RESPONDING TO AIRCRAFT EXCURSIONS FROM FLIGHT ENVELOPES

• US 20090292409A1
• Filed: 09/14/2006
• Published: 11/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Cordova, Mario D., Slusher, Harry W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,636,618 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/8
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/08 Registering or indicating performance data other than driving, working, idle, or waiting time, with or without registering driving, working, idle or waiting time

Abstract

A method of monitoring an aircraft during use. Flight parameters of the aircraft are monitored to detect an excursion from a flight envelope. While the aircraft is still in flight, the monitored flight parameters are used to determine the severity of a detected excursion, aircraft component(s) possibly affected by the excursion are identified, and flight restrictions and/or inspections responsive to the excursion severity and identified component(s) are specified. This method provides valuable information to a flight crew about flight envelope excursions, can enhance passenger safety and can prevent unnecessary inspections and aircraft downtime.

Claims

1. A method of monitoring an aircraft during use,

the method comprising:

monitoring a plurality of flight parameters of the aircraft;

detecting an excursion of the aircraft from a flight envelope predefined for at least one of the monitored flight parameters; and

while the aircraft is still in flight;

using the monitored flight parameters to determine a severity of the detected excursion;

identifying one or more components of the aircraft possibly affected by the excursion; and

based on the excursion severity and the one or more identified possibly affected components, specifying one or more flight restrictions to be observed for the remainder of the flight, and specifying one or more inspections to be made of the one or more possibly affected components of the aircraft;

said method performed by one or more processors of the aircraft.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

specifying one or more flight restrictions comprises specifying at least one of the following:

a restriction on load factor, and a restriction on speed.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the flight envelope is predefined for at least one of the following flight parameters:

flight speed, and vertical load factor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein specifying an inspection comprises describing one or more steps for performing the inspection, an order in which the steps are to be performed, and for each of the one or more identified possibly affected components, every subcomponent to be encountered in the inspection.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein using the monitored flight parameters comprises comparing one of the parameters to one or more predefined parameter limits.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein using the monitored flight parameters comprises associating one of the monitored parameters with one or more components of the aircraft.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein using the monitored flight parameters comprises associating one of the components of the aircraft with one or more of the monitored parameters.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing, in the aircraft, a notification of the excursion severity.

9. A method of monitoring an aircraft during use, the method comprising:

detecting a speed of the aircraft in excess of a predefined speed limit;

upon detecting the excess speed, recording a plurality of flight parameters, including the detected excess speed, of the aircraft; and

while the aircraft is still in flight after the excess speed is detected;

identifying one or more components of the aircraft possibly affected as a result of the excess speed, the identifying performed using the recorded flight parameters; and

based on the identifying, specifying one or more flight restrictions to be complied with for the remainder of the flight and an inspection plan for the identified components;

said method performed by one or more processors of the aircraft.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein identifying one or more components comprises:

identifying one or more excessive forces generated as a result of the excess speed; and

identifying one or more components possibly affected as a result of the one or more excess forces.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the detected excess speed is at least part of an excursion by one or more of the recorded flight parameters from a predefined flight envelope.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein identifying one or more components of the aircraft possibly affected comprises providing a notification of a severity of the excursion.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein specifying an inspection plan for the identified components comprises providing instructions including an order in which steps of the inspection are to be performed, and for each of the one or more identified possibly affected components, every subcomponent to be encountered in the inspection.

14. The method of claim 9, further comprising comparing the recorded flight parameters to a plurality of predefined parameter limits.

15. A system for monitoring an aircraft during use, the system comprising a processor and memory configured to:

monitor a plurality of flight parameters of the aircraft;

detect an excursion of one or more of the monitored flight parameters from a flight envelope predefined for one or more of the monitored flight parameters;

while the aircraft is still in use after the excursion, analyze one or more of the monitored flight parameters to determine a severity of the excursion and to identify one or more components of the aircraft possibly affected by the excursion;

analyze the flight parameters in combination to determine whether, and if so, how, to specify one or more flight restrictions to be observed for the remainder of the flight based on the excursion severity and identified components.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the flight envelope is predefined for one or more of the following flight parameters:

flight speed, and vertical load factor.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor and memory are further configured to specify one or more steps for performing an inspection of the aircraft based on the excursion severity and identified components, an order in which the one or more steps are to be performed, and for each of the one or more identified possibly affected components, every subcomponent to be encountered in the inspection.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein configured to analyze one or more of the monitored flight parameters comprises configured to compare one of the parameters to one or more predefined parameter limits.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor and memory are configured to specify a flight restriction on load factor.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor and memory are configured to associate one of the components of the aircraft with one or more of the monitored parameters.