which provides lateral guidance to the pilot, and the glide slope, which gives the vertical guidance. A pilot flying these signals precisely will end up over the hard surface runway with the ILS receiving antenna, wherever it is mounted on the aircraft, being about 20 ft above the touchdown point. The safety record and evolution of the ILS are examined, and a pilot's view of ILS (that of the author, an engineer who has worked with ILS since 1957 and a pilot who has used ILS safely for over 30 years) is given. System availability is discussed, and comments concerning future use are offered     

Comments on “Effect of wet snow an the null-reference ILSsystem”

The subject paper (July 1993) has raised some issues regarding the probability of the Instrument Landing System (ILS) radiating out-of-tolerance vertical guidance signals. An independent study has substantiated the findings of that paper and adds further concern regarding some FAA ILS snow procedures. The principal conclusions of this paper are: 1) an analysis, based on Walton's discovery of rare snow conditions that cause the null-reference ILS antenna image to disappear, indicates that these conditions can cause out-of-tolerance guidance signals, 2) operation without a monitor of the image radiation can result in signal-in-space guidance signal errors that are significantly beyond the intended limit values, and 3) the integrity of image glide path equipment in snow environments does not satisfy the ILS integrity requirements     

MLS system error model identification and synthesis

Signal-in-space modeling of approach and landing guidance systems such as the microwave landing system (MLS), which is necessary for aircraft certification, is addressed. A technique which can, in principle, identify the error sources in navigation systems and can also perform the inverse operation of synthesizing an error generator whose output is statistically equivalent to the original error data is described. The technique can also be used to validate equipment error budget assumptions. The identification and synthesis technique applies not only to MLS but to all navigation systems     

飞机着陆时的容错导航

研究了飞机在微波着陆环境中的传感器容错系统。该系统的主要目的是检测辅助导航设备和机载传感器的故障,并在这些传感器可能发生故障时提供可靠的飞机状态估计值。自动导航和控制系统利用这些状态估计控制和引导飞机按预定路线降落。     

高铁弓网电弧对飞机进近着陆的电磁干扰影响

为了研究高铁弓网离线电弧对飞机进近着陆的电磁干扰（EMI）影响,选取高速铁路弓网离线现象发生频繁的电分相处,对高速铁路列车发生弓网离线电弧时的电磁辐射强度进行了实际测试。根据电波传播理论和GB 6364-2013的相关要求,数值计算得到了高铁下穿角、电分相位置以及飞机着陆高度对机载接收信号的影响规律：机载接收信号信干比（SIR）随着高铁下穿角增大逐渐增大;电分相距离机场跑道口越近机载接收信号的信干比越小;随着飞机进近着陆高度的减小,机载接收信号信干比先减小后增大。以高速铁路45°角下穿机场跑道中心时,以飞机受干扰最强的位置分析了弓网离线电弧电磁干扰对仪表着陆系统（ILS）信标台的影响：飞机接收到的航向信标台信号信干比为12.92 dB,小于GB 6364-2013规定最小20 dB的防护率要求;下滑信标台信号信干比为29.08 dB,符合国标要求;指点信标台信号信干比为16.64 dB,小于国标规定的最低23 dB的防护率要求。本文研究为民航与高速铁路的电磁兼容性研究提供了理论依据和技术方法,可以为机场选址和高速铁路选线规划提供支持。     

737-300型飞机起落架常见故障分析

针对737-300飞机起落架系统故障有增多的趋势,指出常见故障主要有起落架位置指示和影响警告异常故障、起落架控制手柄异常引发的故障、E11起落架逻辑架故障、起落架机器原因引发的故障等。分析后总结出发生故障较多的部件主要有起落架收上锁定锁传感器、放下锁定锁传感器、逻辑电路卡、起落架控制手柄等部件。在航线维护过程中,要注意根据实际的故障信息,认真分析判断故障原因,采取有针对性的措施。