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System and method for on-board determination of aircraft weight and load-related characteristics

  • US 6,032,090 A
  • Filed: 05/06/1997
  • Issued: 02/29/2000
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/06/1997
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. In an on-board system for determining the weight and center of gravity of an aircraft having a plurality of oleo struts, each having a strut piston and strut cylinder with a working fluid, the system comprising:

  • a computer operable to develop control signals and to receive and store pressure measurement signals and acceleration measurement signals and to perform calculations;

    a display coupled to the computer for displaying visual indicia;

    a plurality of pressure-measuring-and-adjusting subsystems, one pressure-measuring-and-adjusting subsystem associated with each of the plurality of oleo struts, each pressure measuring and adjusting subsystem comprising;

    (i) a fitting attached to the associated oleo strut for accessing the working fluid therein;

    (ii) a first in-line, electronically-responsive valve coupled to the fitting for controlling fluid flow through the fitting and electrically coupled to the computer,(iii) a pressure transducer fluidly coupled to the strut cylinder for measuring the pressure of the working fluid, the pressure transducer coupled to the computer and operable to provide a pressure measurement signal to the computer, and(iv) an electronically-responsive pump fluidly coupled to the strut cylinder for adjusting the fluid pressure of the working fluid to extend or retract the strut in response to control signals from the computer;

    an accelerometer associated with each strut for developing acceleration measurements; and

    wherein the computer is further operable in determining weight to account for acceleration measurements corresponding to pressure measurements.

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