Centralized management of maintenance and materials for commercial aircraft fleets with information feedback to customer

• US 20070112486A1
• Filed: 11/16/2005
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Khera, Cheryl, Cronie, Wendy, Nomi, Margaret, Bueser, Matthew, Fromm, Erik, Avery, Robert, Thacker, Grant, Lane, Stephen, Leonhardi, David, Kirkish, Paula, Maloney, Jay
• Granted Patent: US 8,296,197 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Turnkey maintenance of a customer'"'"'s aircraft fleet is managed by a single management service provider (MSP) controlling integrated maintenance and materials services from a central operations site. The MSP converts data received directly from on-board aircraft systems into information it uses to manage maintenance service providers and parts suppliers. The MSP contracts with and manages maintenance, repair and overhaul organizations (MROs) who perform the maintenance on the customers'"'"' aircraft at line and base stations. The MSP either remotely manages part inventories at the customer'"'"'s site, or manages suppliers who deliver the parts to the MROs. Maintenance planning, scheduling and execution information is exchanged between the MSP, MROs, part suppliers and the customers through a shared data communication network controlled by the MSP. The MSP charges the customer for the maintenance services based on a flat rate per unit of aircraft flying time.

Claims

1. A method of centrally managing the maintenance of fleet vehicles for customers, comprising the steps of:

(A) providing maintenance services for the vehicles using a plurality of maintenance service providers;

(B) providing the parts required to support the maintenance service provided in step (A) using a plurality of part suppliers;

(C) centrally managing the maintenance service providers and the part suppliers;

(D) charging the customer a fee for managing the maintenance of the vehicles; and

,

(E) feeding back information to the customer useful in determining the effectiveness of the maintenance.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes the number of operating hours the vehicle was in service during the period for which maintenance was provided.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes the availability of the vehicles during the period for which maintenance was provided.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes the utilization rate of the vehicles during the period for which maintenance was provided.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes the reliability of the vehicles during the period for which maintenance was provided.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes a description of the maintenance provided to each vehicle during the period for which maintenance was provided.

2. The method of claim 2, wherein the information includes information describing the parts used in providing the maintenance.

8. A method of providing integrated maintenance and materials management services to fleet aircraft customers using a service integrator, comprising the steps of:

(A) using a plurality of maintenance, repair and overhaul organizations (MROs) to provide maintenance for the aircraft;

(B) using a plurality of part suppliers to provide parts required to support the maintenance service provided in step (A);

(C) receiving money from the customer in payment for the maintenance and parts provided in steps (A) and (B); and

,

(D) feeding back from the service integrator to the customer, information useful to the customer in assessing the value of the maintenance.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the information fed back to the customer includes the number of flight hours the aircraft was in service during the period for which maintenance was provided.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the information includes the availability of the aircraft during the period for which maintenance was provided.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the information includes the utilization rate of the aircraft during the period for which maintenance was provided.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein the information includes the reliability of the aircraft during the period for which maintenance was provided.

13. A method of managing maintenance of fleet aircraft for customers, using a single management service provider (MSP), comprising the steps of:

(A) managing a plurality of maintenance, repair and overhaul organizations (MROs) providing maintenance services for the aircraft;

(B) managing a plurality of part suppliers providing the parts required to support the maintenance services provided in step (A);

(C) charging the customer a fee for managing the maintenance of the aircraft; and

,

(D) feeding back information to the customer related to maintenance provided in step (A).

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of providing the customer with a performance guarantee relating to the performance of the aircraft, and wherein the information fed back to the customer in step (D) includes aircraft performance information useful in determining whether the guarantee has been met.

15. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of providing the MSP with a performance incentive relating to the performance of the aircraft, and wherein the information fed back to the customer in step (D) includes aircraft performance information useful in determining whether the terms of the incentive have been met.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the information includes information describing the parts used in providing the maintenance.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the information includes the number of flight hours the aircraft was in service during the period for which maintenance was provided.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the information includes the availability of the aircraft during the period for which maintenance was provided.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the information includes the utilization rate of the aircraft during the period for which maintenance was provided.

20. The method of claim 13, wherein the information includes the reliability of the aircraft during the period for which maintenance was provided.

21. The method of claim 13, wherein the information includes a description of the maintenance provided to the aircraft during the period for which maintenance was provided.