The present invention relates to methods and systems for guiding an aircraft to a docking station in an airport, serving to give the pilot of the aircraft visible indications enabling the pilot to reach the allocated docking station in safe and accurate manner.
Numerous systems have already been proposed for performing these functions. In particular, proposals have been made (WO 96/12265) for a system involving laser pulse scanning in association with a computer system. The airplane is initially identified by the appearance of echoes in sufficient number. Thereafter, it is tracked by laser telemetry. It can be identified by pattern recognition. Such a system is very sensitive to weather conditions and in particular to fog. In addition, it is very complex.
Proposals have also been made to use a stereographic system having video cameras aimed at the windscreen of the airplane cockpit (WO 96/09207). That system is very sensitive to weather conditions and also to variations in ambient lighting.