System and method for optimized flight planning

• US 8,160,759 B2
• Filed: 01/23/2009
• Issued: 04/17/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flightaware LLC (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Flightaware LLC (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Baker, Daniel, Lehenbauer, Karl, McNett, David Cameron, Duell, Mark L. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu, Yonel
• Application Number:
  US12/358,933
• Publication Number:
  US 20100191458A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 701/3, 701/5, 701 14- 18, 340/945, 340/963, 340971-973, 340/951, 342 33- 37
• US Class Current: 701/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/025 Coordination of plural reservations, e.g. plural trip segments, transportation combined with accommodation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/102 Bill distribution or payments
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0207 Discounts or incentives, e.g. coupons or rebates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0269 based on user profile or attribute
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0034 Assembly of a flight plan

Abstract

A computer-implemented system and method for the processing and optimization of flight plans is disclosed. Information regarding a plurality of previous flight plans is received over a digital network and is stored in at least a database. The database preferably includes aviation fuel price information, aircraft performance information, and aviation weather information as well. Upon receiving a request, a server generates at least an optimized portion of a flight plan. In one form, historical flight plan data of others is automatically used to aid in the determination of the optimized route offered to the user for review, with the resulting final flight plan being electronically filed with the FAA upon approval. In a further form, the user may arrange fuel transactions at intermediate destinations with the service provider receiving a fee in exchange for facilitating the transaction.

Claims

1. A method for presenting suitable airports, said method comprising the steps of:

maintaining a first electronic database of airports, each airport including at least an associated location, runway type, runway length, and hours of operation information;

maintaining a second electronic database of aircraft performance information and aircraft takeoff and landing requirements including aircraft weight and climb rate;

receiving over a network flight information from a remote user using a first server;

wherein said flight information includes an origin and destination location, departure time, and an aircraft type;

determining a first set of airports within said destination location, each airport within said first set has an associated location which is within said geographic location;

determining a second set of airports as a subset of said first set, wherein each airport within said second set has an associated runway type and runway length within said first database suitable for accommodating the aircraft takeoff and landing requirements associated in said second database with said aircraft type; and

transmitting information identifying at least one airport within said second set to the remote user over said network.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein each airport within said second set of airports meets a specified criteria indicated by a remote user.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein each airport within said second set of airports does indicate any relevant delays at the current time.

4. A method for presenting routes suitable for use in a flight plan, said method comprising the steps of:

maintaining an electronic database of flight plans previously filed with the FAA, wherein each flight plan has at least a first location and a subsequent second location and a flight path there between, and an aircraft type;

receiving over a network flight information from a remote user using a first server;

wherein said flight information includes a flight origin and flight destination for at least one leg of a flight and a flight aircraft type;

selecting a set of prior flight plans from said electronic database, wherein each of said flight plans within said set has an associated first location at or near said origin, an associated second location at or near said destination location, and an associated aircraft type similar to said flight aircraft type; and

transmitting information regarding a plurality of suggested flight routes to the remote user over said network, wherein each suggested flight route within said plurality is comprised of at least one flight plan within said set.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of:

receiving a selected route within said plurality of suggested flight routes from said remote user;

generating a sample flight plan based on said selected route; and

transmitting said sample flight plan to said user over said network.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising the step of:

filing said sample flight plan electronically with the FAA in response to a request received from the remote user over said network.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one suggested flight route within said plurality is taken entirely from a single prior flight plan within said set.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein at least one suggested flight route within said plurality represents the entire flight path from a single prior flight plan within said set.

9. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one flight plan stored within said electronic database is associated with a date.

10. The method of claim 4, wherein each prior flight plan within said set is no older than a threshold time.

11. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one of said prior flight plans was accepted by the FAA and the fact of acceptance is provided to the remote user over said network.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein at least one of said accepted flight plans is accompanied with additional information relating to changes made after acceptance by the FAA.

13. The method of claim 4, wherein the path from said first location to said second location represents the entire flight.

14. The method of claim 4, wherein the first location is an initial origin airport.

15. The method of claim 4, wherein the second location is a final destination airport.

16. The method of claim 4, wherein said selecting is performed for each leg of a multi-leg flight prior to said transmitting.