Turnkey aviation budget management

• US 20070106549A1
• Filed: 11/04/2005
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Christine Stocking
• Original Assignee: Christine Stocking
• Inventors: Stocking, Christine
• Application Number:
  US11/267,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20070106549A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0637 Strategic management or analysis, e.g. setting a goal or target of an organisation; Planning actions based on goals; Analysis or evaluation of effectiveness of goals
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance

Abstract

Systems and methods for turnkey aviation budget management are described. In one aspect, a budget is determined based on a flight schedule and an operating plan for an aircraft. The operating plan is based on the flight schedule. The operating plan indicates operational flow of one or more services and equipment applicable to the aircraft between airport arrival and departure times, and corresponding fee data. Turnkey aviation budget management automatically reconciles the budget with actual fees assessed with respect to the aircraft, while the aircraft is on ground at the airport. This reconciliation process identifies any expenses not in the budget.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining a budget based on a flight schedule and an operating plan for an aircraft, the operating plan being based on the flight schedule to indicate operational flow of one or more of services and equipment applicable to the aircraft between airport arrival and departure times, and fee data; and

automatically reconciling the budget with actual fees assessed for the aircraft while on ground at the airport to identify one or more expenses not in the budget.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the budget is a budget for an air carrier, an airport, a service provider, an equipment provider, or a charter service.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the fee data comprises one or more of airport fee data, service provider fee data, and equipment provider fee data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the fee data comprises contracted fees.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the services and equipment are associated with one or more of ground handling, catering, fueling, security, baggage, deicing, crew, cleaning, and customs.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein automatically reconciling the budget with the actual fees assessed for the aircraft further comprises identifying information associated with the one or more expenses not in the budget.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising generating the flight schedule and the operating plan.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting a user interface to one or more users, the user interface facilitating one or more of generation of the flight schedule and the operating plan, determination of the budget, and reconciliation of the budget with actual fees assessed.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising one or more of creating and identifying contractual fee data.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing charge notes to identify at least a subset of the actual fees assessed.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing detailed airport and contact information to facilitate determination of the operating plan.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising creating one or more reports based on the flight schedule and operating plan, the report'"'"'s comprising a flight schedule report, a contracts flow report also based on the budget, a contract fee summary report, a reconciliation report, a charge note reconciliation report, fee reports, letters, service provider lists, equipment provider lists, a purchase order based on at least a subset of the one or more expenses not in the budget, and an affidavit attesting to the one or more expenses.

13. A computer-readable medium comprising computer-program instructions executable by a processor for:

determining a budget based on a flight schedule and an operating plan for an aircraft, the budget being a budget for an air carrier, an airport, a service provider, an equipment provider, or a charter service, the operating plan being based on the flight schedule to indicate operational flow of one or more of services and equipment applicable to the aircraft between airport arrival and departure times, and fee data comprising one or more of airport fee data, service provider fee data, and equipment provider fee data; and

automatically reconciling the budget with actual fees assessed for the aircraft while on ground at the airport to identify one or more expenses not in the budget.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the fee data comprises contracted fees.

15. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, wherein the computer-program instructions further comprising instructions for presenting a user interface to one or more users, the user interface facilitating one or more of generation of the flight schedule and the operating plan, determination of the budget, and reconciliation of the budget with actual fees assessed.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 13, further comprising creating one or more reports based on the flight schedule and operating plan, the report'"'"'s comprising a flight schedule report, a contracts flow report also based on the budget, a contract fee summary report, a reconciliation report, a charge note reconciliation report, fee reports, letters, service provider lists, equipment provider lists, a purchase order based on at least a subset of the one or more expenses not in the budget, and an affidavit attesting to the one or more expenses.

17. A computing device comprising:

a processor; and

a memory coupled to the processor, the memory comprising computer-program instructions executable by the processor for;

determining a budget based on a flight schedule and an operating plan for an aircraft, the operating plan being based on the flight schedule to indicate operational flow of one or more of services and equipment applicable to the aircraft between airport arrival and departure times, and fee data;

reconciling the budget with actual fees assessed for the aircraft while on ground at the airport to identify one or more expenses not in the budget; and

presenting a user interface to one or more users, the user interface facilitating one or more of generation of the flight schedule and the operating plan, determination of the budget, and reconciliation of the budget with actual fees assessed.

18. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the budget is a budget for an air carrier, an airport, a service provider, an equipment provider, or a charter service.

19. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the fee data comprises one or more of airport fee data, service provider fee data, and equipment provider fee data.

20. The computing device of claim 17, wherein the computer-program instructions further comprising instructions for creating one or more reports based on the flight schedule and operating plan, the report'"'"'s comprising a flight schedule report, a contracts flow report also based on the budget, a contract fee summary report, a reconciliation report, a charge note reconciliation report, fee reports, letters, service provider lists, equipment provider lists, a purchase order based on at least a subset of the one or more expenses not in the budget, an affidavit attesting to the one or more expenses.