Aircraft fuel optimization analytics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10665114-B2
Application number	US-201414229527-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 28, 2014
Priority date	Mar 28, 2014
Publication date	May 26, 2020
Grant date	May 26, 2020

Abstract

Method and system for providing optimal, achievable flight plans for a flight of an aircraft and for providing accurate fuel load calculations. The method and system can check for and correct inaccurate assumptions in a flight plan. The method and system can also perform statistical analysis to recognize and account for real-world limitations on flight plans. The method and system can also perform statistical analysis to determine actual aircraft wear that can affect aircraft performance and account for such wear when calculating fuel load.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A computer-implemented method to increase accuracy of estimating fuel for an aircraft, the computer-implemented method comprising:
performing a statistical analysis on data for multiple past instances of flights between a departure airport and an arrival airport for multiple aircraft in order to determine one or more predicted real-world limitations more stringent than what is imposed by a set of regulations and that are likely to be imposed, by one or more specified air traffic controllers, on an operator flight plan between the departure airport and the arrival airport;
generating a calibration flight plan based on the operator flight plan and the one or more predicted real-world limitations, wherein the calibration flight plan includes an airborne operating parameter that conforms to the set of regulations and further conforms to the one or more predicted real-world limitations, wherein the generated calibration flight plan is output; and
calculating, based on the calibration flight plan and by operation of one or more computer processors, a first fuel load for the aircraft travelling from the departure airport to the arrival airport, wherein the calibration flight plan being generated based on the one or more predicted real-world limitations causes the first fuel load to be calculated with an increased measure of accuracy relative to the calibration flight plan being generated in an absence of the one or more predicted real-world limitations;
wherein the aircraft is filled with a specified amount of fuel based at least in part on the first fuel load calculated based on the calibration flight plan.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
comparing aspects of the operator flight plan to predicted realistic flight plan criteria, wherein the predicted realistic flight plan criteria relate to aspects of the operator flight plan, and wherein the predicted realistic flight plan criteria comprises at least one of:
a zero fuel weight criterion, wherein the zero fuel weight criterion comprises a zero fuel weight from a load sheet for the flight, and wherein the flight plan deviates from zero fuel weight criterion when a zero fuel weight in the flight plan is different from the zero fuel weight from the load sheet;
an operating empty weight criterion, wherein the operating empty weight criterion comprises an operating empty weight from the load sheet, and wherein the flight plan deviates from the operating empty weight criterion when an operating empty weight in the flight plan is different from the operating empty weight from the load sheet;
a taxi out time criterion, wherein the taxi out time criterion comprises at least one taxi out threshold time, and wherein the flight plan deviates from the taxi out time criterion when a taxi out time in the flight plan exceeds the taxi out threshold time;
a taxi in time criterion, wherein the taxi in time criterion comprises at least one taxi in threshold time, and wherein the flight plan deviates from the taxi in time criterion when a taxi in time in the flight plan exceeds the taxi in threshold time;
a taxi in/out fuel burn rate criterion, wherein the taxi in/out fuel burn rate criterion comprises at least one taxi fuel burn rate, and wherein the flight plan deviates from the taxi in/out criterion when a taxi in/out fuel burn rate in the flight plan exceeds the at least one taxi fuel burn rate;
a hold time criterion, wherein the hold time criterion comprises at least one hold time threshold, and wherein the flight plan deviates from the hold time criterion when a hold time in the flight plan exceeds the at least one hold time threshold;
a hold fuel burn rate criterion, wherein the hold fuel burn rate criterion comprises at least one hold fuel burn rate, and wherein the flight plan deviates from the hold fuel burn rate criterion when a hold fuel burn rate in the flight plan exceeds the at least one hold fuel burn rate;
an aircraft performance wear criterion, wherein the performance wear criterion comprises an aircraft performance wear, and wherein the flight plan deviates from the aircraft performance wear criterion when an aircraft performance wear in the flight plan does not match the aircraft performance wear;
a weather criterion, wherein the weather criterion comprises weather forecast at a time that a load sheet for the flight plan is created, wherein the flight plan deviates from the weather criterion when weather information in the flight plan does not match the weather forecast at the time that the load sheet is created;
a route criterion, wherein the route criterion comprises an optimal route for the flight plan, and wherein the flight plan deviates from the route criterion when a route in the flight plan does not match the optimal route;
a Standard Instrument Departure (SIDs) criterion, wherein the SIDs criterion comprises an optimal SIDs for the flight plan, and wherein the flight plan deviates from the SIDs criterion when the SIDs in the flight plan does not match the optimal SIDs; and
a Standard Terminal Arrival Route (STARs) criterion, wherein the STARs criterion comprises an optimal STARs for the flight plan, and wherein the flight plan deviates from the STARs criterion when the STARs in the flight plan does not match the optimal STARs; and

upon determining that the operator flight plan deviates from at least one of the predicted realistic flight plan criteria, amending aspects of the operator flight plan to minimize the deviations.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein the optimal route comprises an optimal cruise altitude, and wherein, upon determining from the statistical analysis that flights from the departure airport to the destination airport cruise at a different altitude than the optimal cruise altitude, replacing the optimal cruise altitude in the optimal route with the different altitude.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein, upon determining from the statistical analysis that flights from the departure airport to the destination airport use a different SIDs than the optimal SIDs, replacing the optimal SIDs in the SIDs criterion with the different SIDs.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , wherein, upon determining from the statistical analysis from the statistical analysis that flights from the departure airport to the destination airport use a different STARs than the optimal STARs, replacing the optimal STARs in the STARs criterion with the different STARs.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 2 , further comprising:
calculating a fuel penalty for the deviations; and
outputting an indication of the fuel penalty for the deviations.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing the calibration flight plan to the aircraft; and
during flight:
determining at least one operational variance of the aircraft from the calibration flight plan; and
communicating the operational variance of the aircraft.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7 , wherein, during flight, further communicating a fuel penalty caused by the operational variance.

9. A system to increase accuracy of estimating fuel for an aircraft, the system comprising:
one or more computer processors; and
a memory configured to store:
data for multiple past instances of flights between a departure airport and an arrival airport;
an operator flight plan; and
computer program code that, when executed by operation of the one or more computer processors, performs an operation comprising:
performing a statistical analysis on the data for multiple past instances of flights between the departure airport and the arrival airport for multiple aircraft in order to de

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Irrgang Michael E
• Kaul Charles E
• Hall Andrew E
• De Klerk Andrea
• Boozarjomehri Elham

Classifications

• G07C5/0816

  Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction · CPC title

• G06Q10/047

  Optimisation of routes or paths, e.g. travelling salesman problem · CPC title

• G08G5/0056

  Physics · mapped topic

• G08G5/0039 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic

• G08G5/58

  for emergency situations, e.g. hijacking or bird strikes · CPC title