REDMOND Washington - A counteraction is under development for the common piece of information missing from the centurys of data elements displayed in a recent cockpit: the position of the airplane with refer to to its intended vertical path.

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In progression in a continuously ascending gradation over the last three years and available in about pair years, the vertical situation monitor publicly in design by AlliedSignal Corp. [ALD] should dramatically improve situational awareness. "Right now, a pilot has to interpret the airplane's vertical path" from the array of existing instruments, explained Howard Glover an avionics engineer working upon the project. The socalled Independent Vertical Situation Monitor is seen as a full tale to the company's enhanced sod proximity warning system (EGPWS) display, which provides a "top down" view of surrounding terrain.

Don Bateman, chief safety connected views engineer for AlliedSignal, said the a whole should help reduce controlled flight into terrain (CFIT) accidents. "The utility of a vertical situation display, especially near the runway where most numerous CFIT accidents occur, has none been exploited. We're going to do that," he declared.

Glover and Bateman ticked on the farther side a number of benefits provided by dint of a vertical situation display:

* A direction vector shows the aircraft's casted flight path. "If you're high, it will point out immediately," Glover said. This information should aid pilots: "If there is no way the approach can be complet the go-around can be initiated a great deal earlier."

* The display also helps bring into the risk of getting reasonable on approach (especially in the last 3 miles) and cut shorts the risk of landing short.

* It provides a nominal approach direction downward reference, along with a profile of the terrain below the flight path.

* Altimeter errors are self-evident.

* Above all, said Bateman, the hypothesis "will show at a glance if you have an unstabilized approach."

According to company officials, low-cost retrofit into existing aircraft is a major design goal. The vertical situation display will not require additional line replaceable units (LRU's). >> Bateman, email: c.don.bateman@alliedsignal.com; Glover e-mail: howard.glover@alliedsignal.com <<

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