Integrated maintenance and materials services for fleet aircraft using aircraft data to improve quality of materials

• US 7,689,329 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2005
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Avery, Robert L., Maloney, Jay P., Khera, Cheryl, Cronie, Wendy, Nomi, Margaret, Rhodes, Patricia, Kirkish, Paula M., Leonhardi, David R., Bueser, Matthew, Fromm, Erik
• Primary Examiner(s): PIPALA, EDWARD J
• Application Number:
  US11/281,280
• Publication Number:
  US 20090248459A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,595 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/3, 701/14, 701 29-301, 705/1, 705/8, 705 28- 29, 707/104.1
• US Class Current: 701/14
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Turnkey maintenance of a customer'"'"'s aircraft fleet is managed by a single management service provider (MSP) controlling integrated maintenance and materials services from a central operations site. The MSP converts data received directly from on-board aircraft systems into information it uses to manage maintenance service providers and parts suppliers. The MSP contracts with and manages maintenance, repair and overhaul organizations (MROs) who perform the maintenance on the customers'"'"' aircraft at line and base stations. The MSP either remotely manages part inventories at the customer'"'"'s site, or manages suppliers who deliver the parts to the MROs. Maintenance planning, scheduling and execution information is exchanged between the MSP, MROs, part suppliers and the customers through a shared data communication network controlled by the MSP. The MSP charges the customer for the maintenance services based on a flat rate per unit of aircraft flying time.

Claims

1. A method of managing maintenance of fleet aircraft for airline operator customers by a management service provider entity (integrator) separate from said airline operator, comprising the steps of:

(A) collecting on-board aircraft data from each aircraft relating to the condition of systems on the aircraft, said data comprising real-time data related to the operation of said aircraft;

(B) providing maintenance for the aircraft using material suppliers;

(C) using the data collected in step (A) to generate information useful in selecting and supplying materials required for maintenance of the aircraft; and

,

(D) providing the information to the suppliers in order to enable suppliers to improve the quality of the materials.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data collected in step (A) includes:

system faults recorded on the aircraft,

the number of aircraft flight hours, and

the number of aircraft flight cycles.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data collected in step (A) includes;

information relating to potential problems on the aircraft involving materials, and

faults recorded on-board the aircraft.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the data collected in step (A) includes:

information related to the flights conducted by the aircraft,

information relating to the current health of on-board aircraft systems, and

predictions of future maintenance required for the aircraft.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the data collected in step (A) includes the maintenance history of the aircraft.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein step (A) includes wirelessly transmitting the data from the aircraft to the ground, and storing the data.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data collected in step (A) includes the current as-flying configuration of the aircraft.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes a forecast of materials required for maintenance of the aircraft.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes a forecast of parts required for maintenance of the aircraft.

10. The method of claim 1, whereon the data collected in step (A) includes:

electronic log book information,

aircraft health management information, and

as flying configuration information.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using the data collected in step (A) to generate new on-board fault codes for the aircraft useful in improving the quality of the materials provided by the suppliers.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the data collected in step (A) includes as-flying configuration information generated by on-board RFID tags identifying materials on the aircraft.

13. A method of managing maintenance of fleet aircraft for airline operator customers by a management service provider entity (integrator) separate from said airline operator, comprising the steps of:

(A) organizing a group of maintenance, repair and overhaul organizations (MROs) under the management of said integrator to provide maintenance for the aircraft;

(B) organizing a group of suppliers to provide parts to the MROs for use in the maintenance;

(C) collecting data from each aircraft relating to the operating status of the aircraft and useful in conducting the maintenance, said data comprising real-time data related to the operation of each of said aircraft;

(D) providing the data collected in step (C) to the part suppliers; and

,

(E) improving the quality of parts using the data provided in step (D).

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the MROs perform line and base maintenance of the aircraft.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein:

step (C) includes wirelessly transmitting the data from the aircraft to the ground, and storing the information received on the ground at an operation center under the control of the integrator, and

step (D) includes retrieving the data from storage and transmitting the data from the operations center to the suppliers.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the data includes at least one of the following:

electronic logbook information,

aircraft health management information, and

as-flying aircraft configuration information.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the data collected in step (C) includes the maintenance history of the aircraft.

18. The method of claim 13, wherein the data collected in step (C) includes a prediction of maintenance required by the aircraft.

19. A method of managing maintenance of commercial fleet vehicles for airline operator customers a management service provider entity (integrator) separate from said airline operator, comprising the steps of:

(A) organizing maintenance service providers under the control of said integrator to provide maintenance services for the vehicles in the fleet;

(B) organizing part suppliers under the control of the integrator to provide parts used in the maintenance services;

(C) collecting real-time data related to the operation of each of the vehicles and useful in connection with the maintenance of the vehicles; and

,

(D) transmitting the data collected in step (C) to the part suppliers for use in improving the quality of the parts.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the data collected in step (C) includes:

faults recorded on the vehicle, and,

information relating to potential problems on the vehicle requiring maintenance.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the data collected in step (C) includes:

information related to the trips conducted by the vehicle,

information relating to the current health of system on-board the vehicle, and

predictions of future maintenance required for the vehicle.

22. The method of claim 19, wherein the data collected in step (C) includes the maintenance history of the vehicle.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein step (C) includes wirelessly transmitting the data from the vehicle to the ground, and storing the data.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the data collected in step (C) includes the current configuration of the vehicle.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of using the data collected in step (C) to generate new on-board fault codes for the vehicle useful in improving the quality of the parts.