METHODS AND SYSTEMS OF AN AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE PROCESS

• US 20090150022A1
• Filed: 12/06/2007
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Zimpfer, Andrew N., McMillin, Duke, Bearce, Jeffery M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,571,747 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method of managing maintenance of an aircraft is provided. In one implementation the method includes generating an electronic report that indicates a fault of the aircraft; electronically integrating the electronic report with resource data and flight schedule data to establish a repair solution for the fault; and generating an electronic work order based on the repair solution.

Claims

1. A method of managing maintenance of an aircraft comprising:

generating an electronic report that indicates a fault of the aircraft;

electronically integrating the electronic report with resource data and flight schedule data to establish a repair solution for the fault; and

generating an electronic work order based on the repair solution.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising electronically managing an assignment of the electronic work order to a technician.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising electronically managing work associated with the electronic work order as the work is being performed.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising electronically scheduling the work based on available resources and the repair solution.

5. The method of claim 3 further comprising electronically managing an inspection of the work.

6. The method of claim 1 further integrating at least one of electronic manuals and electronic training information for use in at least one of establishing the repair solution and performing work associated with the electronic work order.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising electronically generating a parts order based on aircraft configuration information and available resources.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising electronically maintaining a flight schedule based on the electronic work order.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring conditions of the aircraft and generating timing information based on the monitoring of the conditions.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising electronically integrating part information with the report.

11. A maintenance management system for an aircraft comprising:

one or more computer readable mediums bearing,

a fault evaluator operable to evaluate fault data of an aircraft and establish a repair solution;

a work order generator operable to generate a work order based on the repair solution;

a maintenance manager operable to assign the work order to a technician; and

a work manager operable to manage work associated with the work order as it is being performed by the technician.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein the fault evaluator is further operable to establish the repair solution based on repair history.

13. The system of claim 11 wherein the fault evaluator is further operable to access electronic manuals for use in establishing the repair solution.

14. The system of claim 11 wherein the work order generator is further operable to schedule the work based on available resources and the repair solution.

15. The system of claim 11 wherein the maintenance manager is further operable to generate a parts retrieval request based on the repair solution.

16. The system of claim 11 further comprising a fault report generator operable to generate the fault data of the aircraft based on at least one of fault data generated by the aircraft and fault information entered by a user.

17. The system of claim 11 further comprising a flight schedule evaluator operable to maintain a flight schedule based on the work order.

18. The system of claim 11 further comprising a gate situational awareness reporter operable to monitor conditions of the aircraft and generate timing information based on the conditions.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the work manager is further operable to manage the work based on the timing information.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the conditions of the aircraft include at least one of boarding information and ground services information.

21. The system of claim 11 further comprising a part manager operable to manage at least one of a retrieval and a release of parts for the aircraft.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein the part manager is further operable to manage the at least one of the retrieval and the release of the parts based on part tag data.

23. The system of claim 11 wherein the work manager is further operable to manage an inspection of the work after it has been performed by the technician.

24. The system of claim 11 wherein the work manager is further operable to provide at least one of training information and a manual to the technician.

25. An maintenance management system for an aircraft comprising:

one or more computer readable mediums bearing,

a fault report generator operable to generate fault data of an aircraft based on at least one of fault data generated by the aircraft and fault information entered by a user;

a fault evaluator operable to evaluate the fault data of the aircraft and establish a repair solution;

a work order generator operable to generate a work order and a parts order based on the repair solution;

a flight schedule evaluator operable to maintain a flight schedule based on the work order;

a maintenance manager operable to assign the work order to a technician;

a part manager operable to manage at least one of a retrieval and a release of parts for the aircraft based on the parts order;

a gate situational awareness reporter operable to monitor conditions of the aircraft and generate timing information based on the conditions; and

a work manager operable to manage maintenance work as it is being performed by the technician based on the timing information.