Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-gb8f7 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T05:55:58.225Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

An airborne windshear detection system

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 July 2016

D. McLean  and
Z. Zouaoui
D. McLean
Affiliation:
Department of Aeronautics and AstronauticsUniversity of Southampton Southampton, UK
Z. Zouaoui
Affiliation:
Department of Aeronautics and AstronauticsUniversity of Southampton Southampton, UK
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

For a long time there has been growing awareness in the international aviation community of the considerable danger which an encounter with the atmospheric phenomenon of windshear can bring to an aircraft in flight. Considerable statistical evidence is now available which points to the fact that aircraft windshear encounters in initial climb, final approach, or landing are extremely hazardous, often leading to fatal accidents. The paper presents details of a preliminary design for an airborne windshear detection system suitable for use in general aviation aircraft. First, an elementary explanation of windshear, and its most dangerous form, the microburst, is given, together with a short account of the hazards that such atmospheric phenomena can present to aircraft in flight, particularly at takeoff and landing. Then a novel windshear detection algorithm is described and associated simulation results are presented. The algorithm is based upon observer theory and uses only a restricted number of measurements. The system is shown to provide very good estimates of the horizontal and vertical components of some windshear encounters. These estimates of the windshear components are then used to provide the pilot with a warning of the presence of windshear together with an indication of its severity. Digital simulation has been used to show the effectiveness of the proposed design.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Aeronautical Journal , Volume 101 , Issue 1010 , December 1997 , pp. 447 - 456
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 1997 

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Fujita, T.T. The Downburst — Microburst and Macroburst. SMRP-RP- 210, University of Chicago, 1985.Google Scholar
2. Klehr, J.T. Windshear simulation enters the fourth dimension, ICAO Bulletin, 23-25 May 1986.Google Scholar
3. Warren Campbell, C. A Spatial model of windshear and turbulence for flight simulation. NASA TP 2313, May 1984.Google Scholar
4. Woodfield, A.A. Windshear topics at RAE Flight Systems Department. RAETM FS132, 1985.Google Scholar
5. Proctor, F.H. The terminal area simulation system, Vol 1. Theoretical formulation, NASA CR 4046, 1987.Google Scholar
6. Anon Windshear and flight safety — a select bibliography. CAA Paper 86003, April, 1986.Google Scholar
7. Wingrove, R.C., Bach, R.E. and Schultz, T.A. Analysis of severe atmospheric disturbances from airline flight records. Proc AGARD Flight Mechanics Symposium Flight in Adverse Environmental Conditions, Gol, Norway, 8-11 May 1989.Google Scholar
8. Hinton, D.A. Flight management strategies for escape from microburst encounters. NASA TM 4057, August 1988.Google Scholar
9. Mclean, D.J. Automatic Flight Control Systems. Prentice Hall, Hemel Hempstead, England, 1990, pp 19–47 and 258-262.Google Scholar
10. Wanke, C. and Hansman, R.J. Alert generation and cockpit presentation for an integrated microburst alerting system. AIAA Paper 91-0266, January 1991.Google Scholar
11. Wanke, C. and Hansman, R.J. Experimental evaluation of candidate graphical microburst alert displays. AIAA Paper 92-0292, January 1992.Google Scholar
12. Miele, A., Wang, T. and Melvin, W. Optimal take-off trajectories in presence of windshear, JOTA, 1986, 49 (1), pp 1–45.Google Scholar
13. Zhao, Y. and Bryson, A.E. Control of an aircraft in downbursts. J Guid Dyn and Cont, 1990, 13, (5), p 819.Google Scholar
14. Mulgund, S.S. and Stengel, R.F. Target pitch angle for the microbrust escape maneuver. J Air, 1993, 30, (6), pp 826–832.Google Scholar
15. Mulgund, S.S. and Stengel, R.F. Optimal recovery from microbust windshear. J Guid, Dyn and Com, 1993, 16, (6), pp 1010–1017.Google Scholar
16. Anon National Research Council. Low Altitude Windshear and its Hazard to Aviation. National Academy Press, Washington, 1983, p 73.Google Scholar
17. Stein, K.J. Windshear development provides timely warning, Av Week and Space Tech, 2 March 1981, pp 62–63.Google Scholar
18. Zweifel, T. Sensor consideration in the design of a windshear detection and guidance system, SAE Paper 881417, October 1988.Google Scholar
19. Byrd, G.P., Proctor, F.H. and Bowles, R.C. Evaluation of a technique to quantify microburst windshear hazard potential to aircraft. Proc 29th Conf Dec and Control, Dec, Hawaii, Paper WP-8-1-2.20, 1990, pp 689-694.Google Scholar
20. Robb, D.W. New technologies emerge for airbone windshear sensors, Avionics, April 1992, pp 25–32.Google Scholar
21. Bowles, R.L. Windshear detection and avoidance: airborne systems survey, Proc 29th Conf Dec and Control, Hawaii, Paper WP-8-1-3.00, 1990, pp 708-736.Google Scholar