SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR GENERATING MAINTENANCE RELEASE INFORMATION

• US 20090265357A1
• Filed: 04/17/2008
• Published: 10/22/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: YUKAWA, STEVEN J., Jain, Rajit, Anstey, Tim W.
• Granted Patent: US 8,437,906 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor

Abstract

A method for creating a maintenance release (MR) record containing operational status information for a mobile platform. The method may involve electronically accessing a database to acquire operational items relating to operational worthiness of the mobile platform, displaying the selected operational items to the user; and performing a synchronization check of the database system. The synchronization check verifies that the selected operational items represent the most recently stored information in the database system.

Claims

1. A method for creating a maintenance release (MR) record containing operational status information for a mobile platform, the method comprising:

electronically accessing a database to acquire operational items relating to relating to operational worthiness of the mobile platform;

displaying the selected operational items to the user; and

performing a synchronization check of the database system to verify that the selected operational items represent the most recently stored information in the database system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a feature to enable a user to specify a quantity of release information pertaining to operating information concerning the mobile platform.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein electronically assessing a database to acquire operational items relating to operational worthiness of the mobile platform comprises electronically accessing a database to acquire at least one of;

open maintenance items; and

active and expired deferrals for operational items that relate to mobile platform operational worthiness.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein creating a MR record for said mobile platform comprises creating a MR record pertaining to an airworthiness of said aircraft.

5. The method of claim 1, further electronically accessing a database located remote from said aircraft and obtaining an additional quantity of operational items for consideration by said user that includes at least one of:

restrictions on operation of the aircraft;

information on whether re-check maintenance items are complete;

information pertaining to servicing of said aircraft;

information pertaining to active maintenance deferrals of maintenance items pertaining to said aircraft;

information pertaining to technical faults of equipment being carried by said aircraft; and

information pertaining to maintenance closing actions.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising electronically accessing a maintenance and history planning database and obtaining information therefrom to present to said user for consideration as part of said MR record.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising displaying said MR record on a display with a request that said MR record be accepted by a maintenance individual.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein obtaining restrictions on operating said aircraft comprises obtaining at least one of:

performance restrictions;

ETOPS/LROPS (Extended Operations/Long Range Operations) restrictions; and

Autoland restrictions.

9. A method for creating a maintenance release (MR) record containing status information for an aircraft, the method comprising:

providing a feature for a user to provide a first quantity of release information pertaining to operating information concerning said mobile platform;

electronically accessing a first database located on-board the aircraft to acquire a first quantity of operational items;

wirelessly electronically accessing a second database located remote from the aircraft to acquire a second quantity of operational items, said first and second quantities of operational items including at least a plurality of;

open maintenance items;

expired deferrals for maintenance items that relate to aircraft airworthiness;

active deferrals for maintenance items; and

operating restrictions for said aircraft;

displaying said selected operational items to said user; and

performing a synchronization check of said database to verify that said selected operational items represent most recently stored information in said database.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein acquiring first and second quantities of operational items further includes acquiring a status of maintenance recheck actions, acquiring service logs and acquiring maintenance actions.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said MR record comprises one of:

an ETOPS/LROPS (Extended Operations/Long Range Operations) release;

a Normal Release;

a Restricted Release; and

a Limited Release.

12. The method of claim 9, further comprising electronically checking a maintenance history and planning system database located remote from said aircraft.

13. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying said MR record on a display with a request that said MR record be accepted by said user.

14. The method of claim 9, further electronically accessing a database located remote from said aircraft and obtaining an additional quantity of operational items for consideration by said user that includes at least one of:

information on whether re-check maintenance items are complete;

information pertaining to servicing of said aircraft;

information pertaining to technical and non technical faults of equipment being carried by said aircraft; and

information pertaining to maintenance closing actions.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising obtaining operating restrictions, and wherein said operating restrictions comprise at least one of:

performance restrictions;

ETOPS/LROPS (Extended Operations/Long Range Operations) restrictions;

Autoland restrictions; and

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying to said user a summary of maintenance activity performed on said aircraft since a most previously created MR record was generated.

17. The method of claim 9, further comprising displaying a status of said MR record on a display carried onboard said aircraft and on a display at a remotely located ground station in wireless communication with said aircraft.

18. A system for creating a maintenance release (MR) record containing status information for a mobile platform, the system comprising:

a user input for a first quantity of release information pertaining to operating information concerning said mobile platform;

a electronically accessible database for storing operational items relating to at least one of;

open faults; and

deferrals for operational items that relate to mobile platform operational worthiness;

a display for displaying said selected operational items to said user; and

a server having a software module that performs a synchronization check of said database to verify that said selected operational items represent most recently stored information in said database.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein said database is located onboard said mobile platform, and further including an additional database located remote from said mobile platform;

and

wherein said mobile platform includes a wireless communications system for communicating with said additional database.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein said display is used to display to said user a plurality of items including:

release information on operation of the mobile platform;

restrictions on operation of the mobile platform;

information on whether re-check maintenance items for said mobile platform are complete;

information pertaining to servicing of said mobile platform;

information pertaining to active maintenance deferrals of maintenance items pertaining to said mobile platform;

information pertaining to closed technical and non-technical faults of equipment being carried by said mobile platform;

information pertaining to maintenance closing actions for said mobile platform; and

information on recheck actions for said mobile platform.