DEVICE FOR COMMUNICATING BETWEEN AIRCRAFT FLIGHT PERSONNEL AND THE GROUND, AND METHOD IMPLEMENTING SAID DEVICE

• US 20110288759A1
• Filed: 08/07/2009
• Published: 11/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Original Assignee: Airbus Operations (European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV)
• Inventors: Renauldon-Dumain, Valerie, Saugnac, Frederic
• Granted Patent: US 9,424,542 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/120
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A system for communicating between a commercial aircraft and the base of the airline that chartered the same when the aircraft is itself located on the ground during the flight preparation phases and before unloading the commercial freight or passengers. A method implements such a communication system by the commercial flight staff and/or the aircraft captain to prepare a flight and the commercial freight unloading phase.

Claims

1-14. -14. (canceled)

15. A communication system for an aircraft comprising a cockpit and a cabin served by a crew comprising a captain and a cabin crew,

the system configured to receive and send information items in digitized or digitalized form from an information network on the ground,

wherein the system comprises at least one device for display of the information items in the aircraft.

16. A communication system for an aircraft according to claim 15, wherein the display device is for attention of the captain and is disposed in the cockpit.

17. A communication system for an aircraft according to claim 15, wherein the display device is for attention of the cabin crew and is disposed in the cabin of the aircraft.

18. A communication system according to claim 15, further comprising a device configured to capture information items and send the information items to the network on the ground.

19. A communication system according to claim 18, further comprising a device for saving information items that are transmitted thereto and the information items captured inside the aircraft.

20. A communication system according to claim 18, further comprising a digital signature device.

21. A communication system according to claim 20, wherein the digital signature device is a mobile terminal.

22. A flight preparation method for an aircraft comprising a communication system according to claim 18, comprising:

(i) sending information items necessary to the flight on board the aircraft;

(ii) communicating to the captain and/or the cabin crew, by virtue of the communication system, information items necessary to departure of the airplane and to the flight;

(iii) approving the received documents and validating them electronically with the captain;

(iv) updating and sending back to the ground a list of documents necessary for authorization for departure of the flight; and

(v) receiving an acknowledgment of receipt from the ground making it possible to confirm that conditions for departure of the flight effectively were received and recorded by the ground.

23. A flight preparation method for an aircraft comprising a communication system according to claim 20, comprising:

(i) reception by the captain of documents in digital form and displaying them on a display device in the cockpit of the aircraft;

(ii) validating and/or completing and/or modifying information items contained in the documents received in digital form;

(iii) validating by the captain of the aircraft, by the digital signature device, documents possibly modified and/or completed;

(iv) sending the possibly modified and/or completed documents via the sending device to the network on the ground; and

(v) reception of an acknowledgment of receipt by the network on the ground for the documents sent.

24. A flight preparation method for an aircraft according to claim 22, further comprising:

(vi) checking in members of the cabin crew present;

(vii) communicating to the cabin crew information items relating to development of the flight for the communication system;

(viii) assigning tasks to the members of the cabin crew according to information items received from the communication system;

(ix) preparing the cabin of the aircraft for the flight according to information items received via the communication system; and

(vi) to (viii) are performed in the cabin of the aircraft by the entire cabin crew present.

25. A flight preparation method for an aircraft according to claim 22, further comprising:

(vi) communicating to the cabin crew information items about commercial cargo after loading thereof and closing doors of the aircraft.

26. A method according to claim 22, further comprising:

(vi) transmitting an approved flight report to the information network on the ground after landing of the aircraft.

27. A method according to claim 26, wherein the cabin flight report of (vi) is validated by the captain of the aircraft by a digital signature device prior to its transmission to the network on the ground.

28. A method according to claim 27, further comprising:

(vii) communicating to the crew information items about a departure configuration of the airplane after boarding of the passengers and loading of commercial cargo and closing a door of the aircraft; and

(viii) attesting to a good reception by the crew of the new conditions during a departure procedure.