Automated fueling information tracking and fuel hedging

• US 7,647,163 B2
• Filed: 08/04/2005
• Issued: 01/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Allen, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hellner; Mark
• Assistant Examiner(s): Algahaim; Helal A
• Application Number:
  US11/197,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20070032941A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,622 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/123
• US Class Current: 701/123
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 23/005 Flight directors indicating arrangements specially adapted for rotary gyroscopes G01C19/32

Abstract

An automated system collects information related to various factors that affect fuel costs, and determines an optimal amount of fuel to be loaded on an aircraft. Information related to an aircraft'"'"'s fuel efficiency is collected from the aircraft; price information is collected for the stops made by the aircraft; and flight plan information is collected for each flight. The collected information is used to determine or estimate the fuel requirements of the aircraft and an optimal amount of fuel to load onto the aircraft at a location.

Claims

1. A method for determining an amount of fuel to load into an aircraft prior to a flight, the method comprising:

receiving fueling information, wherein the fueling information includes information related to available fuel capacity of the aircraft at the end of the flight, information related to the in flight performance of the aircraft and the one or more engines mounted thereto, and prices of fuel at a plurality of locations to which the aircraft is to fly;

receiving flight plan information for the aircraft for a next flight;

determining an optimal amount of fuel to load into the aircraft based on the received fueling information and the received flight plan information; and

providing fueling instructions to the aircraft based on the determined optimal amount.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the optimal amount of fuel causes the aircraft to carry more fuel than is required to meet a fuel reserve requirement.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the information related to fuel efficiency is automatically collected by the aircraft during a flight.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining is triggered by a filing of a flight plan for the aircraft.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining is triggered by notification of the aircraft landing at a destination.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining is triggered by a change in fuel price at a location of the plurality of locations.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein a portal service is used to receive fueling information and the flight plan information and to determine the optimal amount of fuel to load into the aircraft.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the received flight plan information includes environmental conditions expected during the next flight.

9. One or more computer-readable media having thereon instructions that when executed by a computer implement the method of claim 1.

10. A system for determining an amount of fuel to load into an aircraft, the system comprising:

means for receiving information related to available fuel capacity of the aircraft at the end of a planned flight, information related to the in flight performance of the aircraft and the one or more engines mounted thereto, and information related to prices of fuel at a plurality of locations to which the aircraft is scheduled to fly;

means for receiving flight plan information for the aircraft for a next flight;

means for determining an optimal amount of fuel to load into the aircraft based on the received information and the received flight plan information; and

means for providing fueling instructions to the aircraft based on the determined optimal amount.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the optimal amount of fuel causes the aircraft to carry more fuel than is required to meet a fuel reserve requirement.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the fueling information includes information related to fuel efficiency of the aircraft.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein at least a portion of the information related to fuel efficiency is automatically collected by the aircraft during a flight.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the means for determining is triggered to determine the optimal amount of fuel by a filing of a flight plan for the aircraft.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein the means for determining is triggered to determine the optimal amount of fuel by notification of the aircraft landing at a destination.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the means for determining is triggered to determine the optimal amount of fuel by a change in fuel price at a location of the plurality of locations.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein a portal service is used to implement the means for receiving fueling information, the means for receiving flight plan information, and the means for determining the optimal amount of fuel.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein the received flight plan information includes environmental conditions expected during the next flight.

19. A system for determining an amount of fuel to load into an aircraft, the system comprising:

a fleet of aircraft each including;

a fuel data manager to obtain fueling information, wherein the fueling information includes information related to available fuel capacity of the aircraft at the end of a flight and information related to the in flight performance of the aircraft and the one or more engines mounted thereto, and

at least one wireless communication unit, coupled to the fuel data manager, to selectively transmit the fueling information; and

a computer system communicatively coupled to the fleet of aircraft, the computer system including;

a fuel cost indexer to receive price information of fuel for a plurality of locations to which the fleet of aircraft flies,

a datastore to store fueling information received from the fleet of aircraft, and

a fuel hedger component to determine an optimal amount of fuel to load into each aircraft of the fleet of aircraft based on the stored fueling information, the price information and flight plan information for each aircraft'"'"'s next flight.

20. The system of claim 19 wherein the optimal amount of fuel causes the aircraft to carry more fuel than is required to meet a fuel reserve requirement.

21. The system of claim 19 wherein the fueling information includes information related to fuel efficiency of the aircraft.

22. The system of claim 21 wherein at least a portion of the information related to fuel efficiency is automatically collected by each aircraft of the fleet of aircraft while in flight.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein the received flight plan information includes environmental conditions expected during the next flight.