Integrated flight data air navigation computer system

Claim 1

In a hand-held air navigation computer having both wind and calculator sides, flight data-producing mechanism comprising means on said computer-calculator side for determining the true air speed of a selected aircraft, said means including a first, bottom disc member having a relatively enlarged, white-central disc portion extending outwardly to a relatively narrow, transparent-outer disc portion incorporating the disccircumference, a first, arc segment-extension on a limited portion of the disc-circumference, a first, outermost, logarithmic-speed-distance scale inscribed at a first, predetermined radius corresponding to the juncture between, and extending entirely around, said white-central and transparent, outer-disc portions with the logarithmic value of ''''60'''' thereon being centered on said first, arc segment-extension, a first, intermediately-positioned compressibility scale for determining the effect of air compressibility on the calibrated air speed of the aircraft and comprising a plurality of curved lines respectively computed for pressure altitudes of from 0 to 50,000 feet and inscribed at selected nautical miles per hour intervals specifically related to, and extending in radially aligned and adjacent relation between the logarithmic values on said logarithmic-speed-distance scale representing from 150 to 661.7 nautical miles per hour, a second, intermediately-positioned Mach number scale disposed on said first, bottom disc member in-wardly of said compressibility scale and oriented clockwise at a first, predetermined angle to said logarithmic-speed -distance scale and a third, innermost, temperature error scale positioned further inwardly of said Mach number scale and oriented at a second, predetermined angle to said Mach number scale; and a second central disc member rotatably mounted over said first, bottom disc member and incorporating white, central and outer disc portions including the circumference thereof, a second, logarithmic-time scale inscribed on said white, disccircumference portion at a second radius greater than that of the first, predetermined radius of the logarithmic-speed-distance scale of said first, bottom disc member and just large enough to place the indicia and numerals of said logarithmic-time scale precisely adjacent to, and outside of, said logarithmic-speeddistance scale over the transparent, outer-disc portion of said first disc member, and a second, arc segment-extension formed on a limited portion of the central disc-circumference and inscribed with a ''''TRUE AIR SPEED/GROUND SPEED'''' notation having an index centered over the logarithmic value of ''''60'''' on said last-named, logarithmic scale, said second, disc member further including a circumferentially disposed, transparent area bounded on its outer circumference by the inner circumference of said logarithmic-time scale and comprising on its inner circumference a first arcuate portion of constant radius and disposed clockwise between the said logarithmic value of ''''60'''' to the 23.35 logarithmic value and a second, oppositely disposed arcuate portion of varying radius and extending counterclockwise from the said logarithmic value of ''''60'''' to the said 23.25 logarithmic value, said second arcuate portion being computed from an equivalent air speed formula at periodic intervals thereon each representing a pressure altitude of 10,000 feet and extending in total extent from a zero pressure altitude-indice at the said logarithmic value of ''''60'''' to a pressure altitude of 50,000 feet at the said logarithmic value of 23.25, a density altitude scale positioned on said white-central disc portion just inwardly of the first arcuate portion of constant radius and oriented with its zero indice at a 186* angle from the said logarithmic value of ''''60'''', a combined transparent Mach number and temperature error window positioned inwardly of, and in somewhat spaced relation to said density altitude scale and a temperature scale interposed between a portion of said density altitude scale and said Mach number and temperature error window; said flight data-producing mechanism further comprising a third, upper disc member mounted on said second, central disc member and having a main, predominantlytransparent disc, central body portion with a white circumferential body portion incorporating a density altitude window adapted to be disposed over the density altitude scale of said first, disc member, a pressure altitude scale in direct alignment with, and disposed outwardly of the temperature scale of said first disc member, and a combined equivalent-calibrated air speed cursor assembly comprising a third, transparent arc segment-extension disposed on a limited portion of said main disc body portion and a cursor line bisecting said arc segmentextension, said main disc body portion being inscribed with the notation ''''EQUIVALENT/CALIBRATED'''', representing air speed and respectively oriented counterclockwise and clockwise from, and immediately adjacent to said bisecting cursor line, and said third, arc segment-extension being inscribed with the notations, ''''NM'''' and ''''SM'''' located thereon at precomputed distances from said bisecting cursor line respectively measured counterclockwise and clockwise therefrom, from which statute miles may be quickly converted to nautical miles, said third, upper disc member being initially adjusted relative to said second, central disc member to align a selected pressure altitude with a predetermined ambient air temperature to thereby set a predetermined angle between the true air speed index inscribed on said second, central disc member and the cursor line of said third, upper disc member-equivalent-calibrated air speed cursor assembly; said first, bottom disc member being thereafter adjusted to bring the selected calibrated air speed as represented on the logarithmicspeed-distance scale directly under said cursor line thereby automatically exposing a limited portion of the compressibility scale through a transparent window of relatively limited area and formed through the transparent central body portion of said third, upper disc member substantially adjacent its arc segmentextension and further delineated by the second arcuate portion precomputed from, and representing equivalent air speed, said first, lower disc member being subsequently further adjusted in a clockwise direction an amount indicated by the relation between said cursor line and the curve of said compressibility scale intersecting therewith to automatically compensate for air compressibility and thus provide the quick adjustment of the selected calibrated air speed to an equivalent air speed to thereby ensure the accurate display of both calibrated and equivalent air speed at the cursor line, the true air speed at the reading on the logarithmic-speed-distance scale under the true air speed index on the said second, arc segment extension, and the further and simultaneous display of Mach number directly under the transparent Mach number and temperature error window of said second, central disc member and density altitude under the density altitude window of said third, upper disc member.