Waypoint Encounter Software Demonstrator

Demonstrates an encounter between our aircraft and one of its en-route waypoints. Details of this and all the other waypoints on our route are part of the current flight plan in our aircraft's computer. These together form a waypoint class [Java speak].

In a Java-enabled browser, the waypoint encounter applet appears here.

As we approach this waypoint's domain, the flight plan sets up the outbound radial on which we should leave this waypoint (light blue line). The software then constructs a red turning circle on the left (port) and a green one on the right (starboard). The size of these circles depends on the type of aircraft and is one of the many details specified in the aircraft class. A method in the encounter class then steers the aircraft towards the rim of the closer of the two turning circles on the side away from the outbound radial. On reaching the circle, it proceeds to steer us round the circle and over the waypoint, by which time we are heading along the outbound radial towards our next waypoint.

The visible trace above is constructed and updated within and by a colour array class. This whole demonstration is orchestrated by an applet class extension which replays the approach continuously for different outbound radials increasing by 44° each time.


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