BigPatents India

Docking guidance for an aircraft pilot involves viewing horizontal bars (4) and a vertical bar (5) mounted above the pilot’s eye-level a short, distance beyond the docking station. The bars (4, 5), which comprise amber Leeds, are viewed against an array of amber Leeds of a back-plane (7). One row (9) of the array, selected according to aircraft type, is turned ON to form a horizontal datum bar (10) towards which the horizontal bars (4) are seen to close as the aircraft moves onto the docking station. Two columns (8) of green LEDs are included in the array and those below the datum bar (10) of the array are ON to form vertical bars (11). The aircraft is manoeuvred in azimuth to keep the vertical bar (5) between the green bars (11). According to a modification, bars (18) of columns (14) of red LEDs that are obscured from the pilot by baffle-screens (15) when the aircraft is properly aligned, become visible upon deviation from alignment; the screens (15) also act according to the extent of the deviation to obscure the nearest green bar (17) from view. (FIG. 1)