Common flight deck module for family of commercial aircraft
First Claim
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1. A method for fabricating an aircraft, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a flight deck module having a module structure that defines an avionics suite and at least one exterior window aperture;
generating a build order for an aircraft, the aircraft being selected from a plurality of aircraft platforms, each of the aircraft platforms having a fuselage with a predetermined capacity, wherein each of the fuselages is sized with a different cross-sectional area and wherein the flight deck module is compatible with each of the plurality of aircraft platforms;
fabricating at least a portion of an associated fuselage of the aircraft; and
fixedly coupling the flight deck module and the associated fuselage to one another to integrate the flight deck module into the aircraft.
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Abstract
A common flight deck module for use with a plurality of aircraft platforms. The common flight deck module includes a discrete structure that is independent of the structure of the aircraft fuselage and may includes an avionics system and other hardware, controls and equipment. The common flight deck module is configured to “plug into” the fuselage from each of the aircraft platforms. The “plug in” modularity of the common flight deck module permits the standardization of various components and procedures to thereby make possible efficiency-based cost reductions for both aircraft manufacturers and aircraft consumers.
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14 Claims
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1. A method for fabricating an aircraft, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing a flight deck module having a module structure that defines an avionics suite and at least one exterior window aperture;
generating a build order for an aircraft, the aircraft being selected from a plurality of aircraft platforms, each of the aircraft platforms having a fuselage with a predetermined capacity, wherein each of the fuselages is sized with a different cross-sectional area and wherein the flight deck module is compatible with each of the plurality of aircraft platforms;
fabricating at least a portion of an associated fuselage of the aircraft; and
fixedly coupling the flight deck module and the associated fuselage to one another to integrate the flight deck module into the aircraft. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
providing a set of flight deck avionics; and
incorporating the set of flight deck avionics into the flight deck module.
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8. A commercial transport aircraft comprising:
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a flight deck module having a discrete module structure defining an avionics suite and at least one exterior window aperture; and
a fuselage having a discrete fuselage structure with a flight deck aperture configured to receive the flight deck module;
wherein the flight deck module is configured to be fixedly coupled to the fuselage so as to be non-removable therefrom during flight; and
wherein the flight deck module is configured to be employed in a plurality of discrete aircraft platforms wherein each aircraft platform includes a uniquely sized fuselage that has a cross-sectional area that is different from the fuselage of each other aircraft platform. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification