Centralized management of maintenance and materials for commercial aircraft fleets with information feedback to customer

• US 8,296,197 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2005
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Avery, Robert L., Cronie, Wendy, Fromm, Erik, Nomi, Margaret, Khera, Cheryl, Kirkish, Paula M., Leonhardi, David R., Maloney, Jay P., Bueser, Matthew, Thacker, Grant T., Lane, Stephen T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Haider, Fawaad
• Application Number:
  US11/281,214
• Publication Number:
  US 20070112486A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,533 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28
• US Class Current: 705/28
• 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 centrally managing using a turnkey maintenance system the performance of maintenance on fleet vehicles for a customer, said management by a single management service provider (MSP), said MSP a separate business entity from said customer, said customer an operator of said fleet vehicles, maintenance on said fleet vehicles not provided or determined by said customer, comprising the steps of:

(A) said MSP providing maintenance services for the vehicles by contracting with a plurality of maintenance service providers to provide said maintenance, said maintenance services not provided or determined by said customer;

(B) said MSP providing the parts required to support the maintenance service provided in step (A) by obtaining said parts from a plurality of part suppliers and arranging delivery of said parts to said maintenance service providers;

(C) said MSP centrally managing the maintenance service providers and the part suppliers from a central operations center to perform said maintenance on said vehicles, said central operations center comprises a network of computer servers providing communication with said parts suppliers, said maintenance service providers, and said customers;

(D) said MSP charging and receiving from the customer a fee for managing the maintenance of the vehicles; and

,

(E) said MSP providing information to the customer over a shared communications network controlled by said MSP and comprising said central operation center, said information enabling said customer to evaluate the maintenance provided wherein said information comprises real time vehicle on-board systems operating information including historical and current vehicle operating configurations including vehicle faults recorded on-board, said information wirelessly received from each of said fleet vehicles by said MSP at said central operation center, said information used by said MSP to determine said maintenance provided for said vehicles and to determine said fee charged to said customers.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes information describing the parts used in providing the maintenance.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes the number of operating hours the vehicle was in service during the'"'"'period for which maintenance was provided.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes the availability of the vehicles during the period for which maintenance was provided.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes the utilization rate of the vehicles during the period for which maintenance was provided.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes the reliability of the vehicles during the period for which maintenance was provided.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the information includes a description of the maintenance provided to each vehicle during the period for which maintenance was provided.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein said fleet vehicles are aircraft.

9. A method of centrally managing using a turnkey maintenance system the performance of maintenance on fleet aircraft for a customer, said management by a single management service provider (MSP), said MSP a separate business entity from said customer, said customer an operator of said fleet aircraft, maintenance on said fleet vehicles not provided or determined by said customer, comprising the steps of:

(A) said MSP providing maintenance services for the aircraft by contracting with a plurality of maintenance service providers to provide said maintenance, said maintenance services not provided or determined by said customer;

(B) said MSP providing the parts required to support the maintenance service provided in step (A) by obtaining said parts from a plurality of part suppliers and arranging delivery of said parts to said maintenance service providers;

(C) said MSP centrally managing the maintenance service providers and the part suppliers from a central operations center to perform said maintenance for said aircraft, said central operations center comprises a network of computer servers providing communication with said parts suppliers, said maintenance service providers, and said customers;

(D) said MSP charging and receiving from the customer a fee for managing the maintenance of the aircraft; and

,

(E) said MSP feeding back information to the customer over a shared communications network controlled by said MSP and comprising said central operations center, said information enabling said customer to evaluate the maintenance provided wherein said information comprises real time vehicle on-board systems operating information including historical and current vehicle operating configurations including vehicle faults recorded on-board, said information wirelessly received from each of said fleet vehicles by said MSP at said central operation center, said information used by said MSP to determine said maintenance provided for said vehicles and to determine said fee charged to said customers.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the information includes information describing the parts used in providing the maintenance.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the information includes the number of operating hours each of the aircraft was in service during the period for which maintenance was provided.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the information includes the availability of each of the aircraft during the period for which maintenance was provided.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the information includes the utilization rate of each of the aircraft during the period for which maintenance was provided.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the information includes the reliability of each of the aircraft during the period for which maintenance was provided.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the information includes a description of the maintenance provided to each aircraft during the period for which maintenance was provided.